NRL: Lets talk about relocating teams, says QRL boss.

[Pommy]

Do they? Nothing showing in their financials

http://websites.sportstg.com/get_file.cgi?id=36523533

If you say it’s not in there I believe you, it might as well be Greek, my eyes just glazed over after a few pages.
I’m certain juniors have invested a lot of money in to the NRL club though. When I get chance I will try and dig something up.

 

[greenBV4]

Geographically and mathematically (population wise) Sydney is massive! But don't let valid facts get in the way of weakening rugby league in Australia's largest city.

Sure Sydney is big (even though it's not going to be the biggest population wise much longer), but other big cities around the world don't 8/9 clubs in the one city
NY/tri-state area only has 2 NFL teams, London has 6 premier league teams, and I'm sure I could find more examples if I looked, and both those cities are much larger than Sydney

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I do concede that West Magpies could be a plausible relocation franchise

How disrespectful to long-standing traditional Sydney clubs with a widespread global fanbase. Your destruction mentality is counter-productive to this great code in Australia's largest city. Sydney should have 100 clubs in the NRL to ensure that the game grows!

 

[Stallion]

Sure Sydney is big (even though it's not going to be the biggest population wise much longer), but other big cities around the world don't 8/9 clubs in the one city
NY/tri-state area only has 2 NFL teams, London has 6 premier league teams, and I'm sure I could find more examples if I looked, and both those cities are much larger than Sydney

London has more top flight soccer clubs than that! And you comparisons are out of wacky as rugby league is a totally different circumstances. It is not a code backed by the establishment .So it's precarious nature of existence is very much based on rivalries and locality. The disrespect of such well known and respected clubs is remarkable and saddening from so many angles. You don't have another sport (union) trying to stop recognition as an international sport like rugby league has endured?

 

[Angry_eel]

With Sharks now succesful, there's absolutely no Sydney teams which could be moved. Any team you move, you lose fans to AFL.

If we wanted teams to move, it should have been done in the 90s like the AFL did.

Add: Maybe Dragons could permanently move to Wollongong and stop taking the money out of the Sydney pie. Otherwise, can't think of any team to move.

 

[Stallion]

With Sharks now succesful, there's absolutely no Sydney teams which could be moved. Any team you move, you lose fans to AFL.

If we wanted teams to move, it should have been done in the 90s like the AFL did.

Funnily enough the Sydney Swans are still called/referred to as the "bloods" in Melbourne. And Sydney has only 8.5 top flight RL clubs compared to 10 top flight AFL clubs in Melbourne. Sydney also has 600000 more people population wise. Doesn't seem to be good math in strategic decisions for rugby-league? Instead longstanding rivalries and cultural relevance are lost for other codes to enjoy in Sydney?

 

[Angry_eel]

Funnily enough the Sydney Swans are still called/referred to as the "bloods" in Melbourne. And Sydney has only 8.5 top flight RL clubs compared to 10 top flight AFL clubs in Melbourne. Sydney also has a 600000 more people population wise. Doesn't seem to be good math in strategic decisions for rugby-league?

We need to accept a few facts here.
- Melbourne is geographically and culturally a different city.
- AFL has the media and establishment in it's grip
- Sydney is currently at 5million people and will grow for the coming years

I believe it's fine to have so many teams in Sydney. We should be glad, we can grow the game in more areas than AFL can. We should be looking for solutions given our situation.

Maybe a Sydney conference 2 teams V rest of ANZ is the best thing go about in the future. Won't happen though.

Looking back, I think South Sydney coming back into the NRL was the death knell for expansion. Don't get me wrong, I like Souths. They are my 2nd team but since they were already out, that spot could have gone to someone else. Now all the Souths fans have moved out of Redfern and bearded hipsters have moved in who follow AFL cause it's like so different and not bogan at all.

 

[greenBV4]

London has more top flight soccer clubs than that!

if we are including 2nd division then Sydney has 17.5 teams

And Sydney has only 8.5 top flight RL clubs compared to 10 top flight AFL clubs in Melbourne

People talk about moving AFL teams down here too, but the difference is despite having more teams in Melbourne than the NRL does in Sydney, the AFL already has teams all around the country

Sydney also has 600000 more people population wise.

in 6-7 years time that might be different

 

[titoelcolombiano]

View attachment 25393

the AFL already has teams all around the country

View attachment 25394

Let's be clear. The AFL have four teams outside of their heartland. NRL have one (two if you include the Warriors) and that is without really focusing on expansion. If Perth comes in, in the next few years it is 4 - 3 to AFL and we would have spent a fraction of the money that they have on expansion and with more future potential growth than them too. AFL has peaked.

 

[Pommy]

Let's be clear. The AFL have four teams outside of their heartland. NRL have one (two if you include the Warriors) and that is without really focusing on expansion. If Perth comes in, in the next few years it is 4 - 3 to AFL and we would have spent a fraction of the money that they have on expansion and with more future potential growth than them too. AFL has peaked.

Not sure you can class Auckland as a side out of RL heartland.

 

[Angry_eel]

I think the worst problem for NRL is that as a game, we're stuck under the thumbs of someone. 10 years ago we used to say "News Ltd" won't let us expand. Now, Peter Beattie says that our "Media Partners" must agree to expansion.

