Do Adelaide even want a team?
Yes, the SARL have come out with a similar proposal saying they believe they have the corporate support and a relocation starting with a partial relocation would work well. My suggestion is is not totally relocate as such but to establish a wider reach.
Adelaide has been done before and failed. i would have serious concerns about their ability to attract the 20000+ crowd a team would need to stay viable. up against the crows and port the adelide franchise would be pushing s hit up a hill to get any sort of dominance regardless of whether a new franchise started there or a re-located team was to go there.
I think we as Rugby League have missed the point in expansion, getting LOWER crowds in a new area is sometimes worth more financially in regards to TV rights etc. then the maintenance of crowds in a saturated market. Adelaide would add fans - even if they could only add say 12 - 15000 fans at a game. You open up a new TV market, a new merchandise market for the Sharks and MOST importantly a sponsorship market of over a million and the corporates that go with it.
Costs/taxes are what is currently causing the "sydney" clubs issue... how would putting a team in Adelaide and Sydney help in reducing costs? Whilst this is not the sole reason im against it it is a contributing factor that would need to be considered.
The COST mentality is exactly most of Sydney Rugby Leagues problem at present. Our focus needs to be taken off lower Costs as such and turn to increasing REVENUE. How can a club increase their revenue and put itself in a position to INCREASE COSTS so we can retain Stars, increase dominance etc.
Broader Question: general conception we need to look after and get back to our home bases
I like the idea of our traditional homes BUT whether people like it or not, by and large these new venues (esp ANZ) have INCREASED crowds and revenue. Playing at home grounds if it were such an advantage would be the norm if it grew crowds etc but the fan base is now not normally totally defined by geography. That said I think the Stadium issue is relevant.
You also ultimately look after home by establishing a sense of confidence, even arrogance in your position. If a company waited to totally dominate one market before going to a second there would be no Coke or Ford. Religiously/philosophically Christianity would be a sect of Judaism in Jerusalem still strying to consolidate its position. (I hope that sort of makes sense)
I dont know that there is an answer but all i can say is that unless the sharks remain the cronulla sharks i wont support them
I can understand the feeling (I was originally a Manly fan before the Storm came in but chose to follow the NE as well) BUT if that means the end of Cronulla (for instance, not saying it would happen as they are more secure then most) would you rather go down to the NSW Cup as Cronulla then support a team that on the playing field is effectively identical, playing regular games in Cronulla that just happens to have 'Southern' in front of it?
