Wellington SHOULD be the next NRL team.

[The Great Dane]

Wellington doesn't get any colder than about 13 C. Maybe that is cold for you guys in Australia but it really isn't cold. It's not like the temperature goes below zero or anything. The stadium is a bit exposed, I agree but people are happy to turn up to rugby tests in winter. I bet Canberra would be colder than Wellington in the winter.

I still don't understand why people think the next New Zealand team should be in Wellington. Christchurch is clearly the way to go. It has the same population, will have a far better stadium, far more passionate supporters, far bigger rivalry with Auckland but does produce less rugby league players, admittedly.

According to Wiki the average for Wellington during July (the coldest month) is 6.3°C, so yeah it gets a fare bit colder here in winter with our average July being −0.1°C.

Just for sh!ts and giggles the lowest recorded temperate in Wellington's history is −1.9 °C, while the lowest recorded temperate in Canberra's recorded history is −10.0 °C.

So yeah when compared to Canberra Wellington is nothing, and we manage so why won't they be able to?

Don't listen to people from Sydney and Brisbane Wilson, they think that anything under 20°C is cold, they've got no idea.

Anyway on to Christchurch.

My understanding is that the problem with Christchurch is that their isn't the corporate support/interest for an NRL team in Christchurch, and that the grassroots need some work. So though it's possible that Christchurch could support a team in the near future, Wellington is the safer bet.

I reckon Christchurch will get a team one day though.

 

[The Great Dane]

As long as they don't find they're destroying any home ground advantage, that sounds fine.

Wellington does show up for an occasion, and if the side is doing well. If there was ever a home final played at the stadium, I'd put my last dollar on it selling out.

Unfortunately there hasn't been a successful Wellington side in any competition for several years, which I think has lead to the decline in crowd figures. Prior to that, say 2000-2005, they were consistently the top in the country.

Wellington fans sound like Canberra fans.

 

[Evil_Mush]

Funnily enough the only Warriors game at Wellington that was terribly cold and wet was against Canberra as well! Pretty sure all the games I saw them play against Bulldogs were decent weather.

 

[Perth Red]

Maybe we'd be better having the warriors play 8 games in Auckland and 4 in Wellington and have the southern orcas play 8 games in Christchurch and 4 in Dunedin?

Is there much appetite for NRL action in Christchurch and Dunedin?

 

[jamesgould]

Maybe we'd be better having the warriors play 8 games in Auckland and 4 in Wellington and have the southern orcas play 8 games in Christchurch and 4 in Dunedin?

Is there much appetite for NRL action in Christchurch and Dunedin?

I don't think taking matches away from Auckland is a good idea, they can more than support their own side.

Why would you play the majority of games in Christchurch when Wellington has the greater support for a side?

Largest crowd for round four by over 4000 people ...

 

[georgesnmith]

warriors taking games to eden park is brilliant

if they can replicate their form of 2002 im sure we could see their crowd average well over 20k, and maybe even 30 - 40k for blockbuster and semi final games

mt smart stadium even with the upgrades isnt the best, eden park looks much better.

the ALRC should get behind the warriors and try to make them get the biggest crowd average of any rugby side in nz

 

[Perth Red]

I don't think taking matches away from Auckland is a good idea, they can more than support their own side.

Why would you play the majority of games in Christchurch when Wellington has the greater support for a side?

Largest crowd for round four by over 4000 people ...

Thing is NZ will not have more than two teams for decades, if not forever, so you need to come up with a model that has max reach and gives max exposure for NRL across the country.

Warriors crowds are hardly great and their memberships very poor. Having Wellington as a second city would help with that and they can still justify being called the NZ warriors. A team on the South Island drawing from both cities has more chance of financial sustainability and decent membership numbers.

 

[jamesgould]

Thing is NZ will not have more than two teams for decades, if not forever, so you need to come up with a model that has max reach and gives max exposure for NRL across the country.

Warriors crowds are hardly great and their memberships very poor. Having Wellington as a second city would help with that and they can still justify being called the NZ warriors. A team on the South Island drawing from both cities has more chance of financial sustainability and decent membership numbers.

The Auckland/Wellington North Island side would cover a population base of 3.4 million, while the Christchurch/Dunedin South Island side would cover a population of 1 million (less than Auckland by itself). Geographically your idea is an even spread, but not in any other way.

I lived in Dunedin for four years as a student and love the place, but they only have a population of 120,000 and in recent years, even in the middle of rugby union heartland, their provincial rugby union has gone bankrupt. I think it would be somewhat crazy to create a new team that plays more than one or two games down there per year.

If the Warriors were to expand their span, then Hamilton would be a much better choice - close to Auckland, and a quickly growing part of the country.

 

[Wilson1]

Crowds at NRL games over the years in both cities would disagree with you that Christchurch has the more passionate league supporters. Wellington averages 21,927 over seven games with a high of 30,112, Christchurch averages 16,008 over five games with a high of 20,721.

Rugby league is huge out Lower Hutt ways, it's a natural fit to have the second side in Wellington. However they should take several games to Christchurch throughout the year, if it ever happens.

I think it'd be far riskier to have the side in Christchurch, though - it's the biggest rugby union stronghold in the country.

I meant that the people in Christchurch are more tribal, not that they are more passionate about rugby league. A lot of people have lived in Christchurch all heir life whereas Wellington has a far higher number of people who come here for work.

Also the major factor in Christchurch's advantage is that since the earthquake, the Crusaders and All Blacks have been playing their matches at what used to be known as Rugby League Park. It is a 17,000 seater temporary stadium. It will be a replaced by a 30,000 probably roofed stadium. A rugby league team in Christchurch could continue to play at the 17,000 seat "temporary" stadium and take big games to the modern stadium. The advantage of this would be that Canterbury Rugby League actually own the stadium and wouldn't have to pay the high rent fees which a Wellington team would have to pay.

 

[Wilson1]

Maybe we'd be better having the warriors play 8 games in Auckland and 4 in Wellington and have the southern orcas play 8 games in Christchurch and 4 in Dunedin?

Is there much appetite for NRL action in Christchurch and Dunedin?

The problem is that in New Zealand there isn't really a North Island versus South Island thing. It isn't something that divides us. If there is something that divides us, it would be a hatred of Auckland. Auckland has about a third of our population and is completely different from the rest of the country. I get mild culture shock going to Auckland. I think Auckland versus the the rest of the country would be easier for people to unite behind.