WA BEARS

[Perth Red]

NZ ? OK mate

NZ Tv deal will be interesting to watch. The NRL achieved a 50% increase last deal after decade of stagnation but that was largely on the back of Spark competition.
Maybe if they added another NZ team in deal Sky NZ may increase again, or maybe the good ratings they are getting over there will see some increase. Though there is apparently no signs of NZ2 on the horizon.
Going to be interesting to watch as a good test of how much media deals are driven by improved ratings compared to how much by competition for rights.

 

[flippikat]

Rumour is it will go to the commission meeting tomorrow for a decision with Vlandys advocating for no Perth and to move on with tv negotiations with 18 clubs. Looks like we will be put out of our misery tomorrow!

What if the Commission say "NO" to Vlandys?

As much as he likes to present it that way, he is not the Commission in himself.

Is it possible this could spur a bust-up at that level.. maybe even see him on the outer?

 

[Gobsmacked]

NZ Tv deal will be interesting to watch. The NRL achieved a 50% increase last deal after decade of stagnation but that was largely on the back of Spark competition.
Maybe if they added another NZ team in deal Sky NZ may increase again, or maybe the good ratings they are getting over there will see some increase. Though there is apparently no signs of NZ2 on the horizon.
Going to be interesting to watch as a good test of how much media deals are driven by improved ratings compared to how much by competition for rights.

It will be interesting but there has been a bad recession in nz recently which will factor in as well.

 

[Perth Red]

Access anyone?

NRL stays silent on Western Bears despite ‘cash cow’ claims

WA has heard nothing from the NRL following reports negotiations over a Western Bears franchise were set to fail, Sports Minister Rita Saffioti has revealed.

thewest.com.au

 

[flippikat]

Going to market with only one new team being png and hopes to cut the number of rounds back by two isn’t exactly a great plan for the tv negotiations

The extra content was important

Might cost them 50 million pa which is stupid given the new club would cost less than half that.

Yeah, it's that point that makes me think Vlandys proposal to shelve Perth (indeed shelve any expansion past PNG as team 18) will get a lot of flack from he Commission in that meeting tomorrow.

Vlandys & Abdo have talked a big game over this expansion phase, and come up near-empty.

Any board worth their salt should be asking hard questions.

 

[Perth Red]

What if the Commission say "NO" to Vlandys?

As much as he likes to present it that way, he is not the Commission in himself.

Is it possible this could spur a bust-up at that level.. maybe even see him on the outer?

Unlikely.
I think there is a frustration with the timing as well. They want to start TV negotiations and at some point they have to decide what they will take to those negotiations.
Unless NRL is willing to shift on the stadium issue then there is no point in prolonging things. If they are and they want to try and squeeze a bit more out of WA for grassroots then I suppose they could put a counter offer back and wait another week or two.

 

[Perth Red]

Yeah, it's that point that makes me think Vlandys proposal to shelve Perth (indeed shelve any expansion past PNG as team 18) will get a lot of flack from he Commission in that meeting tomorrow.

Vlandys & Abdo have talked a big game over this expansion phase, and come up near-empty.

Any board worth their salt should be asking hard questions.

Id be asking him how critical is a stadium upgrade to the viability of the Perth Bears? Id want to be convinced that walking away from this golden opportunity to grow the game and get a better TV deal was worth the possible impact of one stand not being replaced.

 

[BuffaloRules]

NZ Tv deal will be interesting to watch. The NRL achieved a 50% increase last deal after decade of stagnation but that was largely on the back of Spark competition.
Maybe if they added another NZ team in deal Sky NZ may increase again, or maybe the good ratings they are getting over there will see some increase. Though there is apparently no signs of NZ2 on the horizon.
Going to be interesting to watch as a good test of how much media deals are driven by improved ratings compared to how much by competition for rights.

Could be interesting if DAZN bid in NZ … and I don’t see why they wouldn’t

 

[flippikat]

Id be asking him how critical is a stadium upgrade to the viability of the Perth Bears? Id want to be convinced that walking away from this golden opportunity to grow the game and get a better TV deal was worth the possible impact of one stand not being replaced.

Yeah, good point - while an outright "no" is unlikely, I would hope that the Commission asks questions around Vlandys negotiation tactics - and maybe hammers together a counter-offer.

If some kinda deal can be pre-approved tomorrow by the Commission as a "last offer, take it or leave it" to bring to WA Govt and the Bears, then we might see speedy progess from there.

 

[Perth Red]

Yeah, good point - while an outright "no" is unlikely, I would hope that the Commission asks questions around Vlandys negotiation tactics - and maybe hammers together a counter-offer.

If some kinda deal can be pre-approved tomorrow by the Commission as a "last offer, take it or leave it", then we might see speedy progess from there.

Like I've said Cook wont shift on stadium at this point, its too much money for public perception, joy of politics! Park it and revisit it in 2027.
So it then comes down to what else does the NRL want? Maybe a longer rent free period? maybe a longer grass roots funding period? Maybe some money for increasing female participation leading up to an NRLW team? (always an easy sell)
Cant really think of much else they could ask for given the training facilities are committed.
I'm sure $20-30mill extra can be found and wont impact Cook's position. As long as it stays under $100mill no-one will care much.

On the grassroots funding, without bi-partisan support can see why he's made it 5 years. Maybe NRL could ask for a 5+5 if they get back in next term.

