Lime_Green said:
What does rugby league have to do to get some traction in Victoria?
Is it even possible to?
Of course it's possible with a sustained full on assault at all levels including junior development, premiership football and annual showcase matches. But it'll continue to splutter along if every time we finally get some momentum going we then pull back, pat ourselves on the back and leave the Storm to fight the battle on their own for a couple of years. Remember the mood of optimism we all had at the end of last season on the back of a sell out Origin, solid Storm crowds, great Grand Final ratings and strong support for the post season Test match. What happened? The ARL and NRL have allowed that to ebb away thru a total lack of commitment. Instead of recognizing these signs of success and building on them, we instead chose to send the Anzac Test to Brisbane, a city where we already were going to play two big mid season showcase matches this year. Meanwhile we left Melbourne with nothing.
It's no wonder the locals aren't prepared to stick with us when the game so quickly turns its back. Melbourne is a big market which holds the promise of great rewards for the game in terms of the value of our television rights, corporate support and fan base. But it is also a relatively new market for our game where we aren't the biggest dicks on the block. The local population has ample existing loyalties and they don't owe us anything. This isn't a small country town desperate for any big event they can get their hands on, it's a metropolis with a mature entertainment market. We have to show why the locals should want to see our game and spend their hard earned on it, not ask why they deserve the privilege our presence. If we want the rewards of this huge market, Australia's second largest after Sydney, then we have to prove to the locals not only that we are serious about winning their support but that we deserve it. That's not going to happen overnight or in two years or even ten years. It'll take twenty years, maybe thirty. It might take an entire generation cycle before our game is ingrained in the culture. It can happen. But we have to be committed, not just this year or last year but every year for as long as it takes.
The Storm are just one piece of the puzzle. But alone they will continue to struggle in the shadow of the established local code. They need showcase events like Origin and Test matches to capture the spotlight once or twice per year and bring the game headlines when the media would otherwise ignore us. And they need junior development programs to help capture the next generation and build a self sustaining base for the future. But likewise the junior programs need the Storm to provide the kids some local heroes which they can aspire to follow. And the Origin and Test matches need the Storm to help keep the flag flying during the rest of the year. If we are serious about Melbourne then the assault must be at all levels because all the levels complement and depend on each other. Without any one of them, we're just pissing time and money up against the wall.
Leigh.
