WA BEARS

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I think we can all agree that the best thing, going forward, is to make them the West Coast Northern Sydney Pirate Bears.

3 home games at North Sydney Oval, Sydney
3 home games at HBF Park, Perth
3 home games on the Central Coast
1 home game at the Brisbane Magic Round
1 home game at the SFS
1 game in Adelaide / Darwin / Cairns / Port Macquarie / wherever else (to promote the NRL)

Players to train in some specially made training facility in the town of Kimba, South Australia, as that falls on the midpoint between Perth and the northern suburbs of Sydney.

Halfway Across Australia Sign

Halfway Across Australia Sign

www.kimba.sa.gov.au

Get on it, peeps. The WCNS Pirate Bears RLFC are coming...

View attachment 71583

That logo looks like Peter Fitzsimons ranting about rugby league when he was fat.

 

[Colk]

Honestly don't think Perth or Adelaide work. Melbourne have been successful for 25 years or something in an AFL town of 6 million.
They're are a success.
But 6 million!
Successful on the pitch the whole time!
So in AFL territory it's going to be extremely hard even with the luck that you have the best coach and Players almost ever!
Adelaide and Perth can't technically fail because of the grant but they will be an overwhelming net loss to the NRL.

I didn’t say we were going to take over AFL. That would be foolish. As foolish as somebody saying Union is going to die in NZ as soon as you put a second or third side there.

The point is you give people an option. That’s exactly what capitalism is - essentially you can’t state that nobody will like your product if you don’t give them the opportunity to consume it.

Also sorry to be pedantic but Melbourne doesn’t have a population of 6 million.

 

[The Great Dane]

You have to love these forums sometimes. Let’s face it the competition could put a team anywhere in a place around 500k or more in Australia and New Zealand and it would work and potentially flourish.

You could put a team or two in NZ, Adelaide, Perth and another one in Brisbane and they would all work.

Sure, considering the size of the grant at the moment it'd be very hard to run a club into the ground.

But in saying that, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I didn’t say we were going to take over AFL. That would be foolish. As foolish as somebody saying Union is going to die in NZ as soon as you put a second or third side there.

The point is you give people an option. That’s exactly what capitalism is - essentially you can’t state that nobody will like your product if you don’t give them the opportunity to consume it.

Also sorry to be pedantic but Melbourne doesn’t have a population of 6 million.

That's 2 things I've never said. What I will say is.
I don't think League can get a big enough market share of the small city's of Perth and Adelaide who are dominated by AFL to be economical.
Meaning the broadcast value ( ratings numbers) attending fans and merchandise will not match or exceed the grant, not even close. Meaning they will be a net loss to the NRL and in the millions per year outside of the initial outlay. That's almost irrefutable.
And I've said NZ2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby and it would without doubt, it's another form of Rugby and as such we are in direct competition for talent and patrons. We would directly affect their attendance, their ratings and their talent.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I didn’t say we were going to take over AFL. That would be foolish. As foolish as somebody saying Union is going to die in NZ as soon as you put a second or third side there.

The point is you give people an option. That’s exactly what capitalism is - essentially you can’t state that nobody will like your product if you don’t give them the opportunity to consume it.

Also sorry to be pedantic but Melbourne doesn’t have a population of 6 million.

And sure. 5.83

Melbourne Population 2025 ❤️ | Population Australia

www.population.net.au

 

[macca_saint]

Surely the NRL can get some rich mining magnate over in WA interested in investing and/or owning a Perth NRL team. Twiggy is only interested in toffball but there must be another? I know there’s the cash converters guy but is he wealthy or reliable enough?

 

[Perth Red]

When there's 1 or 2 games a year? And every single person who likes league goes?
Play every week and it'll be 10k average like the last time you had a team.

Haha, scrape, scrape, what’s that sound? Sound of gobsmacked moving the posts again.

you can’t possibly know that.
avg for one off games is 16,250. All it shows is there are around 20k active rl fans in perth NOW. Getting them to attend 12 games a year will be the new clubs job. Building more will be the new clubs and nrls job.

 

[Colk]

And sure. 5.83

Melbourne Population 2025 ❤️ | Population Australia

www.population.net.au

Still not 6

 

[Perth Red]

Surely the NRL can get some rich mining magnate over in WA interested in investing and/or owning a Perth NRL team. Twiggy is only interested in toffball but there must be another? I know there’s the cash converters guy but is he wealthy or reliable enough?

He’s been investing his own money into grassroots rl in WA since the early 90’s so yeh I’d say he’s reliable!

It won’t be one owner unless it’s Sage, and no one wants him. It’ll be a consortium of rich businessmen, probably the one led by Cumins.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Still not 6

And yet a shit load more than 2.1

Perth, Australia Metro Area Population 1950-2024

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Perth, Australia metro area from 1950 to 2024. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

www.macrotrends.net

 

[Perth Red]

And yet a shit load more than 2.1

Perth, Australia Metro Area Population 1950-2024

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Perth, Australia metro area from 1950 to 2024. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

www.macrotrends.net

Might have escaped your notice but that expansion club is the most watched on tv, in top 3 for memberships, in top 3 for attendances, is privately owned and making a profit lol

15k attendance 20k members, the target for any new club in the nrl. Hit that and the corporate support and you’re sweet with nrl grant as is now. No need for pokies, billionaires or golf clubs lol.

