West Coast Pirates Bid News

[Nuke]

Alex28, I live in Perth. Have done for most of my life.

As has been pointed out, the SuperLeague war killed the Western Reds. In the years leading up to their debut season (1995) the games the (then known as) NSWRL brought to Perth got massive interest. The NSWRL under Arko and John Quayle did all the right things to make League a success in WA. They had the vision, and determination to make it work. Leading up to and including 1995, the WARL was booming. The WARL Grand Final was shown on tv, there was something like 16 teams in the competition, 3 grades (First-Grade, Reserve-Grade, and Third-Grade), decent newspaper coverage of the WARL comp, ect.
The Western Reds kicked off and everything -for a few weeks at least- was rosey. Western Reds players were well known throughout WA (and not just within League circles), with Chris Ryan having a nightly bit on Ch7's news, and a few other players having regular media spots.
Then the SuperLeague sh*t started. The Reds defected to SuperLeague and assumed all their supporters would jump with them. Wrong. Most Western Reds supporters were long-time supporters of Parra, Souths, Newcastle, Norths, ect, and stuck solid with the ARL. People turned their backs on the Reds (myself included ... I went from a Foundation Member in 1995, to handing in my 1996 members badge after they boycotted Round1, to only attending 2-3 games in 1996, to not even looking at them in 1997). This backlash also meant the WARL suffered because of the Reds bad decision. By 2004, there were only 4 teams in First-Grade WARL.

Thankfully, the right decisions have been made by the right people in the WARL since then, and we currently have a healthy 8-team comp in First-Grade (including the 'expansion' team Kalgoorlie), and a 7-team Reserve-Grade comp (Kalgoorlie don't field a Ressies team). The WARL are building an NRL team (the WA Reds) from the ground up with little to no support from the NRL (David Gallop won't even talk up any chance they have of being included any time in the near future).

I still see the occasional Western Reds supporter around the place (at shopping centres, ect ... I'm not talking about at WARL or WA Reds games).

Basically, there is enough support for the NRL here, but the NRL needs to do a bit of work to bring those less-dedicated ones back to the greatest game. The NRL's heirachy at the moment seems to have an inferiority complex. They think the game can't compete with AFL, union, and soccer, so they don't try. This is why David Gallop and his like-minded offsiders need to go and someone like John Quayle or Michael Searle need to come and take the reins of the NRL.

 

[dimitri]

Sorry...don't think that Perth is huge potential at all. The fascination with Rugby Union is over. League will be the same as it is in Melbourne - a bit piece to AFL. I think we have to face facts that League is an east coast sport and forget taking on the remainder of the country.

the same way afl is a bit piece in sydney?

 

[MsStorm]

Sorry...don't think that Perth is huge potential at all. The fascination with Rugby Union is over. League will be the same as it is in Melbourne - a bit piece to AFL. I think we have to face facts that League is an east coast sport and forget taking on the remainder of the country.

Very ignorant thinking on your behalf....
Afl is growing rapidly because they like to expand their product beyond their heartland areas and get good money for their tv rights deal.

 

[caylo]

Very ignorant thinking on your behalf....
Afl is growing rapidly because they like to expand their product beyond their heartland areas and get good money for their tv rights deal.

Very wrong, the western suburbs of sydney is very anti-AFL... there is only a hand full of catholic schools that play AFL and even then it is played on and off by league players. The western sydney AFL idea will fail and the AFL will probably lose 30 million dollars.

The swans team had a small following in sydney, most of the support comes form the eastern suburbs who love their union or ex-Melbournians who have moved to sydney (like my mothers family). Sydney actually have the worst turn over rate of membership and rarley attract 30K to their games when you consisder that they only see 11 games per year is sydney is very bad.

 

[TimmyB]

Gold Coast is completely different to Perth - existing Rugby League area compared to AFL heartland.

Mate, that's precisely the point. You claimed the reason Perth was axed was because the league saw no long term future. Yet teams that did have a long term future like the Gold Coast were axed as well.

