Rugby league in dire straits in NSW as Queensland leads the way

[El Diablo]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,25443885-5003409,00.html

Rugby league in dire straits in NSW as Queensland leads the way

By Mike Colman | May 08, 2009 12:00am

WHY all the fuss over the fact that 10 of the 13 Australians who run on for tonight's rugby league Test against the Kiwis at Suncorp are Queenslanders?

It is a fair representation of the state of the game in this country. Queensland players, Queensland stadium, Queensland fans.

As my colleague Barry Dick wrote in his online blog this week: how did NSW get three in the side?

The way things are going it might not be an issue in a few years.

Rugby league is in dire straits in NSW and there is no salvation in sight.

Thanks to a succession of incompetent state governments the one-time financiers of the game - the leagues clubs - are being taxed into insolvency.

The Federal Government ban on smoking in licensed premises has been the icing on a stale cake.

Leagues club grants are shrinking to non-existence, Sydney's suburban grounds are decaying and more teams have been forced to take the $80,000 on offer to hold home games at that white elephant of Olympic proportion, the cavernous ANZ Stadium.

Further up the totem pole the NRL has sold the game to the highest bidder. No crime in that. It's how professional sport works the world over. The games are "product" and broadcast rights are the lifeblood, but it's become a vicious circle. The game needs TV to exist, but TV is giving the rugby league followers of NSW a reason to stay at home.

With every match broadcast live or replayed on TV and radio, then cut up and discussed, analysed and debated ad nauseum through the week, the choice of whether to watch at home in a comfortable armchair or head out to an outdated suburban grandstand or near-empty ANZ isn't a tough one to make.

Factor in the exorbitant cost of a hotdog and a plastic cup of beer and its a virtual no-contest.

St George-Illawarra, Penrith, Parramatta, Souths and Wests Tigers are all on the financial faultline but the club in the worst strife is Cronulla.

Reports from Sydney yesterday suggested the Sharks were $11 million in the red and looking at playing five of their home games at John Singleton's Bluetongue Stadium at Gosford, with stadium management guaranteeing $100,000 a match.

Nothing new there. The Central Coast has been seen as a Get Out of Jail Free card since the North Sydney Bears looked to relocate up the expressway in the early 1990s.

They finally got there in the shape of the Northern Eagles but the people of the Central Coast voted with their feet, showing they didn't appreciate being considered any Sydney team's cash cow.

The unhappy Northern Eagles experiment casts doubts over whether the Sharks will be any more welcome. The Central Coast wants its own team, not a part-time outfit having an each-way bet.

Word in Sydney league circles yesterday was that the Sharks would be supported by the NRL just long enough for one of the other financially-strapped clubs to relocate to Gosford fulltime.

But which one? As former Sharks captain Gavin Miller said, "I think there's more than one Cronulla out there."

A Sydney club sponsor I spoke to yesterday said the only certainty about the future of the game in NSW was that it was bleak.

"I really can't see how it's going to improve," he said - and this from a multi-millionaire businessman who knows his way around a balance sheet.

Little wonder the cash-strapped Sydney clubs look at the near-full state-of-the-art stadiums at Brisbane and Robina and think "I gotta get me a piece of that".

Former NSW coach Gus Gould recently opined that Queensland could support another three clubs. That would make six. Add in New Zealand, Melbourne, Canberra, Newcastle and Central Coast and the one-time power-base of the game in Sydney is looking way beyond shaky.

The ARL has acknowledged that Queensland is the heartland of the game by scheduling the World Cup final and tonight's replay at Suncorp, and financial necessity suggests the NRL will follow suit.

It was 30 years ago that an Australian team took on Great Britain without one resident Queenslander in the side.

Chances are it won't be another 30 years before we see an NRL grand final at Suncorp.

 

[BrisVegas]

...

Word in Sydney league circles yesterday was that the Sharks would be supported by the NRL just long enough for one of the other financially-strapped clubs to relocate to Gosford fulltime.

...

That is a slightly odd rumour. Which club could that be in reference to? Souths? Tigers? Parramatta? Manly?

 

[Hindyscrack]

Mike Coleman...

Always fishing, terrible at it.

 

[Jason Maher]

Typical Queensland parachioalism at its finest. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to watch Broncos vs Titans or Broncos vs Cowboys or Titans vs Cowboys derbys every week (with the third team having the bye). Actually, as I've said previously, the Broncos are so convinced they own the game they'd probably be happy to be the only team in the comp (they've never been happy to share Queensland with any other team). Intra-club matches every week! Imagine the spectacle! They'd probably have the first team wearing Queensland jerseys and the second team wearing New South Wales jerseys. Would no doubt keep them perpetually happy.

