NZ - The Forgotten Frontier?

[Lego_Man]

Just relegate Cronulla to the NSW league and we'll have three spots available- Perth, Wellington, Central Coast. Too easy.

Or you could relocate the Sharks to CC or Perth.

But yes, that seems to be the ideal "18 team" solution.

Though i still get the feeling we need another one in Southeast Queensland.

 

[Lego_Man]

I don't think it's such a bad situation, and playing during the day also makes the game more family friendly, which is something I am sure League needs in NZ.

Not sure what you're getting at, but the Warriors crowds are usually pretty good and far from feral in an aggressive sense.

Ive heard far more complaints, especially here, about home crowds at Newcastle, Cronulla, Canterbury-Bankstown and Manly (to name the worst offenders).

 

[Te Kaha]

But League could schedule the Warriors and a new NZ team to play home games each Sunday at 2pm in NZ (Midday in Australia), which is a good thing. NRL then has a time in NZ which it is always on featuring a NZ team. While the other NZ team is travelling and playing in another timeslot. I don't think it's such a bad situation, and playing during the day also makes the game more family friendly, which is something I am sure League needs in NZ.

All well and good... but how will the broadcasters handle when its a rainy day in the middle of winter towards the end of the day when they cant put the lights on? they wont stand for it... and what happens if this new team gets a home semi? and cant play it at night?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

But League could schedule the Warriors and a new NZ team to play home games each Sunday at 2pm in NZ (Midday in Australia), which is a good thing. NRL then has a time in NZ which it is always on featuring a NZ team. While the other NZ team is travelling and playing in another timeslot. I don't think it's such a bad situation, and playing during the day also makes the game more family friendly, which is something I am sure League needs in NZ.

Heard a similar case for Perth too. Another very strong reason to have both Perth and Wellington in the comp.

 

[BuffaloRules]

All well and good... but how will the broadcasters handle when its a rainy day in the middle of winter towards the end of the day when they cant put the lights on? they wont stand for it... and what happens if this new team gets a home semi? and cant play it at night?

If the game is going to finish at 4.30 pm, surely they can put the lights on on a rainy afternoon??

I know that Wellington may be a bit of a sleepy town, but are the locals going to complain about the lights keeping them awake at 4.30 in the afternoon?

 

[Te Kaha]

If the game is going to finish at 4.30 pm, surely they can put the lights on on a rainy afternoon??

I know that Wellington may be a bit of a sleepy town, but are the locals going to complain about the lights keeping them awake at 4.30 in the afternoon?

Its LAW... in order to get the resource consent to build the stadium the amount of times the lights could go on during a year was written into law... and given the amount of old school money in the Thorndon, Wadestown area getting it changed will require an act of god!!! or either the soccer or Rugby folding.. neither of which look like happening any time soon...

 

[BuffaloRules]

Ok..I'll take your word for it...

There is talk that the Wellington soccer team is going to get boned in 2011 in any event, so it may not be an issue for a potential NRL side...

 

[BuffaloRules]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-for-sydney-team/story-e6frey4r-1225780606995

The A-League may yet end up with 10 teams next year if Wellington's licence is not renewed.
The Asian Football Confederation doesn't want Phoenix in the A-League past 2011.
It was always chairman Frank Lowy's aim to support New Zealand football even when Australia left Oceania and made the move into Asia.
New Zealand, of course, is still part of Oceania and the AFC has always made it clear that Wellington would not be eligible to play in the Asian Champions League if they finished first or second in the A-League.

 

[Te Kaha]

Ok..I'll take your word for it...

There is talk that the Wellington soccer team is going to get boned in 2011 in any event, so it may not be an issue for a potential NRL side...

If that happens that will free up most of the required nights... thats a big if tho.

 

[The Tank]

Yes four new teams BUT not all at once.
Thankfully our next TV deal should be a massive improvement from the last one (unless Gallop f*cks it up again but he is, and will be, getting LOTS of pressure not to screw it up)

Two new teams should be announced within the next year for inclusion in 2012 or preferably 2013: Central Coast and Perth

AND

And at the end of 2013, the NRL will decide that two more teams will be introduced in 2016. By that time the NRL will be siginifcantly stronger than it is now.
The two new teams should be in Queensland and New Zealand

By 2016 we will have 20 teams, perceived by the media and general public to have the best sporting comp in Australia, and have even more areas clamoring to enter the NRL (Adelaide, more QLD, PNG)

That's exactly how I hope it works out! C'mon Gallop, make it happen!

 

[Dogs Of War]

Its LAW... in order to get the resource consent to build the stadium the amount of times the lights could go on during a year was written into law... and given the amount of old school money in the Thorndon, Wadestown area getting it changed will require an act of god!!! or either the soccer or Rugby folding.. neither of which look like happening any time soon...

Not even commonsense written into this law? It could be argued that the game started during the daylight hours, but conditions deteriorated so that lights were required. I am sure a lawyer could argue that case successfully, in such a way that commonsense use of the law is applied, and as such wouldn't affect the scheduling of the game. Also considering the money such an event could bring the community during the year, I would be very surprised if people didn't let it happen.

 

[Te Kaha]

Not even commonsense written into this law? It could be argued that the game started during the daylight hours, but conditions deteriorated so that lights were required. I am sure a lawyer could argue that case successfully, in such a way that commonsense use of the law is applied, and as such wouldn't affect the scheduling of the game. Also considering the money such an event could bring the community during the year, I would be very surprised if people didn't let it happen.

