Will the tri series be a cash cow????

[roopy]

We all know that you can't mess with SOO because the TV rights, sponsership, gate takings etc are massive and prop up the entire League structure in Australia.

I think we might soon have the situation where the tri series turns into a similar cash cow and we wont be able to hold things like World Cups etc because it would cost too much to do so (in lost earnings).

Still, we will be able to console ourselves with lots of lovely money to help to spread the game.

 

[yakstorm]

Well if the Tri-Nations did turn into the super cash cow, then the potential is there for a World Cup to earn even more money especially as Richard Lewis' plan of splitting GB into the home nations starts to take effect.

PNG will get back its national competition and some high performance coaching structures soon, Russia and France will start to improve and hopefully the Islanders also start developing some good talent. So there will be a want for a world cup cause there will be other nations all knocking on the door wanting a go.

Things are looking good

 

[dimitri]

i agree

things are looking great


however with the type of crowds the tri-nations is getting i think we can make enough money to host a world cup every 4 years if the tri-nations is played every other year

 

[strong_latte]

i agree

things are looking great


however with the type of crowds the tri-nations is getting i think we can make enough money to host a world cup every 4 years if the tri-nations is played every other year

Well in the union they held the Tri Nations and the RWC in the same year... mind you due to the short domestic season their international season is about 13 tests a year! Which is great in some ways (eg: so many matches with elite level players), but bad in others (lack of tribalism in domestic comp and therefore comparitive dissinterest when compared with the NRL...).
I personally hope they put the Rugby League WC off untill they can get a couple more countries competative at the top level... Also, maybe after GB and NZ have won it and interest in Australia has grown, they could restructure the Tri Series to be like the Union one... not entirely, just the home and away system... Because at the moment the whole thing is geared to give GB as big a chance as possible of winning the thing they can, which may be good for the game in order to get it up and running, but eventually I'd like to start seeing these games pack out stadiums in Homebush Telstra stadium (80,000+) and Brisbane Suncorp stadium(70,000+)!
What I'm saying is I'd like to start hearing rabbs and sterlo commentating during SOO talking about possible players for the kangaroos and how well the players look to be going for the on coming clashes against GB and NZ in the TN...

 

[nqboy]

I thought Suncorp had a 52,000 capacity. Squeezing 70,000 in might get a bit tight.

And now...back to the topic. I think the next Tri-series shouldn't be until 2006 to give the elite players a break. WC in 2008 with development squads playing the home countries and emerging nations to strengthen the competition every odd year. TS 2010, WC 2012 and so on.

 

[DIEHARD]

Let us just cut the season to 22 games, bring in a 16th team. Bring in South v North NZ Origin and keep the Tri Nations annually.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Let us just cut the season to 22 games, bring in a 16th team. Bring in South v North NZ Origin and keep the Tri Nations annually.

Spot on. But you forgot WC in 2008. Hopefully by then France and Russia will be more competitive and countries like the USA, PNG and the pacific nations have also progressed.

 

[griff]

Let us just cut the season to 22 games, bring in a 16th team. Bring in South v North NZ Origin and keep the Tri Nations annually.

A 16 team, 22 round season would boost RL enormously, in part because it would allow time for a proper pre-season comp to be taken to country areas and emerging states.

But I'm not convinced about the NZ Origin and an annual Tri Nations.

Origin works because the tribalism of NSW and Qld is meaningful to people and they are reasonably evenly matched. South v North island is fairly meaningful but would be a cakewalk for the North island, and Auckland v the Rest would be more competitive but isn't a meaningful thing for people to identify with. It would be like "the Allies" in AFL SOO.

A World Cup is the most important thing for RL to work towards, and the Tri Nations reduces the importance of the World Cup. It has been very successful and has reinvigorated international RL, but getting too excited and saying "let's do this every year" would not be the best thing to do long term, IMO.

With France's suprisingly good performance and some great Tri-Nations matches I can't wait until Australia hosts the RLWC.

 

[DIEHARD]

It's true if PNG, Russia, Lebannon, the Pacific Isles and France aren't competitive, the Tri Nations will undermine the World Cup. I'm all for the Tri Nations to be international but steps need to be taken to bring the others up to speed.

The coverage and exposure the Tri Nations is bringing RL can't be over looked, we need the Tri Nations every year.

The idea of a NZ Origin is growing on me. I think it can only work as North v South. I hope they at least give it a try.

Above all World Cup 2008 must be the ultimate goal.

 

[screeny]

I've said this before, but we have to look at the int'l scene in two parts: 1. Pre-WC 2008; 2. Post WC-2008.

Play the tri-nations annually 2005, 2006 with WC qualifiers in 2007, then WC in 2008 and post-WC we sit down, take stock and plan a proper calendar incorporating all nations.

