Wellington launch NRL bid!!

[The Daddy3]

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/6...aunched?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Jankuloski]

Great news!

 

[Desert Qlder]

Using the AFL bogeyman is an unconvincing start.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

NZ 2 is pretty much a shoe in for a team.

 

[_snafu_]

When I saw the thread title I thought it may have been the Wellington that's near Dubbo.

 

[BuffaloRules]

I think NZ2 is ahead of Perth now...

Seems a very low risk proposition and should be relatively self sufficient, but they will more than pay their own way based on local TV ratings, and Player production... Two things Perth can't compete on...

How much does TV value that 9.30 East Coast time slot which is the key thing Perth has going for it?

 

[CC_Roosters]

Using the AFL bogeyman is an unconvincing start.

This frustrates me. The nrl has bids from multiple regions all due to natural growth and demand for professional sides. Why some bid teams co tinually bring up the afl to try and force the nrls hand is bewildering. As if the afl are going to plonk a side in wellington or rockhampton ever!

The central queensland are particularly bad with this and i hope wellington dont continue down that path just because of one poxy match that has been poorly attended and reveived by the wellington public despite the afl giving away tickets

Otherwise i think they should be in at some stage, but if not this time then put them on a path to admittanve in a further expansion phase. We could easily have 20 teams in a decade

 

[Desert Qlder]

This frustrates me. The nrl has bids from multiple regions all due to natural growth and demand for professional sides. Why some bid teams co tinually bring up the afl to try and force the nrls hand is bewildering. As if the afl are going to plonk a side in wellington or rockhampton ever!

The central queensland are particularly bad with this and i hope wellington dont continue down that path just because of one poxy match that has been poorly attended and reveived by the wellington public despite the afl giving away tickets

Otherwise i think they should be in at some stage, but if not this time then put them on a path to admittanve in a further expansion phase. We could easily have 20 teams in a decade

Totally agree, and now that this line has been pulled at at the beginning of proceedings has made me immediately skeptical about the bid.

The AFL bogeyman line has been pulled by bids to paper over cracks revealing they are simply not ready for NRL level, such as CQ and CC.

Perth remains frontrunner and an absolute must.

 

[flippikat]

There's a compelling case right now for 4 expansion locations: NZ2, Brisbane2, Central Coast & Perth.

While I don't forsee the same 'big bang' expansion as 1995, it will be interesting to see how the NRL locks-down these next 4 locations before moving on to Adelaide or Central Qld or another team in NZ or Brisbane or even Melbourne.

Of key interest will be whether the NRL demands or facilitates mergers/relocations to get there.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Mergers have all been a failure in one way or another... Why would the NRL be interested in pursuing others?

Relocation... Maybe for the CC, but apparently they only want the Bears brand.. Other locations no...

It's going to be an interesting race between the 3 main contenders for expansion... SEQ3, NZ2 and Perth...

The NRL and the Clubs are conservative as we know... I think Perth need some help as they would be the most riskiest proposition out of the 3...

 

[shiznit]

This frustrates me. The nrl has bids from multiple regions all due to natural growth and demand for professional sides. Why some bid teams co tinually bring up the afl to try and force the nrls hand is bewildering. As if the afl are going to plonk a side in wellington or rockhampton ever!

The central queensland are particularly bad with this and i hope wellington dont continue down that path just because of one poxy match that has been poorly attended and reveived by the wellington public despite the afl giving away tickets

Otherwise i think they should be in at some stage, but if not this time then put them on a path to admittanve in a further expansion phase. We could easily have 20 teams in a decade

It's actually true though...

The AFL have made a genuine effort to plant the seed in Wellington. And RL is only a tiny bit part player in this fight... It's RU that's been feeling most threatened by this... The AFL have put huge money into drive the schools and at a local council level...

The AFL are clearly looking at entering the NZ market... And they are insanely jealous of the NRL's strong foothold in this market.

 

[Desert Qlder]

It's actually true though...

