If you are talking about the apparent lack of business savvy at a lot of NRL clubs and missed opertunities to maximise revenue, you'd be on the right track to keeping a lot of clubs in the black. But we all know there are too many teams in sydney itself and its more a hindrance than a help.
I am sure with better business acumen going around clubs can be better off financially but this whole thing is not about making clubs better off just so financially - its about creating the ability for the competition as a whole, and everything in it, to be more national and develop extra money from that regard, rather than individual clubs being better at managing their finances in a comp thats east coast based. I am not sure what the future holds, perhaps most of the population in the future will be based on the east coast maybe 90%+, who knows, but it will always cut out two major markets in perth and adelaide and other regions within qld and nsw as well. The more people from the more regions you get to a game, the more money i bet they will pay you to advertise.
I do agree that clubs managing their finances better is a step in the right direction, but I dont think it will save Sydney's league teams in the long run. Not only do you need more money, but you need to use that money in the right way. And to have enough money, i believe the competition needs to have the right platform, and a national competition is that platform. Some may say throw in News ltd's over involvement into the pie as well, and that is a factor too, along with too many teams in sydney and bad press coverage and poor facilities in some places. It all goes together. Improvement should not stop until total efficiency is achieved, or people are truly satisfied with the competitions' performance.
As fans, we should have the luxury of just sitting back and enjoying the game, but at this time, we unfortunately dont, because its blatantly clear we are shooting ourselves in the foot by having these issues standing over the game. Its all tied together, and it will all be sorted out because us supporters are not overly happy about our comp not being the best it can be, and we want it different. If love makes the world go round, (but it doesnt) we actually make the comp go around.
The alternitive is to cry about it a lot like we did for a long time when nothing could be done....at last now something can be "began" to be done about it all, and lets do it. Now is not the time to go "but my club is bigger than the game, even if its kind of shrinking it a little."
Thats what its about in this case. People constantly say you need more revenue streams, whatever lingo you want to throw at it....what you really need is more "CROWDS." A crowd spreads the word, a crowd looks good on tv and to everyone looking AT it. A crowd spends its money on the thing it goes to see....thats not a new revenue stream, its a BIGGER ONE. Invest all you like clubs, you'll wait years for a decent return even if its a good return, but if you want cold hard cash today when you need it, try and get a bigger crowd....and the crowd is more than that, its a fuel....it means INTEREST but not in the bank kind....it generates interest and adds value to all other aspects of the game....juniors go up with interest, money goes up, all merchandise goes up....crowds are what its all about. As a fan, being in a crowd is what its all about.
I am POSITIVE the media and the supporters can turn all this into a warm and positive experience if its approached with a "we'll be better for it dont you worry about that!" attitude. Not the doom and gloom it must all be over one we used to have. We didnt make that experience - the SL experience....but as concerned fans we can make this experience and have a say in how it will be played out.
