Who believes that RL can be the number 1 sport in the world?

[High Flyers]

I've been reading this forum with much interest for a while now. Im yet to comment much because I cant add much value to the discussions at this stage.

The last few threads have gotten me inspired to say something...Particularly the new commission, the TV rights and membership (Fight club has been entertaining for the perspective of other codes supporters... and their dribble)

RL is at its lowest point right now in terms of money, supporters & participation as a lot of people would have you believe. Yet to those that follow the sport closely we would say that we are on the cusp of a ground breaking period of revenue & growth...

For all those that know the game intimately, RL has been through a lot... a hell of a lot. We have been through so many tough periods and always come out the other end stronger. From its inception where RL had to adapt to survive to the Super League war...

I think its important that those that believe in the history & future of RL have a responsibility to re-invest in the game and make sure that we encourgae everyone to do the most that they can. Including the following;

• Watch only TV networks that show RL
• Buy NRL supported products where possible
• Participate in Market Reasearch (you get paid anyway...)
• Become a member of your club (in any format)
• Go to the games
• Talk about RL to colleagues & friends
• Take new people to the game

These are the positive things we can do to support our game. Lets focus on this and make it the best we can. If it comes at the cost of other codes so be it but that is not the focus.

Rugby League has frequently been called the toughest game on the planet & we all know it. Everyone on this forum has a job to do to make it the best it can be.

I look forward to seeing you all at the games... Please add to this list, lets see how we can make this sport better than it already is!

 

[Billythekid]

Nope that's impossible and will never even be close to the case but i don't see why that should matter. Just relish the fact that you get to enjoy watching this great game. If the game continues to grow well i look forward to that but i'm more than happy with how things are now.

In terms of what you can do to help the sport i think you covered most of the bases in the OP.

 

[Perth Red]

Couple of points

1.the game's been around for 100 years+ not just the last 20 years like some seem to think
2.the game isn't at a all time low, that arguably happened in 1997 in Australia, 1941 in France and probably around the 1970's in England
3. imo the game has never got close to realising its full potential. It is arguably the toughest game in the world yet we fail to market it as such for fear of scaring the mums. UFC has no such fears and look what a global phenomenon that's become!
4. Until we get serious about developing other countries and massively raising the profile of the Int game we won't realise the potential we have
5. Th next decade will see RL become the undisputed number one code in Australia (presuming the IC doesn't stuff it up!)
6. The game has always been blighted by lack of vision and quality leadership, maybe that will change, maybe not.

 

[Eels Dude]

To answer your question... Not me. Let's be realistic FFS.

 

[Chook Norris]

football/soccer will always be the number 1 sport for a number of obvious reasons

 

[Parra Pride]

It will never be the most popular sport in the world, but it will always be the best sport.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

rofl

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Never, but it can make the top 3-4 football codes in the world if the people running the game do the right thing. It's probably there right now already.

Soccer/football.
NFL
Union
League
Canadian
.......
.......
.......
Who cares.

It's just a matter of growing the game the right way.

It's too tough a sport to ever become #1 unless all those old movies where extreme sports taking over are right in the long run. But it doesn't need to be #1.

 

[juro]

Yes it can be. No it won't be.

 

[seaeagle sam]

Never, but it can make the top 3-4 football codes in the world if the people running the game do the right thing. It's probably there right now already.

Soccer/football.
NFL
Union
League
Canadian
.......
.......
.......
Who cares.

It's just a matter of growing the game the right way.

It's too tough a sport to ever become #1 unless all those old movies where extreme sports taking over are right in the long run. But it doesn't need to be #1.

Agree, but I would swap NFL and Union on your list, unless your talking in purely dollar terms.

 

[seaeagle sam]

rofl

Actually, I agree more with this.

 

[krudmonk]

Agree, but I would swap NFL and Union on your list, unless your talking in purely dollar terms.

Gridiron is the undisputed #1 sport, played at both the pro and college levels, in a country of 312 million. That's roughly equal to the combined populations of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Italy, France and the entire British Isles. Again, it depends on the criteria measured here.

 

[Mr Angry]

it will never take over golf.

 

[hitman82]

I respect the passionate nature of the OP. But yeah, dreams are free.

I think a more realistic goal would be to become the number 1 contact football code outside of Gridiron.

I don't count soccer as contact btw, and it's completely unassailable - even starving africans play soccer in the dust, probably with balls made of something ridiculously hard. I have never seen a starving african playing rugby league.

Sure, we (hopefully) have a massive new TV rights deal on its way. But for rugby league to really gain on union we need professional competitions outside of England and Australia. Sure, it's popular in NZ, but there's no professional competition. However rugby league is the number 1 growing sport in secondary schools here.

Does anyone know which countries have fulltime pro union competitions?

 

[bobmar28]

Soccer will always be #1 but league will overtake union.

 

[Canard]

You do realise that watching a television station doesn't affect the "ratings" unless you are part of the sample team picked for the research period?

As for Foxtel, NRL is the highest watched programme on it already.

 

[Usain Bolt]

OP is an idiot

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

It will never be number one. Football/soccer will always be numero uno.

 

[newman]

Rugby League is a very small game.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Zero chance, Soccer, Golf and Tennis will always have it covered by a great deal.