Nope... the stadium would not have been built without the permission of the locals... and they made sure it was not "nights" the lights could go on.. but number of "times" during the year... its why day/nighter one dayers in cricket in wellington have no back up days... also why they Rugby and soccer teams dont practice on the ground... also one of the reasons why the 7's was never allowed to go from a 2 day to 3 day event... if the soccer team folds, then there would be a certain number of times open... but they cant go above the yearly allocation.

 

[The Tank]

Wow, I never realised how backwards Wellington is.

 

[Te Kaha]

Wow, I never realised how backwards Wellington is.

Its Backwards to consider the impact of residents who are less then a few hundred metres from the stadium??? ... but then i spose a fan of the roosters wouldnt know much about consideration of others.... your team members certainly dont.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Its Backwards to consider the impact of residents who are less then a few hundred metres from the stadium??? ... but then i spose a fan of the roosters wouldnt know much about consideration of others.... your team members certainly dont.

I don't understand why they would have built the stadium their with those sort of conditions attached then. They would have understood the impact it could have on teams.

That all said, maybe a Wellington team could take 2-3 games a season to other locations in NZ (around when the days are shortest), to get around those silly conditions. As well as hope that the NZ soccer teams falls over so they can snap those days up.

 

[The Observer]

While the Caketin is a new stadium, it is not rectangular, and it was designed to accomodate cricket (like the stadia in the other main cities like Eden Park and Christchurch). Having watched League and Union there, there are parts of the stadium are distant from the pitch. Would the second team need to be based in Wellington or Christchurch? There are several potentially better options for another NRL team:
* North Harbour (Albany) - ignored for a Super Rugby franchise, yet it has a good rectangular stadium (unlike most major NZ grounds), and Auckland as a whole has a large playing base and market in both codes. 2/3 of the RL player base (and probably fan base) comes from the greater Auckland area anyway. That could build a strong local rivalry for RL. IIRC previous private bidders for the Warriors came from Auckland.
* The Waikato - its only professional sporting franchise is the Chiefs, who play in Super 14. The region has produced a number of NRL players like Hohaia and Koopu, and Hamilton has a good dedicated Rugby stadium with a rectangular pitch.
* Other regions like Taranaki (New Plymouth) and Hawke's Bay also bid for a Super 15 franchise in Rugby, but the NZRU rejected them as they only want to support 5 franchises.

Nevertheless, North Harbour and Waikato could be realistic contenders for a 2nd franchise. Splitting Auckland between the Warriors and a Northern team would still allow them to draw upon bigger markets than Christchurch or Wellington, and Waikato (and its surrounding regions) is not much smaller than Wellington:

Region - Population
Auckland - 1,414,800
Canterbury - 552,800
Wellington - 473,700
Waikato - 402,200

 

[Te Kaha]

I don't understand why they would have built the stadium their with those sort of conditions attached then. They would have understood the impact it could have on teams.

Because the location is central, its 5 mins walk from the railway station to your seats, 10 mins walk from the waterfront, 15 mins walk from the entertainment centre of the city... It makes attending the games that much easier... it doesnt really effect cricket or rugby, its main anchor tenants as they have the leases sealed for another 30 years... the location means that friday night games are within walking distance of the business district... its maded the WRU millions in extra gate takings.. THAT is why they built it there... the WRU / NZC didnt care about any future soccer or League teams... why should they?

That all said, maybe a Wellington team could take 2-3 games a season to other locations in NZ (around when the days are shortest), to get around those silly conditions. As well as hope that the NZ soccer teams falls over so they can snap those days up.

THAT is a possiblity.. tho it does tend to annoy season ticket holders and negate somewhat home advantage... and increase operating costs.... but it is a possiblity.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Its Backwards to consider the impact of residents who are less then a few hundred metres from the stadium??? ... but then i spose a fan of the roosters wouldnt know much about consideration of others.... your team members certainly dont.

There are a lot of residents ( assume a lot would be Roosters supporters) that live within a few hundred metres of the SFS/SCG.. they seem to survive ok....

They do stipulate that any event has to have been completed by 10.30pm though...

 

[Te Kaha]

There are a lot of residents ( assume a lot would be Roosters supporters) that live within a few hundred metres of the SFS/SCG.. they seem to survive ok....

They do stipulate that any event has to have been completed by 10.30pm though...

And how long ago were the SFS/SCG built??? in most cases the grounds were there before the residents... in Wellingtons instance the ground is 10 odd years old... Athletic park was falling down, the NZRU was threatening to pull tests from wellington, they needed a stadium built, the ratepayers had to pay a massive chunk of that... with no professional soccer or League teams on the horizon it was an easy compromise to make... the NZC and WRU were happy with it... it worked. its only now there is a third professional team in place and a forth trying to get in that there are problems.

 

[The Observer]

Auckland will experience significant growth in population in the coming decades, which would give even more credence to the option of a second Auckland team based in North Harbour:

http://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/people/subnational-population-projections.aspx

Auckland region is projected to account for 62 percent of New Zealand's population growth between 2006 and 2031, increasing from 1.37 million to 1.93 million people. Auckland region would then be home to 38 percent of New Zealand's population in 2031, compared with 33 percent in 2006.

http://www.bigcities.govt.nz/people.htm

Te Kaha, what do you think of a 2nd team somewhere other than Wellington, like North Harbour or the Waikato?