I want to hear what the NRl is offering, if anything. If they are contributing nothing to this then they really dont have a position to feel they have been short changed.

 

[insert.pause]

They are using the nrl to appear tough. The way the treasurer in particular has talked in public about the nrl is not only disrespectful, it’s pretty unprofessional, particularly given it’s about an organisation looking to bring investment to the state. It’s also ironic that they keep claiming the nrl has only talked through the Sydney media, yet the only people we have heard from in the last month is the WA gov talking through the WA media… before they have apparently even heard anything from the nrl. I think if it were up to Cook we would have a deal, but obviously there’s a faction lead by the treasurer who have been trying to kill it, probably on behalf of afl stakeholders.

 

[Wb1234]

You would think the extra 12 games a Perth team would offer would get at least 20 million pa to cover the cost of the grant

So waiting is kind of stupid when tv will pay for them now even if they are crap

Honestly spending on wa juniors isn’t needed it’s a box ticking exercise

Even with the money wa won’t be producing many juniors

And delaying Perth looks like nz gets delayed thought I don’t why nz can’t come in earlier and Perth later

Pvl needs to check the ego

 

[BuffaloRules]

You would think the extra 12 games a Perth team would offer would get at least 20 million pa to cover the cost of the grant



Honestly spending on wa juniors isn’t needed it’s a box ticking exercise

Even with the money wa won’t be producing many juniors

I assume they can use this to pay for rep teams coaching and travel to play games on the East Coast … it’s an expense that the NRL would have to otherwise pay themselves

 

[Wb1234]

I assume they can use this to pay for rep teams coaching and travel to play games on the East Coast … it’s an expense that the NRL would have to otherwise pay themselves

Not sure if nrl covers lower grades travel

But it’s also the cost of flying teams into wa each week plus accomodation

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Who knows, Vlandys keeps moving the goal posts every time we acquiesce to his latest demands: partnership with bears, license fee, grass roots funding, now it’s stadium. Who knows what would be next if we ticked the latest box.

A proper world class 30k stadium isn't much to ask for in exchange for a club in the world's biggest Rugby comp and the only real way of selling WA to the lucrative NSW and QLD markets. AFL just doesn't have the eyeballs here to be effective in that.

The 30k stadium isn't even just for the NRL, it's for soccer and Union too and for all West Aussies being that it's a state asset and all.

Getting rid of that mild request is a slap in the face while the AFL play out of the Taj Mahal in the same city.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I don’t even think that cook is opposed to hbf upgrade, just that time isn’t right. Better for him to stagger the numbers so it doesn’t look like he is spending huge sums getting an nrl club. It was Telling Rita used the word ‘immediate’ in her language on the stadium.

Weak

 

[titoelcolombiano]

And it’s a bad example of apply to Perth for the reasons I’ve said

The storm got lucky

Perth should not be set up In the same way

Also, Melbourne is way more valuable a market for NRL than Perth. It is a must have, Perth is a nice to have, but not essential

 

[Wb1234]

Also, Melbourne is way more valuable a market for NRL than Perth. It is a must have, Perth is a nice to have, but not essential

And the reality is they produce basically zero players and have minimal value for tv

And people that hate league still say it’s a two state code

And that’s an afl market five times wa

 

[BuffaloRules]

Not sure if nrl covers lower grades travel

But it’s also the cost of flying teams into wa each week plus accomodation

I asume the clubs are paying these costs themselves… in the Western Bears case the owner is the NRL so they will be responsible for the costs

 

[ThornlieBear]

Access anyone?

NRL stays silent on Western Bears despite ‘cash cow’ claims

WA has heard nothing from the NRL following reports negotiations over a Western Bears franchise were set to fail, Sports Minister Rita Saffioti has revealed.

thewest.com.au

WA has heard nothing from the NRL following reports negotiations over a Western Bears franchise were set to fail, Sports Minister Rita Saffioti has revealed.
Despite the State Government offering up a $35 million package of local support to grow the League through high schools and the Clontarf Foundation, reports emerged on Friday the League was preparing to walk away from talks to focus on broadcast negotiations.
The offer also included game day support, such public transport, similar to that offered to other leagues, and centre of excellence as part of a $20 million sports precinct promised during the election in Malaga.
But ahead of two NRL games in Perth on the weekend, Ms Saffioti said there had been no conversations with the League since it emerged last week the east coast based competition was cooling on a deal.
“It’s up to them to formalise their response. The ball is definitely in their court,” she said
”Maybe I haven’t seen (a response). Maybe it’s in a system somewhere, but I haven’t seen it.
“There was a process . . . a private sector consortia that put forward a submission that was rejected outright by the NRL, which I think was disappointing, because you got a lot of passionate people, community people and business people behind that bid that was rejected.
“We’re disappointed, of course, with how things have transpired, but the way they conducted themselves, the way they just saw WA as a cash cow we weren’t going to put up with that.”
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said he was pleased the Liberals’ advocacy had put what would have been an “appalling deal for WA” to bed.
“There’s nothing wrong with an NRL team for Perth. We’re a big city. We should have one, but we’ve got to have it at the right price, and everybody needs to know how much that is going to cost,” he said.
“I don’t understand, why an NRL deal is required for grassroots funding of rugby league in Perth and Western Australia — any government of the day can do that any day of the week, and I’m not sure why it needed to be tied into an NRL deal.”
Attempts by The West Australian to seek a response to the reports, and the State Government’s commentary from the League went unanswered.