Perth Officially Confirmed to Join NRL in 2027 or 2028

[Perth Red]

First game will be huge whoever we play. Depends if plan is to hold it at optus or hbf. If Optus then a double header or a big fanbase club here like warriors or souths would make most sense to get 40k+. If hbf doesn’t matter who the opposition is, it’ll sell out quickly.

 

[reanimate]

Would've they be just as motivated to see them play again, no matter who the opponent?

You’d hope so, otherwise what’s the point of incorporating them into WA’s team.

 

[Wb1234]

Double headers are meh once they have a team

If Optus is too big at the start for one game just hold it at hbf park till the club is established

 

[Perth Red]

Double headers are meh once they have a team

If Optus is too big at the start for one game just hold it at hbf park till the club is established

Not at all, The WA govt wants travelling fans, I can see Double headers remaining a feature after we start. Clubs bring them because they get a sht load of cash to do so, not because they think they will attract a mega amount of new fans in WA.

If its a choice of 20,500 at HBF or 40k+ for a double header at Optus I'm taking the latter. It means home game 2 which would be at HBF would also be in a massive demand as our first proper home game and be a big occasion as well. Two for price of one!

 

[BuffaloRules]

First game will be huge whoever we play. Depends if plan is to hold it at optus or hbf. If Optus then a double header or a big fanbase club here like warriors or souths would make most sense to get 40k+. If hbf doesn’t matter who the opposition is, it’ll sell out quickly.

Why is the double header required ? The time has come for the Perth Bears to stand on their own two feet, and they should be the sole focus in their first game FFS …

20k fans supporting the other two clubs is a pipe dream …. If they are concerned about the crowd size than play the game at HBF… there is also no reason for the WA Govt to pay to bring other clubs to play in Perth …they are paying for their own RL team now !

 

[Nuke]

I really can't see Perth's opening home game being anything but at Optus, huge crowd, and no double-header. I also can't see it being a blockbuster game (ie: vs any 'rivals', or vs any team with big fan base in Perth already). You save those for later when the initial hype dies down. That rules out Souths, Manly, Warriors, Brisbane. Maybe even Dolphins by then. Perth vs Melbourne could be viewed as a 'rivals' game, so rule them out.

A Dragons, Parra, Gold Coast, Cronulla, ect, make the most sense to me. Dogs, even. If they're still going okay, they'll have a strong contingent probably flying across for it. Adds to the atmosphere.

First 'Sydney home game' for Perth, likewise, should be against a team not labelled a 'rival' for the same reasons. It should be a packed house regardless of who the opponent is, so throw in a lesser supported team for Perth to play against. Probably a Sydney team for that one. Roosters, Wests maybe.

 

[Wb1234]

As red bear says dragons is a good choice cause they have fans all over Australia and will get loads that travel and also cause they were the team Perth played first at home last time

 

[newc18]

Have the Bears opening game at Optus and put out $10 tickets to fill the joint. The trick is to get those fans to keep coming back.

 

[Bukowski]

You’d hope so, otherwise what’s the point of incorporating them into WA’s team.

We'll see after 5 or so years if it was worthwhile .

 

[jim_57]

As red bear says dragons is a good choice cause they have fans all over Australia and will get loads that travel and also cause they were the team Perth played first at home last time

I could live with Dragons but I still think Souths would be the pick of the lot. 2 foundation clubs, Souths fan base in Perth to help start with a bang and hopefully 50k+.

If they’re confident they could even look at 2 Optus games in the first year, second could be when Gather Round is on and make that an annual event at Optus going forward.

 

[steeden.]

A Dragons, Parra, Gold Coast, Cronulla, ect, make the most sense to me. Dogs, even. If they're still going okay, they'll have a strong contingent probably flying across for it. Adds to the atmosphere.

This could be a great opportunity to create a new Perth rivalry (compared to the Bears existing rivalry) - Perth vs some nominally low drawing team and build it up from there. Perth vs Gold Coast perhaps? Both teams were killed by the 1998 peace deal and brought back. Add in how the Bears tried to get the Coast licence a few years back too. Could be the start of something big

 

[Bukowski]

Surely you want their first game to be against one of the glamour clubs or a team that made the top 4 the previous year, preferably the premiers.
You want to hype it up to the Max for the crowd and the TV audience.

 

[i0Nic]

First game is easily Optus oval vs dragons or Souths. There’ll be 5-10k travelling fans from Sydney for it and then another 30k from Perth to make it a 40k opening.

 

[Wb1234]

He’s aged

Seeing his shares tank after paying so much for the afl only to see the ratings tank

 

[Perth Red]

Why is the double header required ? The time has come for the Perth Bears to stand on their own two feet, and they should be the sole focus in their first game FFS …

20k fans supporting the other two clubs is a pipe dream …. If they are concerned about the crowd size than play the game at HBF… there is also no reason for the WA Govt to pay to bring other clubs to play in Perth …they are paying for their own RL team now !

To fill the stadium.
I reckon Bears first game could get around 35k at Optus stand alone. Double header adds in a further 10k or so fans from two other teams, and Optus is much fuller. Its a funny one as HBF is far too small for Bears first game and Optus is likely far too big. Hence why a double header might help with the dilemma.

Not to mention there has been talk that the $20mill the WA govt has given NRl for start up of the Bears has some strings attached in terms of event games for Perth over X period.

 

[Bukowski]

They could have it on Vegas weekend so it would be the only game in Australia that weekend.

 

[Perth Red]

They could have it on Vegas weekend so it would be the only game in Australia that weekend.

NRL wont want to take the spotlight off Vegas.

 

[Bukowski]

NRL wont want to take the spotlight off Vegas.

Probably not. Good opportunity though

 

[BuffaloRules]

To fill the stadium.
I reckon Bears first game could get around 35k at Optus stand alone. Double header adds in a further 10k or so fans from two other teams, and Optus is much fuller. Its a funny one as HBF is far too small for Bears first game and Optus is likely far too big. Hence why a double header might help with the dilemma.

Not to mention there has been talk that the $20mill the WA govt has given NRl for start up of the Bears has some strings attached in terms of event games for Perth over X period.

first I’ve heard of the event games thing …I thought the premier told us that money was being spent on pathways and a COE?

10k fans of the other two teams ..:I think that is exaggerated …

maybe if the local media gets on board it might help fill the stadium … not helping much at the moment …they just gunna keep trolling looks like

‘Not a mainstream sport’: Stokes-owned WA media gives State of Origin sex ad snub

The AFL-aligned West Australian newspaper all but ignored Origin, relegating its existence to the escort services page and mocking the concept on the front page.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Wb1234]