RLWC 2025

[Perth Red]

That'd still be a tight turnaround even if the IRL got their shit together and announced the new hosts in the next month or so. Nah, it's a stupid idea.

If the IRL are interested in this bid then give 2029 to NZ and the PI's now, that'll give them time to work through everything and dodge all the pitfalls in their plan, and some time for one-off trial runs to gauge interest in some of these nations. Trying to work it out for 25/26 is just setting it up for failure, and that will hurt the chances of future RLWCs being held outside of Australia or England going forward.

Play 25 in either Aus or Eng, keep costs as low as possible and maximise profit.

Problem is British govt won’t fork out for another RLWC so soon and australia doesn’t give a sht about international RL.

 

[Perth Red]

I think whether they sell out or not would depend entirely on the price point of the tickets, which is why they need the time to gauge interest from governments, broadcasters, sponsors, and corporates to see just how much they can make from them in order to subsidise the price of the tickets.

PNG would be fine to host at least a few games, but the rest are a bit of an open question as to how profitable they'd be, if at all, and whether they'd be commercially competitive with simply hosting those games in NZ or Aus for that matter.

Sure it's a bit different to internationals, but I have it on good authority that for the most part both Moana Pasifika and the Dura's games that have been played in Samoa and Fiji respectively have run at significant losses despite drawing strong crowds (same is true of the Hunters BTW) and the IRL simply can't afford that when the WC is their only significant source of income. So like Super Rugby has done for MP and the Dura, they'd need to find ways to eat those costs if they're going to play games in those nations, and that's what they need to gauge interest in.

In the case of Moana Pasifika and the Dura multiple government agencies from NZ, AUS, Fiji and Samoa themselves, World Rugby, and other sponsors and the like, all chip in to make Moana Pasifika and the Dura viable, similar support would have to be sourced for any RLWC games held in the PI's and it'd be a big ask to get that all done in multiple nations in under two years whilst still organising the rest of the competition.

Ideally they'd also get repair work and upgrades done on Teufaiva Sport Stadium before they even started seriously discussing Tonga, and that definitely isn't going to happen within a couple years.

I guess it would hinge on significant sponsorship from the Australian govt’s pacificAus sports funding.

 

[Ideas Man Stephen]

I think whether they sell out or not would depend entirely on the price point of the tickets, which is why they need the time to gauge interest from governments, broadcasters, sponsors, and corporates to see just how much they can make from them in order to subsidise the price of the tickets.

PNG would be fine to host at least a few games, but the rest are a bit of an open question as to how profitable they'd be, if at all, and whether they'd be commercially competitive with simply hosting those games in NZ or Aus for that matter.

Sure it's a bit different to internationals, but I have it on good authority that for the most part both Moana Pasifika and the Dura's games that have been played in Samoa and Fiji respectively have run at significant losses despite drawing strong crowds (same is true of the Hunters BTW) and the IRL simply can't afford that when the WC is their only significant source of income. So like Super Rugby has done for MP and the Dura, they'd need to find ways to eat those costs if they're going to play games in those nations, and that's what they need to gauge interest in.

In the case of Moana Pasifika and the Dura multiple government agencies from NZ, AUS, Fiji and Samoa themselves, World Rugby, and other sponsors and the like, all chip in to make Moana Pasifika and the Dura viable, similar support would have to be sourced for any RLWC games held in the PI's and it'd be a big ask to get that all done in multiple nations in under two years whilst still organising the rest of the competition.

Ideally they'd also get repair work and upgrades done on Teufaiva Sport Stadium before they even started seriously discussing Tonga, and that definitely isn't going to happen within a couple years.

That’s all very reasonable. This would be a great event for those individual nations to spend some Tourism budget on and couple that with a bit of Aus government diplomacy funding.

As I have stated many times already, funding an NRL team for diplomatic reasons would be a noose around any government’s neck. If the government wish to use sport as an international diplomacy carrot, then they would get far more bang for buck, funding a CoE in each of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and PNG as well as minor stadium upgrades for a newly launched and sustainable second tier Pacific RL running alongside NSW and Qld Cups.

That would feed very nicely into a 2029 Pacific RLWC.

 

[The Great Dane]

Problem is British govt won’t fork out for another RLWC so soon and australia doesn’t give a sht about international RL.

Australia doesn't give a shit about women's soccer either, but there's enough tourism dollars in it make it more than worthwhile. The same is true of a RLWC on a smaller scale, and though it may not be the greatest WC of all time you could organise one here seamlessly and on short notice.

Whether some of us will admit it or not, Australia does significantly more for international RL than any other nation.

 

[The Great Dane]

I guess it would hinge on significant sponsorship from the Australian govt’s pacificAus sports funding.

The question becomes are we certain that the Australian government will be willing to fund events in the PI's for an event that NZ is hosting, and if so how much will they be willing to give.

I guarantee that they'd support the event, but I'm not sure to what extent, and they'd expect heavy investment from the NZ gov as well. They might even expect NZ to carry the lion's share of the cost, and who knows how supportive NZ would be of that. I bet that there'd be people in NZ who look at this proposal and think "this will be great if we can get the Aussies to underwrite it".

The point is that we don't have any of the answers to these questions, and two years (probably less before they actually start planning) is a very small timeframe to find those answers. It's not even clear which PI nations they'd target to host matches.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

. It's not even clear which PI nations they'd target to host matches.

there’s really not a whole lot of options- Fiji is a no-brainer, and PNG probably too as both will easily pull a good crowd and had adequate grounds. Samoa and particularly Tonga are questionable simply because they don’t really have the population of grounds of adequate size.

