Expansion of the NRL

[ddd]

Hey, just read this article

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html

Surprised about the ratings - that's awesome

Looks grim for expansion, however, perhaps consolidation is the better approach - consolidate NSW into less clubs for a start! This may come to the fore with the apparent imminent demise of the Sharks

 

[Clintos]

I just hope they don't put another team in Brisbane.

Ipswich, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast probably all have merit, but I think a second team in Brisbane will be like moving the Sydney problems up here, which is pointless.

 

[Nashy]

Perth are sports crazy. **** the TV ratings, they amount of cash they could make from gate takings would be huge.

Sharks will be dead soon enough. Move a team to the Central Coast, or cut another team and let the CC have their own.

Central QLD I doubt will work. Broncos and Cowboys have too much of a hold up the coast of QLD.

 

[Foordy]

I just hope they don't put another team in Brisbane.

Ipswich, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast probably all have merit, but I think a second team in Brisbane will be like moving the Sydney problems up here, which is pointless.

I agree, if they start over-crowding Brisbane, then to me, it seems like they haven't learnt a bloody thing from the problems that the have in Sydney (re: crowd numbers)

 

[Coxy]

I can't believe they're concerned about TV ratings when on FTA league is on in the middle of the night in both Adelaide and Perth.

However, as negative as it might seem, the best thing the NRL can do now is:
- reduce number of teams - cut no fewer than 2, no more than 4 (purely financial decision - Sharks, Parramatta and Manly are the ones in most financial strife apparently)
- increase salary cap by 10%
- play with that competition configuration for 2-3 years and reassess
- if things are travelling well (crowds, finances, ratings) then assess any expansion proposals received (eg CQ, Perth, Central Coast etc)

I would honestly say by end of 2010 the NRL needs to have 14 teams. No more. The cuts to come from Sydney.
Have a view then to get back to 16 by 2013, with no additional teams in the Sydney metropolitan area.

 

[Kimlo]

Well sharks should be gone soon and hopefully some other club will merge.

 

[Clintos]

Manly has already merged with the bears, yet they still have apparent financial troubles. Another merger isn't going to save some of the teams. A dramatic financial audit needs to be performed by the NRL on ALL clubs, and the clubs that are financially the worst off need to be culled ala Coxy's suggestion.

 

[Coxy]

Mergers don't work because the organisations have generally worked against eachother for so long. The only successful merger has been Wests Tigers, and even it's not happy families at all levels.

Some will point to St George-Illawarra but for all intents and purposes that was a takeover. The Steelers simply don't exist anymore.

I wouldn't advocate the NRL trying to kick teams out...don't want the hysterical lunacy we got when the NRL quite legally booted out South Sydney.

All they have to do is refuse any requests for financial bail outs made by Cronulla or anyone else and just watch them die. As sad as that might be, it's the only way to keep the game strong, consolidate what we've got and prepare for expansion in the future.

 

[ddd]

Mergers don't work because the organisations have generally worked against eachother for so long. The only successful merger has been Wests Tigers, and even it's not happy families at all levels.

Some will point to St George-Illawarra but for all intents and purposes that was a takeover. The Steelers simply don't exist anymore.

I wouldn't advocate the NRL trying to kick teams out...don't want the hysterical lunacy we got when the NRL quite legally booted out South Sydney.

All they have to do is refuse any requests for financial bail outs made by Cronulla or anyone else and just watch them die. As sad as that might be, it's the only way to keep the game strong, consolidate what we've got and prepare for expansion in the future.

But if the NRL just lets teams "die" how can they negotiate effective TV contracts? On NRL on Fox they talking about the problem that if the Sharks go under, the NRL is faced with the problem that they have to provide 8 games a round or otherwise be in breach of their TV contract - considering how long the contracts are for, we can't just have teams falling by the wayside as the comp rolls on.

I think booting teams out is the way to go - considering all factors financially viability, fan base, etc, but it comes back to the basic fact that there are too many teams in Sydney, so much so that not only are they in competition with AFL, A-League, etc but each other, and that is competition that the NRL cannot handle.

You're right though about mergers not being the way to go, a merger is a soft option - if the fans don't care and there are only a handful of them, cut the team for the benefit of the comp

 

[Fozz]

Manly has already merged with the bears, yet they still have apparent financial troubles.

You can't call what Manly did to the Bears a merger.

They took over the Bears, got out of financial trouble and got out as soon as they could and took the NRL licence while they were at it.

 

[Flutterby]

ddd - booting teams out or letting them die naturally, the NRL has the same issue you raised either way ie less teams. Personally I think letting them die naturally is the best way to go, as Coxy said booting teams out just causes more drama and they'll be in court again for years.

Coxy speaks A LOT of sense on this and I agree with everything he has said thus far.

However I will say in any case before they try to crack new markets it is imperitive they clean up the game off the field. All these dramas are causing fans who are already invested to turn away. It is going to be virtually impossible to get new audiences to accept and follow the game with it's current public image.

 

[mjc]

If you are a fan of Rugby League the off field discretions don't turn you away...

 

[Coxy]

If you are a fan of Rugby League the off field discretions don't turn you away...

Yep. Not going to lose the real devotees, but they're the minority. Sports make the cream of their cash off the transient fans who like a bit of everything and spend some of their money, time and tv viewing watching the sport. They're the ones who can get put off by the gutter trash that's been going on.

 

[Flutterby]

And you won't attract new fans, which is what the expansion plans are about.

 

[schmix]

If you are a fan of Rugby League the off field discretions don't turn you away...

I'm not lost to league, but I'm certainly not singing its praises to anyone who will listen any more. The real supporters are still there, but if they're anything like me they've gone into hiding a bit.

 

[Foordy]

I reckon you let teams die then start a team in the areas that you need teams (i.e away from Sydney)

 

[Nashy]

The NRL will consider lending Cronulla money to ensure 16 clubs remain in the NRL -- at least until the end of 2012 when rugby league renegotiates its $500 million TV deal. The current contract stipulates Channel Nine and Fox Sports must cover eight games each weekend.

Asked if Cronulla was facing extinction, Mr Gallop said: "Not necessarily. Obviously they've got some big issues ahead of them."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/stor ... 89,00.html

 

[Coxy]

I can understand the breach of contract issue, but FFS if it means pouring millions of dollars down a pit with no future that's fucking ridiculous.

I hope Gallop learns from this that future TV contract negotiations should have clauses in place to allow the NRL to contract/expand the competition as required, perhaps with some penalty clauses or whatever.