RLWC2007 plus international news

[ibeme]

I still don't think a World Cup in 2007 would be successful though. In Australia you cannot fill a stadium for Aus Vs NZ or GB, so how would France V Russia go attendance wise? 5,000 max? It's a dilema which has no answer in my opinion. You either be realistic and don't hold a World Cup, which removes any hope of improvement in the future as their would be no incentive, or you hold one which Australia walks and the media ridicules it. If the 2007 World Cup was held in Aus, we in the UK would probably not know it was happening as the RU World Cup will be here in 2007 unless I'm mistaken. We've already had several double page spreads promoting it, and its four years off!



What can you do?

play matches like france v russia in places like townsville or wollongong thay should get crowds over 8000 but they would have to have decent priced tickets and the rlwc has to be promoted right

they have 4 or 5 years in which to plan the event and get it right

A ballot system (like rugby's) in which you have to purchase tickets to a pool match to qualify for a final would boost crowd numbers for the pool matches. If you get the crowd there, you also get automatic atmosphere.

Even though the rugby has used this system, I wonder how many tickets to the final this weekend were actually issued through the ballot system. Judging by the IRB and ARU's recent form, there'd be very few. The majority would be issued to the 'old boys' club. Rugby League needs to avoid this kind of attitude with any distribution of tickets. The RLIF knows that their game belongs to the people though, rather than the people just being a cashcow for their game.

 

[south leeds rhino]

I still don't think a World Cup in 2007 would be successful though. In Australia you cannot fill a stadium for Aus Vs NZ or GB, so how would France V Russia go attendance wise? 5,000 max? It's a dilema which has no answer in my opinion. You either be realistic and don't hold a World Cup, which removes any hope of improvement in the future as their would be no incentive, or you hold one which Australia walks and the media ridicules it. If the 2007 World Cup was held in Aus, we in the UK would probably not know it was happening as the RU World Cup will be here in 2007 unless I'm mistaken. We've already had several double page spreads promoting it, and its four years off!

You guys in Australia would have a better idea how a RL World Cup would fare, but I cannot imagine for one moment it would get anywhere near the RU one we are being smothered with at the moment.

What can you do?

We might as well try it and see what happens. I would hope that after being starved of international rugby league, the aussies would get behind it and make it a success. It may not be bigger than the Yaaaaawnion world cup but its a start. I hope when it happens that a few people will be suprised at what a success it will be.

Things are looking up for internationals at the moment. I would love to know how many nations are playing international rugby league now. It must be at least 30.

Why not have an emerging nations world cup running parrallel to the world cup. These games could be played as curtain raisers to the world cup games and the lesser nations would have something to play for rather than being walloped by Australia and GB and NZ.

I personally can't believe how much of a success the yawnion world cup has been. every match I have seen has been absolutely crap. 5 mins play followed by ten mins line outs and scrums. Matt Rogers must be laughing all the way to the bank the way he tears the overgrown apes apart.

How come the crowds have been so big for the games?

 

[Jeffles]

A ballot system only works if the demand for the event which you want to ballot tickets for, exceeds the capacity of the stadium. To be realistic, while I think a RLWC final could fill Telstra Stadium, I don't think demand would exceed capacity so much as to warrant a ballot. I'd rather a first in first serve basis (with the normal limits for high demand events).

Maybe have 3 games in a night for the RLWC. One ticket buys a seat for 3 games. A carnival atmosphere. Give free tickets to juniors

NO WAY. What a waste. It's not like that would improve gate takings, only the crowds. If you worry about the appearance of a small crowd, use a small venue so the crowd looks bigger. For example, play low demand Sydney game at Parramatta instead of Aussie. You'd be better off playing matches in all different cities so as to attract people from these centres and get increased gate takings.

 

[leaguerules]

i undestand why giving pacific nations like fiji, samoa, tonga more internationals but i think we need to give other areas more attention.

To be brutely honest their is no financial gain out of these contries (sponsors, travelling supporters to europe and where ever the competitions are.)

Prepared to the likes of japan, usa, russia, italy, greece these are countries that can lift the profile of rugby league and gain more corporate support.


I think some of u guys need to remeber you cant do anything without the cash and there arnt any money trees that i know so you got to provide something worthwhile for business to invest.

RUGBY LEAGUE IS THE GREATEST GAME

 

[ouwet]

Play Lebanon games at Parra (30% Of Parra are of Lebanese descent) or Belmore and it'll be a guarenteed full house... I'd play it at Parra! During the World 7's everyone that was there was cheering for Russia against whoever they played against... It shows that people love underdogs and would go to watch them fight!

