Why doesn't the NRL play at least one game in PNG??

[bondy064]

Why doesn't the NRL play at least one game in PNG, even if it's a trial game before the season starts. Sharks vs Cowboys or Roosters vs Anybody etc.... never pull big crowds.

 

[dogslife]

It would be great for footy in general for this to happen, but I think they'd have to work through a few of the security issues first, they had a few dramas in the PM's XIII game

 

[NRL-TGG]

Security reasons.

 

[bondy064]

Well it will be interesting if they get a team in the Queensland Cup next year than.

 

[Loudstrat]

Who in PNG could afford $30 per ticket?

 

[Didgi]

This time it only took 5 posts for a generalisation about PNG's 'poverty' and cost of tickets to be brought up. New record?

As for a game, Cowboys v Sharks would actually be a good pick since we have Segeyaro and Thompson plus huge drawcards like Thurston and Bowen (I've read and heard he's a God up there). The Sharks... well they have Paul Aiton.

CBF researching capacities and what not, but I'd be confident even a trial or a poor regular season match would sell out. Get the PNG Government on board, arrange a heap of clinics etc, make a week of it.

 

[PaulyTom]

Is PNG still earmarked for the 20K+ stadium for the Pacific games?

 

[Usain Bolt]

who the f**k would want to go to PNG?

 

[adamkungl]

Umm, last I checked they annually send a rep side up there. Bit better than a trial...

 

[Eels Dude]

You'd have to find two clubs to agree to it first. I doubt any would. It's the clubs who schedule where their trials are played and and where their home games are played not the NRL.

 

[Perth Red]

It's hard enough getting them to Perth, PNG a step too far!

 

[Glenn]

It's hard enough getting them to Perth, PNG a step too far!

But more interest in League.

 

[Loudstrat]

This time it only took 5 posts for a generalisation about PNG's 'poverty' and cost of tickets to be brought up. New record?

Wests Tigers played the Gold Coast a few years ago at Leichhardt in front of 17k. They broke even.

I think the afforability of a game for enough people to make it financially viable for clubs to shift an NRL game there is important? FFS the average wage for 85% of PNG'ans is $350.00 per year. Their prime minister only earns $48k!!!

 

[Lambretta]

This time it only took 5 posts for a generalisation about PNG's 'poverty' and cost of tickets to be brought up. New record?

I'd say that was restrained vs the "Roosters v Anybody" comment in the opening post. Usually we have to wait until at least the second or third post to get a dig.

So can anyone post up the crowd averages for the Sydney teams for 2011 to see how worthy the dig actually was?

 

[Lambretta]

Oh, and to answer the original question

Gate receipts / loss of income
Security
Clubs agreeing to it
Standard of stadiums
Cost of televising
Standard of playing surfaces
Weather / hot / humid etc - unsuitable for Australian winter sports

The best thing we could do for Rugby League in PNG is to offer to pay for and build proper junior training facilities there and to offer paying scholarships to the most promising twenty or so players from there to come to Australia to learn to play the game each year.

Just sticking a club there or playing games there doesnt actually help the game - it's more of a reminder about the gulf between there and here.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Ask East Coast Tiger.


Or get a rational answer. There is probably only one reason, it would be a huge disruption to a season, not just because of the travel but because of the emotional toll it would have on the players.

From experience, to be treated and feted like a God is a very difficult thing to do deal with.

 

[Perth Red]

But more interest in League.

Undoubtedly but we sold over $500k worth of tickets for our game + another $100K + of corporate sales, could PNG?

There biggest ground only holds around 15k and I doubt tickets would go for much more than $10 a pop, throw in the lack of corporate facilities and you get a big loser for the club. The game would need to be very heavily subsidised by either NRL or PNGRL and they probably have better things to spend their money on. At the end of the day its not like holding an NRL game there is going to make the game more popular.

Until they upgarde this then it will be a long way off till they get NRL games.

 

[bondy064]

Doliphin Oval which aways has a trial game has no corporate facilities and no seating

 

[BigBadWilly]

Good god guys any of you actually spent any decent time outside of a Hotel in PNG its not a nice place at all.

I am speaking from experience the PNG government is corrupt as all crap and as for the miners etc putting in $$$ in for something like this they wont they are just raping the place for profit they dont give a crap.

Better off taking a few more games to perth and NZ and I dont think the sharks have aiton any more either.

 

[Stinkler]

The Broncos should be the team to take a game there.

After all, they "support" the PNG Bid. They have the logo on their shorts, and even wore special socks for one game!

Or is their "support" just so the 2nd Brisbane team doesn't get in?