 

[Ollee]

I think the key is getting France and Russia up in strength, only then will a WC be credible. Both countries have the potential to be a force, it will take some Resources and Development to make this happen and the IRLF will need to be given a large increase in funds, but it is feasible. I tend to take to view that a TRI Series every year will lessen its appeal to fans and every two years will maintain the interest in the concept.

I think a fair dinkum World Sevens or Nines tournament in the years in between the tournament, is a must.

 

[deluded pom?]

Will the Tri Series be a cash cow ? Not if the NRL have their way . :evil:

 

[The Observer]

But I'm not convinced about the NZ Origin and an annual Tri Nations.

Origin works because the tribalism of NSW and Qld is meaningful to people and they are reasonably evenly matched.

Don't think this argument works. Where was the rivalry before 1980 when the NSW, with the best QLDers, flogged QLD year after year? It only came after Origin started.

and Auckland v the Rest would be more competitive but isn't a meaningful thing for people to identify with. It would be like "the Allies" in AFL SOO.

If we say this, we'd be projecting our own perceptions and concepts onto NZ. Ask NZers outside Auckland what they think of Aucklanders, e.g. the term JAFA, and you'll see that the passion will be there. Unlike us, they'll actually use this game as a test trial.

 

[The Observer]

I believe the Tri Series will turn a profit this year, and increasingly higher profits in subsequent years.

Roopy, I understand that SOO generates large gate takings, big revenue through sponsorship, advertising etc and this allows the ARL to fund many initiatives in RL in Australia. The ARL could move it but they are scared it might be difficult to promote it and instantly retain interest. Also, Channel Nine likes the mid season schedule. In any event, we can't rely on a move for it.

Furthermore, I don't see NRL expanding the club comp for a long time. With all the the NSW based NRL clubs (particularly Sydney clubs) won't want expansion until the amount of TV funding matches their salary cap. That probably won't happen new TV deals begin in 2007-2008. Even after that, clubs will be reluctant for extar teams because they'd dilute the player base. Furthermore, no clubs will want to relocate unless their position in Sydney is on the brink, and expansion areas my not accept struggling Sydney clubs.

So the Tri Series is the big hope for expanding the game. As Yakstorm says, its success will lead to an RLWC in 2008.

 

[griff]

But I'm not convinced about the NZ Origin and an annual Tri Nations.

Origin works because the tribalism of NSW and Qld is meaningful to people and they are reasonably evenly matched.

Don't think this argument works. Where was the rivalry before 1980 when the NSW, with the best QLDers, flogged QLD year after year? It only came after Origin started.

Qld did get flogged every year when it was based on residence, but they knew that it would make it fairly even by moving to an Origin basis for selections.

There was rivalry between NSW and Qld well before 1980. Rivalry goes beyond RL and back to whenever it was that Qld first became a separate colony.

and Auckland v the Rest would be more competitive but isn't a meaningful thing for people to identify with. It would be like "the Allies" in AFL SOO.

If we say this, we'd be projecting our own perceptions and concepts onto NZ. Ask NZers outside Auckland what they think of Aucklanders, e.g. the term JAFA, and you'll see that the passion will be there. Unlike us, they'll actually use this game as a test trial.

If you did a survey in Queensland to look at how strongly the people there identify as "a Queenslander" and it would be pretty strongly. Being a Queenslander is a big part of their social identity, and that is why it is meaningful.

True I am not a Kiwi but I bet anything that people in NZ don't identify anywhere nearly as strongly as being a "non-Aucklander".

 

[hutch]

i would prefer nz v pacific islands both individually and a combined islander team. would be good to see them play png as well. i dont think the north v south proposed in the paper would work, as it not a true north v south island game, just and auckland v the rest of nz.

 

[DIEHARD]

New Zealand v Pacific Island would be better than South v North. It would be basically a proper test match series and a series every RL fan would be interested in.

 

[The Observer]

New Zealand v Pacific Island would be better than South v North. It would be basically a proper test match series and a series every RL fan would be interested in.

This series would basically be NZ A vs NZ B. You can count the number of true homegrown Islanders (that are also products of island Rugby) on one hand.

 

[Jeffles]

The total attendance for the Tri-Nations (NZ game included) will be around 185,000. This is for 7 games averagin about 26,400 per match.

Can you make a profit out of this? Yes.

Cash cow? I don;t know. 7 games is a lot of organisation etc. But at least the sponsorship of Gilette was there.

 

[hutch]

This series would basically be NZ A vs NZ B. You can count the number of true homegrown Islanders (that are also products of island Rugby) on one hand

then make the PI team a team full of homegrown players, or players who will represent pacific islands for the rest of their careers therefore committing themselves to the pacific island cause.