It was political maneuvering between News and the ARL. We'll sacrifice Perth, you sacrifice the ARL.

 

[MsStorm]

I haven't lived in Perth, but I have visited Perth, and Adelaide, and Melbourne (last 12 months) I was in Melbourne during Grand Prix week and in the Herald Sun there is seriously 20 pages of AFL coverage and a column at the back of the sports section for League - and News Limited own the bloody team!

I love League as much as you guys, however we have to be realistic. We do not have the resources to make Perth work. Do we want to put the game at risk by investing large amounts in to AFL heartland when we have clubs over here (Cronulla, Newcastle) who are battling to stay alive here?

Whilst some of your comments are valid about afl being massive in Melb.Perth and Adelaide, but by just visiting those cities (especially Melb. over the grand prix weekend) you are making assumptions that league can't have a niche market in these cities as afl does in Sydney and Brisbane.

You are lying about afl having 20 pages of coverage in the Herald Sun..half that at least, and you might be spot on. The Storm doesn't get one column in that paper either. During the footy season we generally get at least one page and on Fridays 2 pages.

Its going to be up to supporters of those clubs in NSW that are struggling. If they want to keep their clubs....they should go to games and buy memberships.

 

[MsStorm]

Very wrong, the western suburbs of sydney is very anti-AFL... there is only a hand full of catholic schools that play AFL and even then it is played on and off by league players. The western sydney AFL idea will fail and the AFL will probably lose 30 million dollars.

The swans team had a small following in sydney, most of the support comes form the eastern suburbs who love their union or ex-Melbournians who have moved to sydney (like my mothers family). Sydney actually have the worst turn over rate of membership and rarley attract 30K to their games when you consisder that they only see 11 games per year is sydney is very bad.

AFL is very successful in Brisbane and most likely so will be the new gold coast team.
The Swans pull in good crowds in Sydney, if you think 30,000 at a game of afl in Sydney is bad, you have to have a look at the attendance at some rugby league clubs, they would kill for a crowd like this.
I think over time, the new afl club in west sydney will succeed to the same level as the Swans have.
The afl is interested in exposing their game into rugby league territory for the long haul. They know, in particular reference to the new team in Sydney, that it will cost a lot of money, but they don't care.

 

[Alex28]

You are lying about afl having 20 pages of coverage in the Herald Sun..half that at least, and you might be spot on. The Storm doesn't get one column in that paper either. During the footy season we generally get at least one page and on Fridays 2 pages.

I would think on a Monday and a Friday 20 Pages would be conservative!

And the Swans...30,000 crowds in a city of 4 Million is nothing to brag about. Certainly nothing to warrant bringing in a second team over. How they have decided a second Sydney team over a Tasmanian team is beyond me.

 

[Brutus]

Sorry...don't think that Perth is huge potential at all. The fascination with Rugby Union is over. League will be the same as it is in Melbourne - a bit piece to AFL.

What's wrong with being a bit piece? Who says we have to dominate every market we are in? As long as we have a niche.

 

[Brutus]

Central Queensland would be like Townsville. Except the stadiums there are sub standard.

Another Brisbane team could potentially be like the Broncos playing out of a 52k stadium instead of a CQ team playing out of a 15-20k stadium.

The NRL crowd average would get a much bigger boost with a 2nd Brissy team.

 

[bobmar28]

Very wrong, the western suburbs of sydney is very anti-AFL... there is only a hand full of catholic schools that play AFL and even then it is played on and off by league players. The western sydney AFL idea will fail and the AFL will probably lose 30 million dollars.

The swans team had a small following in sydney, most of the support comes form the eastern suburbs who love their union or ex-Melbournians who have moved to sydney (like my mothers family). Sydney actually have the worst turn over rate of membership and rarley attract 30K to their games when you consisder that they only see 11 games per year is sydney is very bad.

I don't know about the catholic schools thing. My daughters are in catholic school and although there is no school team they and their friends all go for NRL teams. They were forced to do AFL for sport for one term and complained to the teachers about it but still had to do it.
The end result of that is that it created some very dedicated league supporters.

