Should The NRL Offer Money To Sydney Clubs To Relocate?

[Sphagnum]

Yep. Offer incentives for them to move to Queensland. They need a decent team up there these days

 

[jim_57]

Not just for full relocation but offer 'packages' for strategic areas. X amount of money per game for anywhere from 1 to 6 games then your bigger money for 8-12 game full relocations. Obviously more money for more games and better money on offer for the favoured areas.

Interstate - Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart.
NSW - Central Coast, Bathurst, Wagga, Coffs, Dubbo, Tamworth, Albury, Maitland.
QLD - Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Ipswich.
NZ - Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton
International - PNG, Fiji, other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Asia, US West Coast.

Obviously not all of them will get games but it gives the clubs options.

 

[Diesel]

I don’t know the Sydney scene as well as others on here, so I’m interested to see how Sydney should be drawn up. Considering CC and Illawarra aren’t Sydney I’d assume as a minimum there would be something along the lines of a Northern, Southern, Central, S-West/Campbelltown, Parramatta and Penrith.

 

[flippikat]

I don’t know the Sydney scene as well as others on here, so I’m interested to see how Sydney should be drawn up. Considering CC and Illawarra aren’t Sydney I’d assume as a minimum there would be something along the lines of a Northern, Southern, Central, S-West/Campbelltown, Parramatta and Penrith.

So you're thinking....
* North of the harbour bridge. (Tricky, as both North Sydney Oval & Brookvale are not at the standard you want for NRL. For me, this would either be Sea Eagles if they take on North Sydney as their area, or if Manly go broke or Roosters if Manly cannot stay at NRL level)
* South (You mean Dragons or Sharks? Would they play out of a venue in the area such as Shark Park, or go to the new SFS?)
* Central - Yep, basically Rabbitohs or Roosters.. probably playing out of the new SFS.
* South west/Campbelltown (likely to be Tigers.. but could another club if Tigers go 7nder or move interstate. Campbelltown is just ripe for upgrades if it houses MacArthur FC AND an NRL club. Year-round tenancy gives it a strong case)
* Parramatta - as-is, at Bankwest
* Penrith - as-is, at Penrith Stadium

That tees-up some big decisions to be made.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Too many teams in Sydney, but I wouldn't wish relocation on any of them.

Except South's - f**k South's.

 

[siv]

I've got mixed feelings on that.

While having one team covering the north of harbour & central coast would potentially be a powerhouse, we've been there before with the Northern Eagles and it failed badly. Admittedly it was a victim of some petty infighting & lukewarm engagement.

I was the NRL I'd want a strong commitment from the Sea-eagles to making it work - and they would probably have to base themselves in Gosford, with 1-2 games TOPS per year at Brookvale or North Sydney Oval. Kinda like how the Bulldogs have 1 or 2 Belmore games per year. The club would play heaps of 'away games in Sydney every year - sell them as "away Sydney membership" packages for fans from Manly/North Shore.

Easts wont allow Manly to move into Norths and CC regions

 

[macnaz]

One thing I'm sure of is there are to many NRL sides on the Gold Coast .

 

[flippikat]

Easts wont allow Manly to move into Norths and CC regions

Yep, and that's just symptomatic of how Sydney's structure has been allowed to evolve in a completely 'ad hoc' basis at the whim of the clubs since 1982, with no oversight & strategic plan from the NSWRL ( especially 1982-95 when they ran the premier rugby league competition in Australasia), ARL ( especially 1995-1997) and NRL (1998 onwards).

That's how we end up with fiercely entrenched enclaves like Cronulla & Manly instead of mighty regional teams.

 

[siv]

Yep, and that's just symptomatic of how Sydney's structure has been allowed to evolve in a completely 'ad hoc' basis at the whim of the clubs since 1982, with no oversight & strategic plan from the NSWRL ( especially 1982-95 when they ran the premier rugby league competition in Australasia), ARL ( especially 1995-1997) and NRL (1998 onwards).

That's how we end up with fiercely entrenched enclaves like Cronulla & Manly instead of mighty regional teams.

Georgraphy of the City has played a big part

The Peninsula is isolated by middle harbour with only 2 bridges and one road to get there

Cronulla is similar 3 bridges and one road

Easts, Newtown were land locked into small city areas both junior areas had clapsed into Souths juniors

While Campbelltown is a growth area it maybe better suited to Canterbury long term

But tradition works in all sporting codes. Look at Everton v Liverpool only 2km between major stadiums. They trive. Just like Souths v Easts trives in a similar manner

 

[Tiger5150]

Georgraphy of the City has played a big part

The Peninsula is isolated by middle harbour with only 2 bridges and one road to get there

Cronulla is similar 3 bridges and one road

Easts, Newtown were land locked into small city areas both junior areas had clapsed into Souths juniors

While Campbelltown is a growth area it maybe better suited to Canterbury long term

But tradition works in all sporting codes. Look at Everton v Liverpool only 2km between major stadiums. They trive. Just like Souths v Easts trives in a similar manner

Why?

 

[Tiger5150]

A summary of this thread for those with short attention spans......

"My Sydney based team is safe....but that other Sydney based team should definitely go".

 

[t-ba]

This is a world where Monaco, a team from a microstate with a population that could fit into the old SFS has been a continental force in the worlds most popular sport for a decade and a half now (last years horror show excluded), and we're worried about having some dinky clubs like Manly and Cronulla running around our comp.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Unpopular opinion, I would be totally fine with the Tigers relocating. Perth ideally. Would ensure our future and I'd still see them every 2/3 weeks anyway.