The AFL have made a genuine effort to plant the seed in Wellington. And RL is only a tiny bit part player in this fight... It's RU that's been feeling most threatened by this... The AFL have put huge money into drive the schools and at a local council level...

The AFL are clearly looking at entering the NZ market... And they are insanely jealous of the NRL's strong foothold in this market.

Seriously, whoopiedoo.

That should make no difference to steps Rugby League takes in growing our game.

The AFL's expansion has been a dismal failure in western Sydney but our game was supposed to jump through hoops because of what they were doing.

Not every move the AFL makes is smart or brilliant the way some make out.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

NZ needs another team and anything short of them realising this in the next five years is an absolute failure on the part of the NRL.

That's all there is to it.

 

[Campion]

If the NRL went to 20 teams you could shorten the season to 20 games (each team plays each other once plus one grudgematch round). The other 6 weeks can be origin, international, all-stars, interviews with grandchildren, etc. But the player dilllution...

The sydney situation is so frustrating. Ideally you go to 18 teams but have the CC Bears [bugger off Cronulla], Perth, SEQ3, NZ2. But that leaves another team that needs to bugger off or merge.

 

[applesauce]

The NRL is at risk of alieninating another NZ bid. The NRL need to at the very least establish 3 expansion teams, 2 in 2018 (BNE & WA), 1 in 2022 (NZ2) with a 4th application opening for the best suited a bid team in 2020 to join the NZ2 in 2022.

 

[shiznit]

Seriously, whoopiedoo.

That should make no difference to steps Rugby League takes in growing our game.

The AFL's expansion has been a dismal failure in western Sydney but our game was supposed to jump through hoops because of what they were doing.

Not every move the AFL makes is smart or brilliant the way some make out.

Your actually looking at this completely wrong...

To the AFL moving to Wellington is even worse than moving to Western Sydney...

But to the NRL moving to Wellington is like AFL bringing the Lions to Brisbane or the Swans to Sydney... They are already established markets which create an instant footprint for the competition.

This isn't about the NRL being reactive against what the AFL are doing... This is about the NRL stamping itself in NZ as one of the top 2 sports in the country and a viable alternative to RU.

It's about being proactive enough to turn it from an on and off niche on the sporting landscape to a consistent major player in the battle for both the entertainment dollar and for the best athletes in NZ.

And In the process it makes the market even tougher for the AFL to consider expanding in the future.

 

[insert.pause]

I like the approach, pretend you're starting from scratch and strategically plot a map with where clubs should be.

Perth & Ipswich are both strategic and worth value to broadcasters. Wellington some time down the line, unless there are relocation or mergers, but it's hard to see that happening these days.

 

[insert.pause]

NZ needs another team and anything short of them realising this in the next five years is an absolute failure on the part of the NRL.

That's all there is to it.

So who misses out? Ipswich/corridor bid? They already have one of the biggest junior nurseries in the country and one of the fastest growing population areas in Australia. They also allow for lang park to get a game every week, instead of every second week. Networks would love it too. They are equal favorites with Perth imo.

 

[Desert Qlder]

This isn't about the NRL being reactive against what the AFL are doing... This is about the NRL stamping itself in NZ as one of the top 2 sports in the country and a viable alternative to RU.

If that were the case then there would be no need for a bid spokesman to make mention of an AFL presence.

The mentioning of AFL indicates a sense of desperation on their part, not the authoritative tone that you allude to.

The point I make is that jumping at the AFL shadow does not make a business case. I would prefer that for an opening statement they would put it in the terms that you did.

But they did not and as such have made themselves open for ridicule.

 

[Card Shark]

I think NZ2 is ahead of Perth now...

You may be right.

Considering it's all about the TV & considering they are 2 hrs either side of AESTime, perhaps they both are ahead of a 2nd Brisbane team??

We don't have enough talented players for any more than 2 teams, so they need to relocate a sydney team to 1 of these 3 areas & create 2 new ones.