 

[Colk]

That's 2 things I've never said. What I will say is.
I don't think League can get a big enough market share of the small city's of Perth and Adelaide who are dominated by AFL to be economical.
Meaning the broadcast value ( ratings numbers) attending fans and merchandise will not match or exceed the grant, not even close. Meaning they will be a net loss to the NRL and in the millions per year outside of the initial outlay. That's almost irrefutable.
And I've said NZ2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby and it would without doubt, it's another form of Rugby and as such we are in direct competition for talent and patrons. We would directly affect their attendance, their ratings and their talent.

Firstly you lost me in your first argument when you said that Perth and Adelaide are small cities. Small cities by world standards most definitely but not by Australian standards. For example, roughly 10% of the nation’s population live in Perth and roughly 7% live in Adelaide. That’s more than enough to sustain a side and it’s not particularly smart to essentially not even consider that amount of people as potential audience.

I’ve read enough of that thread to suggest that you think that Rugby League is going to kill/ severely wound Union by virtue of a second team over there. That’s not going to happen. The All Blacks are a cultural institution and a religion. It’s a bit of a delusion to be fair. By the way, I’m definitely in favour of a second side over there but I think we need to be realistic about things.

 

[Colk]

And yet a shit load more than 2.1

Perth, Australia Metro Area Population 1950-2024

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Perth, Australia metro area from 1950 to 2024. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

www.macrotrends.net

Was I arguing this? Essentially I don’t care.

 

[Colk]

Sure, considering the size of the grant at the moment it'd be very hard to run a club into the ground.

But in saying that, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

I agree. There would be some I wouldn’t be in favour of. My argument was more about the position proffered that you know a Perth or an Adelaide or a second New Zealand wouldn’t be sustainable.

Those positions are usually proffered by people who are particularly in favour of one location and will proceed to heap scorn and derision on people who present an opposing bid or location.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Firstly you lost me in your first argument when you said that Perth and Adelaide are small cities. Small cities by world standards most definitely but not by Australian standards. For example, roughly 10% of the nation’s population live in Perth and roughly 7% live in Adelaide. That’s more than enough to sustain a side and it’s not particularly smart to essentially not even consider that amount of people as potential audience.

I’ve read enough of that thread to suggest that you think that Rugby League is going to kill/ severely wound Union by virtue of a second team over there. That’s not going to happen. The All Blacks are a cultural institution and a religion. It’s a bit of a delusion to be fair. By the way, I’m definitely in favour of a second side over there but I think we need to be realistic about things.

You and a few on here seriously underestimate AFL fans reluctance to adopt new sport. Honestly, it's not going to happen. AFL is a quality product, exciting, long history, unmatched at ground experience and everyone in those states are into it, it's all they talk about, it's part of their coulter and there's 9 games a week!
AFL Fans don’t have time for another sport and they aren't abandoning theirs.
Union is like League with a whole bunch of boring shit thrown in, League is a superior product, especially the NRL compared to Super Rugby- we can take those fans without Question. I'm not suggesting they'll stop watching the All blacks and unless the All blacks start playing 9 times a week it won't affect them following the NRL.

 

[Perth Red]

I agree. There would be some I wouldn’t be in favour of. My argument was more about the position proffered that you know a Perth or an Adelaide or a second New Zealand wouldn’t be sustainable.

Those positions are usually proffered by people who are particularly in favour of one location and will proceed to heap scorn and derision on people who present an opposing bid or location.

They are generally ignorant of both what an nrl club needs to acheive to be viable and what the market is for the game in those new cities for the game. Somehow wellington with a much smaller population and far fewer corproates will work, but perth won’t. They are just dumb, trolls or generally ignorant.

any nrl club can be financially viable with a 15k crowd and 20k members and $10mill in corporate sales. It’s not a high bar anymore with the nrl grant,

 

[Pneuma]

I agree. There would be some I wouldn’t be in favour of. My argument was more about the position proffered that you know a Perth or an Adelaide or a second New Zealand wouldn’t be sustainable.

Those positions are usually proffered by people who are particularly in favour of one location and will proceed to heap scorn and derision on people who present an opposing bid or location.

For me Perth is a no brainer and has been for a long time. We need a team there. Adelaide scares me. It’s a cesspit of afl ignorance.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Was I arguing this? Essentially I don’t care.

So you're a gaslighter. Got it

 

[Perth Red]

You and a few on here seriously underestimate AFL fans reluctance to adopt new sport. Honestly, it's not going to happen. AFL is a quality product, exciting, long history, unmatched at ground experience and everyone in those states are into it, it's all they talk about, it's part of their coulter and there's 9 games a week!
AFL Fans don’t have time for another sport and they aren't abandoning theirs.
Union is like League with a whole bunch of boring shit thrown in, League is a superior product, especially the NRL compared to Super Rugby- we can take those fans without Question. I'm not suggesting they'll stop watching the All blacks and unless the All blacks start playing 9 times a week it won't affect them following the NRL.

38k at the perth double header, a number of 21.5knsell outs.
you think those people have just left perth?
perths population is growing 45k year on year, many of them from nsw and qlnd. fanbase isn’t an issue in a city of 2.2mill, tipped to be near 3million in next decade or so.

 

[Gobsmacked]

38k at the perth double header, a number of 21.5knsell outs.
you think those people have just left perth?
perths population is growing 45k year on year, many of them from nsw and qlnd. fanbase isn’t an issue in a city of 2.2mill, tipped to be near 3million in next decade or so.

Tell that to the FORCE.