 

[adamkungl]

My preference would be for

Dragons to shift to Wollongong full-time*
Manly to shift to Gosford full-time
Norths junior area to be split between Manly (Upper North Shore), Easts (Lower North Shore), and Wests (Pennant Hills).
Tigers to shift to Bankwest or Perth.
Sharks to fully relocate to Adelaide

*full-time in all cases means minimum 9 home games
NSW Cup team and 1 NRL game to remain at tradtional homes.
Junior boundaries are retained for all but Norths.
Suitable relocations should all come with NRL financial support and government agreements to upgrade regional stadiums.

It's not a popular opinion but suburban grounds put a hard ceiling on growth.
When Sydney has 3 new world class stadiums fully operational, teams playing out of suburban parks will not be operating on the same financial scale.
The difference between the haves and have-nots will grow beyond what can be managed by luck and smart-recruiting.

 

[Vic Mackey]

My preference would be for

Dragons to shift to Wollongong full-time*
Manly to shift to Gosford full-time
Norths junior area to be split between Manly (Upper North Shore), Easts (Lower North Shore), and Wests (Pennant Hills).
Tigers to shift to Bankwest or Perth.
Sharks to fully relocate to Adelaide

*full-time in all cases means minimum 9 home games
NSW Cup team and 1 NRL game to remain at tradtional homes.
Junior boundaries are retained for all but Norths.
Suitable relocations should all come with NRL financial support and government agreements to upgrade regional stadiums.

It's not a popular opinion but suburban grounds put a hard ceiling on growth.
When Sydney has 3 new world class stadiums fully operational, teams playing out of suburban parks will not be operating on the same financial scale.
The difference between the haves and have-nots will grow beyond what can be managed by luck and smart-recruiting.

Im not trolling here, but I genuinely believe if you wanted to relocate a team to have the least effect on the Sydney league landscape, it would be the Roosters

 

[flippikat]

But tradition works in all sporting codes. Look at Everton v Liverpool only 2km between major stadiums. They trive. Just like Souths v Easts trives in a similar manner

True, but Liverpool only has 2 teams in the top level of football, for a population of just over 2 million.

By the same ratio, Sydney (with a population of just over 5 million) should have 5 or 6 top tier rugby league clubs.. which is about the number that many of us who want rationalisation are after.

 

[kdalymc]

Look at Everton v Liverpool only 2km

Is this relevant here tho when half the teams share the same ground...?

 

[adamkungl]

Im not trolling here, but I genuinely believe if you wanted to relocate a team to have the least effect on the Sydney league landscape, it would be the Roosters

Obviously that's a popular opinion.
But the idea that other clubs Sydney clubs would directly benefit from a team falling over is at best a 20-30 year prospect and at worst completely dubious.

But even so, why would you move the most successful club, football and financially, who will be playing out of a world class stadium? Because they have the 3rd lowest crowds? Why not punt the club with the lowest crowds?
Roosters are the only team within cooee of the CBD and the countries wealthiest demographic areas and most iconic locations, especially now that Souths see themselves as a Western Sydney team. There's value in having a successful team in a highly marketable location.

But my main point here isn't to defend Easts, anyway. I think you're coming at this from the wrong angle.

I want to promote serious growth in the Sydney landscape, not have the "least effect".
I don't believe that Sydney *needs* less teams and certain teams will become magically more successful simply by 1 or 2 leaving.
I'm predicting the new stadiums will mark something of a new era. The clubs playing out of them will significantly raise their financial ceiling with increased crowd and sponsorship potential.
Clubs on the outskirts of the city and/or playing out of suburban parks will find themselves falling behind.
I don't believe the NRL could or should force anyone to move anywhere
but
I think some clubs need to think outside the box and take bigger opportunities while the decisions remain solely in their hands.
Whether that's taking the money in other capital cities or playing half their games at central stadiums, the days of a club playing 12 home games at the local park are limited. Look at Brookvale, modern regulations and a lack of upgrades mean it's bursting at the seams with 15,000 on the gate. That's their biggest crowd of the year.

Think about it this way. If the next TV deal or the one after doesn't live up to hopes, and the NRL is forced to tighten its belt, what happens?
Perhaps the cap stays the same but the club grant decreases. Clubs become reliant on what income they can generate outside the TV deal to field a top team. Who falls over first? Hint: It isn't the Roosters.

 

[TheDalek079]

Im not trolling here, but I genuinely believe if you wanted to relocate a team to have the least effect on the Sydney league landscape, it would be the Roosters

thats not trolling. Easts do have a low membership base compared with other sydney teams, and our current junior area is quite small, so its natural for some to suggest that the Roosters should relocate or merge. Our big positives are our history (foundation club, only club to play in every first grade season), James Tedesco's bum, and our business contacts means we are under no financial pressure. Hopefully that is enough to ensure our survival

 

[T-Boon]

Unpopular opinion, I would be totally fine with the Tigers relocating. Perth ideally. Would ensure our future and I'd still see them every 2/3 weeks anyway.

Thats the way I feel about the Eels as an eels fan. I have a connection to the Eels but not Parramatta (of course relocating Parra does not make sense for other reasons).
But well said.