 

[Charlie124]

Typical Queensland parachioalism at its finest. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to watch Broncos vs Titans or Broncos vs Cowboys or Titans vs Cowboys derbys every week (with the third team having the bye). Actually, as I've said previously, the Broncos are so convinced they own the game they'd probably be happy to be the only team in the comp (they've never been happy to share Queensland with any other team). Intra-club matches every week! Imagine the spectacle! They'd probably have the first team wearing Queensland jerseys and the second team wearing New South Wales jerseys. Would no doubt keep them perpetually happy.

yeah...probably :roll:

 

[kickback]

Mike Colman does have some good points! The goverment should be supporting and helping the clubs a lot more and it should never have gotten to this stage and the Sydney public should be getting out and supporting there clubs.

But hey it is the NRL not the NSWRL these days give it a few years and the GF will be at Lang Park every 2nd year.

 

[Sir Biffo]

I still think the balance of power (ie club numbers) dictate the GF must be held in Sydney every year at the moment. However it is shifting, and a couple more teams in Queensland and I'd definitley be happy for the GF to move to Suncorp once every second year.

Would QLD fans turn out though if it was say a Roosters v Bulldogs GF? I went to the Bulldogs v Cowboys last year at Suncorp (admittedly two struggling teams) and there was about 6000 people there, and that was involving a QLD team!

 

[aussie_q_factor]

Good article by Coleman. Couldn't agree more.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Would QLD fans turn out though if it was say a Roosters v Bulldogs GF? I went to the Bulldogs v Cowboys last year at Suncorp (admittedly two struggling teams) and there was about 6000 people there, and that was involving a QLD team!

Sydney drew a good crowd for the Melbourne v Brisbane GF in 06 and that did not involve any NSW based clubs. Why would Qld crowds be any different if a GF involving 2 non-Qld clubs was played at Suncorp?

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Colman is an idiot.

Queensland only have 3 teams to support. Give them 6 more and see if they are still the heartland...

Anyone care to put the old Brisbane comp's attendances up against the old NSWRL comp's attendances?

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Sydney drew a good crowd for the Melbourne v Brisbane GF in 06 and that did not involve any NSW based clubs. Why would Qld crowds be any different if a GF involving 2 non-Qld clubs was played at Suncorp?

I agree and it's a smaller stadium too. It won't be like they need to get 90k in there.

 

[Timmah]

Exactly. When bagging RL in Sydney noone mentions that ANZ was 95% full for a Grand Final between teams 1000km in either direction... doesn't suit their argument?

 

[RL1908]

The trend that article raises would probably be more to the point if there was no salary cap - but there is.

QLD lost all its players to cashed-up pokie-driven NSW clubs from the late 1950s onwards. But Qld's greatest pre-Origin era was in the 1920s, when money brought top NSW players to Qld.

In the 1920s-30s, and again after WW2, bush clubs in NSW had many of the game's best players - all chasing the $ that bush clubs (pubs and other benefactors) provided.

Apart from when bans were in place, Aust & NZ players have been going to England for $ for 100 years.

Sydney didn't become the be-all of RL club football until the dawn of the Leagues Clubs era - then we drew players from everywhere, including England, with the money.

Now that cash-cow is gone, and the players will move away to wherever the next "gold strike" is made.

At the moment it is the Super League and RU.

Take away the salary cap, and it might be the Broncos who draw all the top players, but I doubt any other Qld club would do much better than the NSW clubs.

 

[RL1908]

*delete*

 

[maccattack]

There seems to be real cause for concern to me.

A club like the Sharks get no help from the government yet victorian rules gets a massive grant from the government to build a stadium in rugby league territory.

That along with everything else. It seems to me the balance is shiffting heavily in favour of the victorian rulers.

 

[TheBourbonBeast]

\\\\/Its great being a broncos fan, really is...!!

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

There seems to be real cause for concern to me.

A club like the Sharks get no help from the government yet victorian rules gets a massive grant from the government to build a stadium in rugby league territory.

That along with everything else. It seems to me the balance is shiffting heavily in favour of the victorian rulers.

Cronulla got 9m of federal funding (from Costello I assume) and blew it on the construction of the southern grandstand for fans that were never going to show up. Seriously, they're a money pit.

 

[Brycey]

Colman is an idiot.

Queensland only have 3 teams to support. Give them 6 more and see if they are still the heartland...

Anyone care to put the old Brisbane comp's attendances up against the old NSWRL comp's attendances?

So because the ideal scenario in Brisbane works we should bury our heads in the sand and say well lets crowd the market to bring Qld down to our level, instead of saying well its obvious that there is over crowding in Sydney...maybe we should follow Qlds lead and have less teams in one area and spread them out.

No lets all feel sorry for Sydneys situation instead of doing something about it.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

So because the ideal scenario in Brisbane works we should bury our heads in the sand and say well lets crowd the market to bring Qld down to our level, instead of saying well its obvious that there is over crowding in Sydney...maybe we should follow Qlds lead and have less teams in one area and spread them out.