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It pains me to say it, but the best tool we have in making the RLWC successful (and this could apply to any post season comp.) is the Footy Show. If we could convince Nine to run the show throughout the WC. It would create more promotion for the game than the ARL could ever achieve. Something like the Roy and HG YWC thing only POPULAR! In fact we really need Nine to get behind it as a whole. They've sold out to the Yanwyawn like all media, so I wouldn't be surprised if their support was crap, but with Tests rating better than any other Friday night game, they should be on board.

Also, and I don't really like this much, but an opening ceremony is a must. It might cost a bit, but it will be worth it. It seems that Aussies will tune in to a big ceremony no matter what it is and it gives the game credibility as an event and a chance to show off the history and colour of TGG. It should focus on the history of the cup going back to 1954, this'll show em which is the true Rugby World Cup (it's us by the way...stupid). It'll probably be a bit gay, NO MOULIN F*CKING ROUGE THIS TIME NRL, but it will announce the event better than a bog standard game with no official opening like in 2000 at a half filled Twickenham, which couldn't have been worse.

 

[Jeffles]

Great idea ECT. A Footy Show during the tournament would be an excellent program, shoqcasing all that is good about TGG. Same for the opening ceremony.

Prepared to the likes of japan, usa, russia, italy, greece these are countries that can lift the profile of rugby league and gain more corporate support.

To be fair leaguerules there is a better case for focussing on the Pacific because of their playing strength. They'd give the competition more credibility than Japan and Greece. Besides, there is less public support in these countries (maybe Russia excluded) than there is in the Pacific Islands. NRL is on TV in the Pacific but not in Italy or Greece (Tourist pubs excluded).

What you may mean to say is that there is more potential in the countires you've listed. Probably true. But that potential is not being realised yet and there is no point stacking a team with various diasporas etc to gain home support. You need work on the ground (think Lebanon).

The large Pacific diaspora would support Island teams in Oz or NZ. I think this argument would counter the one for the diasporas of Europeans in Australia. And the Pacific teams have the added bonus of a higher standard of play.

 

[Fampa]

To be brutely honest their is no financial gain out of these contries

I hope we don't forsake countries just because there is no money to make out of them. It really flies in the face of calling our game the GREATEST GAME of all when we pick and chose who we want to play it.

 

[dimitri]

opening and closing ceremonies are a must

 

[leaguerules]

i didnt say i didnt wont them to play.

But i think their are better areas to concentrate on.

To make my point look at the world sevens next year. Sure watching the fijians is exciting but they samoa and tonga arnt as strong as they use to be. But, in the crowd we will see plenty of lebanese, english, japanese, italians, greeks, irish supporters. and who were the crowd favourities last year the russians (i know they were all aussies cheering for them)
there is more POTENTIAL support for these countries around the world for rugby league competitions.

LEt me pose this question to you guys this
Would rugby league be better of with which of these countries
Rugby league strong in
Italy
Japan
USA
France
Ireland
Russia

Or Rugby league stong in
Samoa
fiji
Tonga
Nuie etc

I do hope rugby league remains in these countries but in my view we should concentrate and spend the small amount of money rugby league has on bigger potentials[/b]

 

[East Coast Tiger]

i didnt say i didnt wont them to play.

But i think their are better areas to concentrate on.

To make my point look at the world sevens next year. Sure watching the fijians is exciting but they samoa and tonga arnt as strong as they use to be. But, in the crowd we will see plenty of lebanese, english, japanese, italians, greeks, irish supporters. and who were the crowd favourities last year the russians (i know they were all aussies cheering for them)
there is more POTENTIAL support for these countries around the world for rugby league competitions.

LEt me pose this question to you guys this
Would rugby league be better of with which of these countries
Rugby league strong in
Italy
Japan
USA
France
Ireland
Russia

Or Rugby league stong in
Samoa
fiji
Tonga
Nuie etc

I do hope rugby league remains in these countries but in my view we should concentrate and spend the small amount of money rugby league has on bigger potentials[/b]

The first lot obviously, but guess what RL is not strong in those countries maybe France excluded. I hope that by 2007 some of the emerging nations will be good enough to qualify ahead of the PI nations, but they MUST be good enough.

 

[sterlo]

Here is my idea for structure and venues for RLWC 2007/8:

16 team world cup
1. Australia
2. NZ
3. England
4. Samoa
5. Tonga
6. PNG
7. Lebanon
8. France
9. Wales
10. Ireland
11. Scotland
12. Russia
13-16 qualifiers from Cook Islands, USA, Japan, Greece, Italy etc.

