Richardson (and 12 other clubs apparently) against expansion

[BuffaloRules]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/09/1092022407812.html

"I'll tell you what I think about it, I think it's a joke," said Richardson. "The 15 clubs' opinions, I don't believe they are fully taken into account when we are considering something as massive as this change. When you're losing $25 million a year, how the hell can you talk about expansion? What business does that? I'm an expansionist but we need to have a look at the game itself and say 'where is it financially going?', not just make a decision about expansion because it's the flavour of the month."

In polls conducted by various media outlets over the past 12 months, as many as 13 clubs have indicated they are opposed to a 16th
team. And while all of them have had the opportunity to submit papers on the subject, there is no formal vote on record.

What is the $25 million in debt about??

Why are the other clubs so against expansion??

 

[Jake the snake]

Of course the clubs are going to oppose it. They don't want to share money with another team.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Dont bother listening to Fitzgerald, he wants a 12 team comp. :roll:

 

[Ilya]

I think that $25 million is what the clubs are losing altogether. But with the new TV deal, i'm pretty sure that the NRL will increase the funding that it gives to the clubs, and a 16th team will be no problem.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Of course the clubs are going to oppose it. They don't want to share money with another team.

Has it been confirmed that if an extra club comes in, that the existing grants given to the other clubs will be cut ( by about $160,000 each) ??

There could be an argument to get more money out of Fox, due to the fact that there will be an extra game to show each week.

Perhaps between Fox and the NRL, the extra money could be found without reducing the exisiting grants given to each club.....

 

[DIEHARD]

There is no problem. We will get a better deal no matter what in the next TV deal.

We will have plenty to give to a new team. No one is going to lose out. And Im sick of hearing how many ways the pie can be cut. The fact of the matter is the pie should be ALOT bigger than it is and we are being screwed over.

 

[dimitri]

we certainly are being screwed over

 

[Kid]

No matter what the financial side of it, i fail to see where the talent for a 16th team playing in the NRL will come from? If a team was going to be axed or relocated whilst it would suck for the supportors then the depth would remain. In the end it comes down to pure quality of players, and you have to wonder, if the talent is going to be spread thin, then why did we ever go through the axing of or merging of the following, Illawarra,Saints, Norths,Tigers,Wests, Western Reds, Adelaide,Gold Coast,Brisbane Crushers and finally the Mariners. IMHO the only way to achieve viable expansion is to introduce a draft which the players have already shown in the past, they do not support. Without this, the gulf between the top and bottom teams will widen, hardly what you want in the National Rugby League.

 

[Pigskin]

Dont bother listening to Fitzgerald, he wants a 12 team comp. :roll:

I'm sure I would disagree with the makeup of his 12 teams, but Dennis is right on the money

Oink !

 

[KFC]

IMHO I just don't think the NRL is ready to expand.

I don't think we have enough player talent to go around eg Souths and Manly (No offence)

And as Richardson quite rightly said no one apart from the NRL is making money at the moment so why expand?

Don't get me wrong I think that we need new teams particularly in QLD but now is not the time.

 

[Bib]

There is no problem. We will get a better deal no matter what in the next TV deal.

We will have plenty to give to a new team. No one is going to lose out. And Im sick of hearing how many ways the pie can be cut. The fact of the matter is the pie should be ALOT bigger than it is and we are being screwed over.

Are you sure about this diehard? At the present moment there is basically only one pay tv station in Australia, so why would newslimited pay more to cover the NRL when they have no competition? With the last deal C7 )Optus) were competeting for rights, so it came down to money. This time it wont

 

[ngap]

ana as Gould said self interests are killing the game. Be it clubs ormedia organisations

 

[Razor]

Why are the other clubs so against expansion??

Cowboys
Brisbane
Newcastle
Manly
Souths
Parramatta
Wests
Penrith (when Richardson was there)

don't know any others who oppose it. But don't know of any that support it.

 

[Misanthrope]

Weren't Newcastle only opposed to a Central Coast venture, since it would rob them of a local audience?

 

[mightybears]

it woulg give them a real derby match

the clubs are all about self interest, its up to the nrl to point out the obvious, [the benefits of expansion].

 

[Front-Rower]

There is no problem. We will get a better deal no matter what in the next TV deal.

We will have plenty to give to a new team. No one is going to lose out. And Im sick of hearing how many ways the pie can be cut. The fact of the matter is the pie should be ALOT bigger than it is and we are being screwed over.

Are you sure about this diehard? At the present moment there is basically only one pay tv station in Australia, so why would newslimited pay more to cover the NRL when they have no competition? With the last deal C7 )Optus) were competeting for rights, so it came down to money. This time it wont

Yeah its also funny how C7 outbid Fox for the rights and still somehow lost. Shows you how much self interest there is in the game.

 

[Southernsaint]

Teams like Wests & Balmain formed the joint venture on the knowledge that the NRL was cutting the number of teams, not expanding them - that is what was sold to their voting members. I am all for expansion but it must be a kick in the teeth for the old Magpie & Balmain fans...

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

But Balmain went for the easy option of merging, rather than fighting the bastards at News Ltd. They've always been a gutless club.

 

[Southernsaint]

But Balmain went for the easy option of merging, rather than fighting the bastards at News Ltd. They've always been a gutless club.

From one standpoint it may look that way but I believe that there were forces at work - a culture of rumour, inuendo & mis-information clouded the whole "re-unification" era ( :roll: )

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[Eelectrica]

Teams like Wests & Balmain formed the joint venture on the knowledge that the NRL was cutting the number of teams, not expanding them - that is what was sold to their voting members. I am all for expansion but it must be a kick in the teeth for the old Magpie & Balmain fans...

Cheers,
Ben S.

I understand what they are saying, but using that logic expansion will never happen.