No lets all feel sorry for Sydneys situation instead of doing something about it.

Queenslanders with chips on their shoulders trying to take the high ground in this type of debate helps no one. Getting rid of Sydney teams will do nothing more than give AFL the leg-up they so desperately need.

But if it was up to some maroon flavoured wankers, most of whom who have had the luxury of one team to 4 million people, there would be 4 teams in Sydney and we'd have to sit here and watch that abortion of a sport take over.

Sydney is the home of Rugby League in Australia and will be whilst ever your arsehole points to the ground. Either that or if Queensland really does become the home, the sport will be dead in Australia.

f**king Queenslanders...

 

[BrisVegas]

There seems to be real cause for concern to me.

A club like the Sharks get no help from the government yet victorian rules gets a massive grant from the government to build a stadium in rugby league territory.

That along with everything else. It seems to me the balance is shiffting heavily in favour of the victorian rulers.

Don't forget that the Victorian Government are spending ~$270 million on a dedicated rectangular ground for the Storm to play out of.


The stadium facilities available to clubs will become more and more a case of the haves and have-not's over the coming decade. Those clubs playing out of the more advanced venues will have a greater chance of drawing casual spectators and converting them to regular attendee's and will have a huge advantage in drawing corporate support where a premium can be made. Not to mention the differences in Gate Reciepts.

One of the best ways to ensure that the government keeps the grants to your clubs stadium flowing (besides being located in a marginal seat) is for the venue to accommodate as many tenants as possible.

More games being played = more spectators = a higher return on the governments continual investment.

There is a clear correlation between the number of games hosted at a venue and the amount of government money spent on upkeep and upgrades.


Take the "Big 3" NRL grounds for example:

Suncorp Stadium: Broncos, Reds, Brisbane Roar, NRL Origin games, NRL Finals Series

Telstra Stadium: Rabbitohs, Bulldogs, Parramatta, Swans, NRL Origin games, NRL Finals Series

Aussie Stadium: Roosters, Tigers, Warratahs, Sydney FC, NRL Finals Series



Other NRL grounds that cater for more than one tenant:

Gold Coast Stadium, Robina (2008): Titans, Gold Coast FC, Some Union

EAS: Newcastle Knights, Newcastle Jets FC

Canberra Stadium: Canberra Raiders, ACT Brumbies, likely venue for a Canberra A-League club.

Central Coast Stadium: Central Coast Mariners FC, An assortment of NRL games.

Dairy Farmers Stadium: NQ Coboys, NQ Fury FC.


NRL grounds that cater for the one club:

Brookvale
CUA Stadium Penrith
Oki Jubilee Stadium # (6 Games a season)
Toyota Park, Cronulla
WIN Stadium (6 Games a season)
Campbelltown Stadium (3 Games a season)
Leichhardt Oval (3 Games a season)
Parramatta Stadium (10 games this season)


One of the keys to the Storm getting a new stadium was Melbourne Victory FC committing to be co-tenants, (hopefully) securing Melbourne's long term financial viability in the NRL.

The Broncos, Titans and the Melbourne AFL clubs have all shown that 1st class facilities are required for a club to post continual growth. It's also no surprise that the Storm, and to a lesser degree the Knights are hedging their financial survival on significant stadia upgrades.

Clubs that are currently splitting their home games between multiple venues are going to have to bite the bullet soon and primarily commit to a single venue. With the facilities required for an NRL team, venues that host half a dozen top flight games won't be able to attract the funds to keep them up-to-date.


Going into the next decade of the NRL, the only Sydney Stadiums that are truly up to a national competition standard are the SFS, ANZ (as dreadful a stadium as it is for rectangular sports) and Parramatta. If clubs or supporters believe that drawing 10-15k crowds to Toyota Park/Brookevale/Leichardt is viable they are in for a rude shock - it isn't the 1980's anymore.

What needs to happen in Sydney with considerable urgency is a meeting between the NRL, ARU, FFA and NSW and Federal Government. From this meeting a co-ordinated plan has to be developed to bring 3-4 Sydney stadiums up to standard for professional leagues at the neglect of all others - some short term pain for long term gain. Throwing $5-$10m at a time at suburban grounds is paramount to treating a bullet wound with a band-aid. To make a long term impact somewhere between $50-$70m is required for a complete rebuild of a main grandstand (ala Newcastle's EAS Stadium), or ~$200m for a new ground like Skilled Park.

Fix the Sydney stadium issue and clubs will earn more through corporate and general admissions, will find it much easier to push memberships, and thereby create more interest among the general population and potential sponsors, driving up crowds, and around and around you go.

Let the Stadium situation continue to drag on and Sydney clubs will fall further behind.