This means that we'll never be able to expand as someone else is always in charge. We could expand to PNG, another Qld team or even Adelaide/Perth but it's all upto "media partners".

Meanwhile, AFL was able to add Giants and Suns without a hitch. We're obviously going to lose this battle in Australia. Our only chance is making the comp more international with PNG.

 

[Stallion]

I think the worst problem for NRL is that as a game, we're stuck under the thumbs of someone. 10 years ago we used to say "News Ltd" won't let us expand. Now, Peter Beattie says that our "Media Partners" must agree to expansion.

This means that we'll never be able to expand as someone else is always in charge. We could expand to PNG, another Qld team or even Adelaide/Perth but it's all upto "media partners".

Meanwhile, AFL was able to add Giants and Suns without a hitch. We're obviously going to lose this battle in Australia. Our only chance is making the comp more international with PNG.

Think that rugby league is far more easier to follow than codes like AFL etc. A far more aesthetically pleasing and easier game to watch is rugby league. Showing my bias. But I believe we are underestimating rugby league's potential attraction to potential neutral fans and with that it's hard fought and established identity in longstanding well known clubs.

 

[Timmah]

Meanwhile, AFL was able to add Giants and Suns without a hitch. We're obviously going to lose this battle in Australia. Our only chance is making the comp more international with PNG.

"Without a hitch" is a stretch. Adding those two clubs played havoc on scheduling and they now have a handful of unfavourable slots that fans hate just as much as we NRL fans detest Fri 6pm or Sunday night.

Not to mention, the expansion to include these two clubs has caused what looks to be long-term damage to the competitiveness of certain clubs - teams like Brisbane and Carlton in particular appear anchored to the bottom of the competition because the AFL jumped before there was enough talent to go around.

Then take into account the fact the Suns are recognised as a complete basketcase - struggling to attract and retain players, lacking identity and struggling attendance wise.

At the elite level I think it's fair to say the AFL as a whole is struggling in Queensland. Is that worth the risk in the NRL?

 

[VictoryFC]

London has more top flight soccer clubs than that! And you comparisons are out of wacky as rugby league is a totally different circumstances. It is not a code backed by the establishment .So it's precarious nature of existence is very much based on rivalries and locality. The disrespect of such well known and respected clubs is remarkable and saddening from so many angles. You don't have another sport (union) trying to stop recognition as an international sport like rugby league has endured?

Id say there are 9 clubs in London that would average over 20k in the top flight.

In any case, Buenos Aires wins hand down. 24 professional teams.

 

[Angry_eel]

At the elite level I think it's fair to say the AFL as a whole is struggling in Queensland. Is that worth the risk in the NRL?

No Doubt they are but NSW is the bigger prize where they are gaining ground.

 

[Timmah]

No Doubt they are but NSW is the bigger prize where they are gaining ground.

Are they really though? GWS might be having a bit of on-field success but they don't really seem to have captured the hearts and minds - crowds are still relatively embarrassing by AFL standards and the rivalry between them and the Swans is a bit lame.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Not sure you can class Auckland as a side out of RL heartland.

Yes I was a bit 50/50 on that one but my point still stands re: VFL expansion not really being all that it is talked up to be.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

"Without a hitch" is a stretch. Adding those two clubs played havoc on scheduling and they now have a handful of unfavourable slots that fans hate just as much as we NRL fans detest Fri 6pm or Sunday night.

Not to mention, the expansion to include these two clubs has caused what looks to be long-term damage to the competitiveness of certain clubs - teams like Brisbane and Carlton in particular appear anchored to the bottom of the competition because the AFL jumped before there was enough talent to go around.

Then take into account the fact the Suns are recognised as a complete basketcase - struggling to attract and retain players, lacking identity and struggling attendance wise.

At the elite level I think it's fair to say the AFL as a whole is struggling in Queensland. Is that worth the risk in the NRL?

Beat me to it - the AFL successfully expanding is a myth. Yes, they have successfully put dots on the map, but they have far from embedded a national footprint and it is costing them a fortune whilst they try.

 

[flippikat]

Sure Sydney is big (even though it's not going to be the biggest population wise much longer), but other big cities around the world don't 8/9 clubs in the one city
NY/tri-state area only has 2 NFL teams, London has 6 premier league teams, and I'm sure I could find more examples if I looked, and both those cities are much larger than Sydney

Good point.

To look at it from another angle, it would take 4 or 5 Brisbane teams in the NRL to have the same per-capita representation as Sydney has, yet I can't see any will to do that. A 2nd club to be rivals to the Broncos, sure. A 3rd team *possibly*. But 4 or 5 in Brisbane?? Crazy!

 

[Stallion]

View attachment 25393
if we are including 2nd division then Sydney has 17.5 teams


People talk about moving AFL teams down here too, but the difference is despite having more teams in Melbourne than the NRL does in Sydney, the AFL already has teams all around the country


in 6-7 years time that might be different
View attachment 25394

So we ignore the surplus

Beat me to it - the AFL successfully expanding is a myth. Yes, they have successfully put dots on the map, but they have far from embedded a national footprint and it is costing them a fortune whilst they try.

However the dots on the map perpetuate a myth that kids and the discerning neutral sports fan take note of.