Questions re Perth and Adelaide (and Wellington for that matter)

[Loudstrat]

And after 20 years Swans still only get big crowds when there's a home semi.

Look, I'm not against Perth and Adelaide in the NRL. Far from it. I think the argument should be based around potential crowds, and financial self sufficiency, not about joining the dots on a map.

 

[Perth Red]

How do you know what "potential crowds" would be. I would be willing to bet that a well put together Perth team would top 20,000 before a central coast team.

The ARU has shown that if you do the hard work, invest some money and are prepared to do some hard yards Perth is a very lucrative sports market. of course RL does not have the ability to do what every other pro sport in the country has managed to do. Keep on enjoying your semi suburban comp and leave the national profile to the sports with some visionaries I guess?

 

[krudmonk]

Any Adelaide team would have to be near the city center. They barely drew (relatively speaking) at the last Showdown at Football Park.

AFL isn't Australia wide. It's only an urban comp. Only RL reaches the regions. AFL isn't represented in the regions. This is important, because
1) There are more people in rural and regional NSW than either SA or WA.
2) There are more people in rural or regional Queensland than BOTH SA and WA.

To be fair, they do have Geelong. For the most part, though, you're right.

 

[MayMoo]

How do you know what "potential crowds" would be. I would be willing to bet that a well put together Perth team would top 20,000 before a central coast team.

I think that we have a bet, and that you would be shocked if the Coast ever gets a team (esp the Bears) at the drawing power of those 2 adjoining regions having a team.

 

[joshreading]

And after 20 years Swans still only get big crowds when there's a home semi.

Look, I'm not against Perth and Adelaide in the NRL. Far from it. I think the argument should be based around potential crowds, and financial self sufficiency, not about joining the dots on a map.

Whilst I hate Aussie Rules as much as any, you can not honestly say that the Swans only get BIG crowds at home semi's. If an expansion RL side drew such crowds we would be saying that we were taking over the country as they are. (there crowds at present are similar to the Broncos)

 

[Bulldog Force]

1) What would the average home crowd be? <10,000

2) What local TV ratings would it bring? NFI

3) What sponsorship/financial base is there to support a club? NFI

 

[hitman82]

I think Wellington would do pretty well with a local team. A decent central population, with a couple of other large centres within an hour or 2's drive. The supporter base would come from as far as Palmerston North and the Wairarapa. Being the capital would also help, along with having heaps of students and government workers (like myself) we are pretty proud of our city and I believe would lend very good support to an NRL team.
The stadium being right in the CBD would help with exposure and sponsorship appeal, assuming home games could be scheduled not to clash with the Pheonix or Hurricances.
I really just want a local team now that I have left Auckland. Please.

 

[Perth Red]

1) What would the average home crowd be? <10,000

Based on what?

Adelaide had over a 10,000 average over a decade ago.
1997 Rams v Reds. Att:16,300. Oh what could have been!

The last two games played in perth (2005) drew 11,000 for a pre season friendly and 14,000 for a NRL game. Add in the mix it being our own team and over 10,000 is a real probablility.

personally i would like to see the Reds set up like the Dockers and Eagles. Three partners; two private backers with a 1/3 share of the club each, WARL with a 1/3 share in the club and a guaranteed grant paid to the WARL from any profits made by the Reds. The Eagles give the WAFL over $2mill a year in grants.

Oh for those lotto numbers!