 

[RedVee_8]

If it is to be a NZ & Pacific RLWC would Hawaii be a spot for a Tonga and or Samoa match ?
I have some vague memory of a Pacific Cup Test being played there years ago?
Would they support other Polynesian countries teams?

 

[The Great Dane]

there’s really not a whole lot of options- Fiji is a no-brainer, and PNG probably too as both will easily pull a good crowd and had adequate grounds. Samoa and particularly Tonga are questionable simply because they don’t really have the population of grounds of adequate size.

I think that Samoa is achievable, but Tonga would take a lot of investment.

I also think there's potential that you could play games including France in New Caledonia and maybe even Tahiti, and that it's worth at least exploring playing games in Hawaii even if it'd probably amount to nothing.

There's plenty of potential in the PI's, you've just got to figure out what's viable and worth doing.

 

[Perth Red]

I think that Samoa is achievable, but Tonga would take a lot of investment.

I also think there's potential that you could play games including France in New Caledonia and maybe even Tahiti, and that it's worth at least exploring playing games in Hawaii even if it'd probably amount to nothing.

There's plenty of potential in the PI's, you've just got to figure out what's viable and worth doing.

The other issue becomes cost to tv and no tv company wanting buy rights if they have to produce games from far flung specks in the ocean. It sounds romantic but the odds of a PI RLWC are slim To none imo.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Whether some of us will admit it or not, Australia does significantly more for international RL than any other nation.

Absolutely correct

 

[taste2taste]

The other issue becomes cost to tv and no tv company wanting buy rights if they have to produce games from far flung specks in the ocean. It sounds romantic but the odds of a PI RLWC are slim To none imo.

Yes, 100% correct, there no way ch 9 or fox could send out a crew and truck to the islands. If games were played in the Islands the viewer would have to accept they aren't getting NRL standard coverage. Probably something like we saw in the 80s with a high angle camera and maybe 2 low angle cameras. I don't think anyone would care, I certainly wouldn't mind a simpler coverage if it means the smaller islands could host games.

 

[Ideas Man Stephen]

I

Yes, 100% correct, there no way ch 9 or fox could send out a crew and truck to the islands. If games were played in the Islands the viewer would have to accept they aren't getting NRL standard coverage. Probably something like we saw in the 80s with a high angle camera and maybe 2 low angle cameras. I don't think anyone would care, I certainly wouldn't mind a simpler coverage if it means the smaller islands could host games.

Im not so sure it’s as expensive as you say it is. Shipping the gear over shouldn’t be anymore expensive than shipping gear over to Perth or Townsville and the smart option would be to get hotel partnership to house the required broadcast teams for four weeks. Simple.

 

[The Great Dane]

I

Im not so sure it’s as expensive as you say it is. Shipping the gear over shouldn’t be anymore expensive than shipping gear over to Perth or Townsville and the smart option would be to get hotel partnership to house the required broadcast teams for four weeks. Simple.

Broadcasters don't need to ship the equipment and personnel to Perth or Townsville because the equipment and expertise necessary to use it is available in every major city in the country.

Some of the equipment may need to be rented in some cases depending on who wins the broadcast rights and where games are hosted, but that's still significantly less cost prohibitive than having to fly it around to a bunch of disparate island nations.

So yeah, it could end up being a significant hurdle unless the IRL is willing to sacrifice broadcast quality, but there's knock-on effects to that as well. Half the advertising hoarding in the stadium instantly becomes almost worthless for a start.

 

[taste2taste]

I

Im not so sure it’s as expensive as you say it is. Shipping the gear over shouldn’t be anymore expensive than shipping gear over to Perth or Townsville and the smart option would be to get hotel partnership to house the required broadcast teams for four weeks. Simple.

As the great Dane has correctly pointed out, there are local broadcast trucks and local crew all over Australia. Broadcasting a game in Tonga would be insanely expensive shipping over equipment and crew.

Personally I couldn't care if games in Tonga and Samoa are broadcast on an iPhone, id watch ...and I hope they get to host WC games

 

[The Great Dane]

As the great Dane has correctly pointed out, there are local broadcast trucks and local crew all over Australia. Broadcasting a game in Tonga would be insanely expensive shipping over equipment and crew.

Personally I couldn't care if games in Tonga and Samoa are broadcast on an iPhone, id watch ...and I hope they get to host WC games

Sponsors, advertisers, and broadcast partners would definitely care about the broadcast quality though.

Whether or not plebeians like us care is pretty irrelevant unfortunately.

 

[Perth Red]

Looking at the rfls financials for 2022 it looks like the RLWC revenue was around $35million. On that it only just broke even. I guess that shows the level of money needed to be brought in to make it work!

 

[Harry O]

So when will we know where the next WC will be held?
Give it to Qatar something different for a change

 

[Perth Red]

So when will we know where the next WC will be held?
Give it to Qatar something different for a change

Qatar would need to pony up $100mill you'd say, cant see them thinking its worth it. Best option would be to move it to 2026 to give NZ opportunity to put a decent bid together. Play the Kangaroos games in Oz to bring in some cash and keep Aussie TV interested. Rest to be played in NZ and PNG and maybe Fiji for some spice.

 

[Harry O]

Qatar would need to pony up $100mill you'd say, cant see them thinking its worth it. Best option would be to move it to 2026 to give NZ opportunity to put a decent bid together. Play the Kangaroos games in Oz to bring in some cash and keep Aussie TV interested. Rest to be played in NZ and PNG and maybe Fiji for some spice.

What's 100M to Qatar? It's like small change for them.
No thanks, i want the WC in 25.
But What's the bet they'll extend it till 29

 

[Brian potter]

What's 100M to Qatar? It's like small change for them.
No thanks, i want the WC in 25.
But What's the bet they'll extend it till 29

It’s small change their unlikely to spend unfortunately.