They're pretty cautious and prudent at the NRL and Grant does have a point - look at how badly the Super Rugby expansions are unraveling and how much money the AFL has sunk into the CG and Western Sydney to almost zero effect (seriously, most their members are from interstate FFS).
The AFL have deeper pockets than we do still so they can take that hit, but frankly their focus group Melbourne team in Homebush are only really doing well on the field and hemorrhaging money off it.
So I do see logic in what they're doing with Perth from a longer term perspective. That said, I think they could stand to put more money in these regions than they are to get more schools playing the game and the local club comp up to a standard where they can be competing with sides in the NSW and QLD Cups
The comparisons to super rugby don't make sense. Rugby is a minor sport in this country. It has been haemorrhaging money, fans and player numbers since the 2003 world cup. The international game which they rely has also stagnated if not gone backwards in this country. The fact that they decided to expand when things were so dire was a mistake. I don't see how that's comparable to the NRL.
Likewise the AFL situation is totally different. The first important difference is that it costs twice as much to run an AFL team. Even if a Perth based team performed as poorly as GWS it wouldn't cost us nearly as much. That plus a lot of the lost money is on things not involving the club like media, juniors etc which they have to spend because Sydney doesn't care about the team.
On that point there is actually some demand for a Perth team. We've already seen sold out crowds in Perth and whilst the tv ratings aren't amazing they're pretty decent considering we have NO presence on the area. By comparison there was no demand for an AFL team in Sydney or on the GC. That reason alone means they were always going to have to spend more.
Let's not ignore that a Perth team would looks like it will be an accompanied by a Brisbane team who would likely be quite successful right away and not need the sort of investment the AFL teams need. That plus both teams work out very well for our tv schedule.
I'm just sick of hearing the same complaints. For the past 10-15 years we've been told that expansion can't be done because there isn't enough money in the game. Meanwhile membership numbers have exploded and look to be climbing still. Our next tv deal will be something like 4 times the one we had under Gallop (I don't have he exact numbers but the difference isassive). The game is in the best position it's ever been and things only look to be going up.
I just don't see how adding 2 teams, 1 of which is a sure bet to be successful and add to our tv deal is a big risk. That plus I think it's just backwards thinking. The most successful sports in the world didn't get there by sitting back and playing the long game. You have to some initiative to grow. The NRL and posters on here say to wait a few more years but in he mean time other sports aren't. The AFL continues to grow in Perth and Adelaide and by the time we do expand we will be facing FAR more competition.
IMO 2019 or 2020 is the time to expand and we should have a plan in place before then. For Perth the SOO held there is the perfect chance to see the area up for expansion. We had a sold out test this year, we're getting 2-3 NRL games a year hopefully followed by 2 world cup games next year culminating in a SOO match in 2019. The timing is just perfect. We need to announce a Perth team before that origin match (preferably 2018) and ride the wave of hype until they are admitted to the comp.
It's such a perfect opportunity that we would be foolish to waste it.