Venues for pool games:
Port Morsby - 2 games
Townsville - 2 games
Brisbane - 2 games
Newcastle - 2 games
Gosford - 2 games
Sydney - 2 games (SFS)
Wollongong - 1 game
Canberra - 2 games
Melbourne - 2 games
Adelaide - 2 games
Perth - 2 games
Auckland - 1 game
Wellington - 1 game
Christchurch - 1 game

Quarter Finals:
Townsville
Newcastle
Canberra
Melbourne

Semi Finals:
Sydney (SFS)
Auckland

Final:
Brisbane

-Each of the finals except Melbourne should realistically be a sellout
-All NZ pool matches being played in NZ should sell out
-PNG in Port Morsby would sell out
-Newcastle and Townsville games should also be sell outs.

This leaves us with 15 pool games which with good marketing and the other games almost guaranteed to be sold out should also have good attendances.

Any thoughts?

 

[Jeffles]

I do hope rugby league remains in these countries but in my view we should concentrate and spend the small amount of money rugby league has on bigger potentials

That's just the problem leaguerules. RL has little money. You'd be better off spending money where you can get a good return, and I argue that your better return (measured in quality of players) would come from areas where RL is already established but emerging, ie. the Pacific.

Spending a little bit of money in the big countires won't give you much of a return because it wouldn't be enough. And I don't know that you could justify taking investment out of the Pacific and throwing it into the largely unknown European market for "financial gain." You'd just further marginalise the RL international scene and create greater disparities.

To make my point look at the world sevens next year. Sure watching the fijians is exciting but they samoa and tonga arnt as strong as they use to be. But, in the crowd we will see plenty of lebanese, english, japanese, italians, greeks, irish supporters.

What???? Don't you think these crowd figures are excacerbated by the fact that Sydney is multicultural? It has no reflection on the strength of RL in the home countries.

 

[ucantseeme]

there are only 2 reasons to stage a RL world cup cup.

1. make money
2. find out who the best team in the world is

since we all know it is australia whose #1 and since the last RL cup was a financial disaster there is absoultely no need to stage a RL cup anytime until those 2 things change.

don't you think its strange that this RL cup talk only came up during the RU cup? i don't recall anyone mentioning it during the final series or state of origin.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

there are only 2 reasons to stage a RL world cup cup.

1. make money
2. find out who the best team in the world is

since we all know it is australia whose #1 and since the last RL cup was a financial disaster there is absoultely no need to stage a RL cup anytime until those 2 things change.

don't you think its strange that this RL cup talk only came up during the RU cup? i don't recall anyone mentioning it during the final series or state of origin.

3. International development - giving smaller nations experience, exposure and incentive. If it were only to find the World's best why invite more than 3 teams (same with Union, Soccer, Cricket etc.)

4. Domestic development - Showing off our international game to create more local interest for RL on top of our already successful club and Origin competitions.

And I can assure you it wasn't just the UWC that kicked off talks of a RLWC. Supporters of international RL have been pushing for a RLWC since the end of the last one

 

[dimitri]

what a load of crap

nz just beat australia without ali lautiti and stacey jones

aus are no certainties

 

[Stevo_G]

just a question is there going to be a one off test match against new zealand next year after the grandfinal in nz ?????

 

[ucantseeme]

Firstly, if there is no profit to be made from the RLWC (which there wouldn't be) how are the developing nations going to receive any money? If anything they will be out of pocket from having to send over a team in the first place.

Secondly, australia didn't benefit at all from RLWC 2000 so i doubt they would benefit from RLWC 2007 even if they won. Kids in melbourne and adelaide wont suddenly start playing RL because the Roos beat Russia 100-0.

The smaller nations have other tournaments to aspire to like the European Nations Cup and the Emerging Nations RLWC. Playing against the likes of Aust, NZ & GB shouldn't even enter there minds yet. It would be like Kostya Tzuyu fighting Lennox Lewis.

I support international RL but common sense has to prevail and we can't just throw together a RLWC so as to keep up with the Jones' (union)

 

[eastsrule]

I doubt any games other than NZ and Australia's would be close to sell outs.

Look at the NRL, Struggle to get above 15 000. And you think international fans will pop out from nowhere?

If you want to have a World Cup you should first wait a few years and get smaller tournaments working ala Six Nations and TriNations in RU.

Many of you are predicting too much.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

When we want opinions from private school, inbred, fascist twigs we'll go to the airport and ask one of the ARU rent a crowd. F*ck off.