 

[bobmar28]

AFL is very successful in Brisbane and most likely so will be the new gold coast team.
The Swans pull in good crowds in Sydney, if you think 30,000 at a game of afl in Sydney is bad, you have to have a look at the attendance at some rugby league clubs, they would kill for a crowd like this.
I think over time, the new afl club in west sydney will succeed to the same level as the Swans have.
The afl is interested in exposing their game into rugby league territory for the long haul. They know, in particular reference to the new team in Sydney, that it will cost a lot of money, but they don't care.

It will cost a lot of money and will fail. I can't tell re Blacktown but in this area they have no hope. Believe me there is virtually no interest in AFL here and they have wasted a lot of money trying to generate some for the last 5 yrs.

The only weakness we have is Liverpool doesn't have an NRL team.

 

[Brutus]

This is why David Gallop and his like-minded offsiders need to go and someone like John Quayle or Michael Searle need to come and take the reins of the NRL.

Unfortunately Searle is anti-Perth.

 

[Bluebags1908]

It will cost a lot of money and will fail. I can't tell re Blacktown but in this area they have no hope. Believe me there is virtually no interest in AFL here and they have wasted a lot of money trying to generate some for the last 5 yrs.

The only weakness we have is Liverpool doesn't have an NRL team.

Wests Tigers.

 

[dimitri]

Very ignorant thinking on your behalf....
Afl is growing rapidly because they like to expand their product beyond their heartland areas and get good money for their tv rights deal.

i agree

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

i agree

Bit slow out your way mate?

 

[TheDalek079]

i agree

 

[ElectricEelMan]

Very ignorant thinking on your behalf....
Afl is growing rapidly because they like to expand their product beyond their heartland areas and get good money for their tv rights deal.

Where the hell is AFL 'growing rapidly'?????
Sure as hell isn't in QLD and NSW. One could say AFL is going backwards in these two states, with diminishing crowds, ratings and support (even with increasing media coverage)

And let us not confuse expansion with growth. There is good expansion and there is bad expansion. The AFL's expansion into Gold Coast and especially western Sydney is badly conceived. These are two area that in no way want/need an AFL team. The AFL believes these two teams will increase the TV rights for their sport BUT in a lot of ways it should do the opposite. I have also heard that they are thinking long term ... '20 years down the track long term'. Their logic is twisted. They have the philosophy of 'if they build it, the supporters will come' when their plans should be about getting sound supporter base first and then building the team. Greater Western Sydney AFL is doomed to fail because in the last few years the AFL have disenfranchised most of their potential fan base in this area by their actions.

These two teams will in fact do more harm than good for the AFL.

When the NRL decides to expand to 18 teams will be a case of good expansion. It will be to areas that want/need a team, that already have a sound supporter base.

I just think the AFL haven't their homework, especially when it comes to western Sydney. They are arrogant and in many way ignorant (they believe their sport will win over fans easily)

 

[dimitri]

"Their logic is twisted. They have the philosophy of 'if they build it, the supporters will come' when their plans should be about getting sound supporter base first and then building the team. Greater Western Sydney AFL is doomed to fail because in the last few years the AFL have disenfranchised most of their potential fan base in this area by their actions."

Its true - they do have the build it and they will come philosophy. But that is a good thing. Who on earth wanted an AFL team in Sydney in 1982 - but look at them now!!! It was the same with the Melbourne Storm - there was a build it and they will come philosphy and now they have more members than most sydney nrl clubs.

 

[Loudstrat]

More members - and hardly half the fans.

The Swans came on the back of a few years of surrogate games at the SCG - there was a small market there and in a city of 3= million you could find 12k intrested in the "other code". Same for Melbourne.

GWS? It tripled it's crowd the day they signed Folau, because it means both his parents will attend.

The put it there the crowd will follow - try it in Antarctica. It's a sham. And you lot also bag the CC Bears because their crowds are sub 20k? Three cheers for hipocracy. Hip hip.........