Salary Cap

[Big Pete]

As far as crowds go absolutely, but I'm sure there's plenty of fans too that love being able to watch every single game on the weekend live.

 

[Porthoz]

The EPL to NRL comparison doesn't work because the Premier League caters to drawing a crowd while Rugby League is all about television ratings.

If we were comparing apples to apples, nearly every game would be played at 3:00pm on Saturday over a long period of time to the point where it's a tradition.

Well, all the EPL games are televised live as well, although yes, they cater to fans more than the NRL.

Let's compare it with La Liga instead then, which has a schedule very similar to the NRL's, in a country with bigger distances for fans to travel than England. Or we can go with the French, German or Italian leagues if you prefer. Or even the smaller countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal... which have less population and smaller cities than Australia.

There's a reason the Broncos have such good attendance, despite an horrible schedule for fans to attend their games.

 

[tommy]

RL is a blue collar sport. I'm sure alot of families would love to attend every week but simply can't afford it, especially in Western Sydney. On top of this they sometimes insist on playing 2 westy teams at the SFS. Roosters and Sea Eagles fans have no excuse though.

 

[Big Pete]

You can't watch every single game live in the EPL though because you invariably have to pick one game. It isn't like the NRL where every game now has it's own time-slot.

And yeah those would be better comparisons albeit it's difficult to know what works for them would necessarily work for Rugby League.

 

[Porthoz]

You can't watch every single game live in the EPL though because you invariably have to pick one game. It isn't like the NRL where every game now has it's own time-slot.

And yeah those would be better comparisons albeit it's difficult to know what works for them would necessarily work for Rugby League.

Of course it would. You just can't have 9 clubs competing in a city of 5 million people.

Titans or Knights average just about the same amount of spectators as most Sydney clubs, Cowboys and Canberra beat them easy, while Melbourne and the Warriors average more in cities dominated by a rival code.

As long as the NRL remains Sydney centric, and the salary cap is used to artificially prop 2/3's of their clubs, it won't evolve into a mature competition where fans support their club with their feet by putting bums on seats...

 

[Nashy]

They have to schedule games separately to draw tv ratings. They don't have the luxury of selling tv rights to Asia, Europe and Africa for mega dollars to make up for the TV ratings decline in the home country.

But why are they dropping? Would it be because mobile access is painfully useless, Channel 9 are absolutely fucking atrocious, Fox is expensive, and well, the game is run by a bunch of clowns.

 

[Accept]

But why are they dropping? Would it be because mobile access is painfully useless, Channel 9 are absolutely fucking atrocious, Fox is expensive, and well, the game is run by a bunch of clowns.

Are they dropping though? Fox are always claiming record ratings. It wouldn't surprise me though as I don't know anybody who follows the game. Which is why I partake in social media so I can talk about the sport I love.

 

[Broncoman]

I've always been a fan of the salary cap, I know people from overseas (America, Europe) and they have told me they like how it is structured out. I believe it serves it's purpose well I guess as it evens out talent and has provided different premiers almost each year, evident in North Queensland and Cronulla winning their first premierships in the last 2 years. It protects clubs from themselves as well.

 

[Big Pete]

As long as the NRL remains Sydney centric, and the salary cap is used to artificially prop 2/3's of their clubs, it won't evolve into a mature competition where fans support their club with their feet by putting bums on seats...

That's fine but it isn't going to be fixed overnight. If the NRL just purges clubs from Sydney in the hope that a team in Adelaide, Perth etc. will grow the code they're in for a rude awakening. Yes, they've got to show more direction but they also need to focus more on the grass-roots of the game and help look after regions like Cessnock, Campbelltown, Leichardt, Ryde, Newcastle so they can have the talent to sustain the code.

 

[Number6]

That's fine but it isn't going to be fixed overnight. If the NRL just purges clubs from Sydney in the hope that a team in Adelaide, Perth etc. will grow the code they're in for a rude awakening. Yes, they've got to show more direction but they also need to focus more on the grass-roots of the game and help look after regions like Cessnock, Campbelltown, Leichardt, Ryde, Newcastle so they can have the talent to sustain the code.

Agree need to look after grassroots but Sydney is not sustainable.

I think a passionate regional and country fan base of 250000-500000 can generally sustain a team. But city teams with lots of other sports choices and different sensibilities need a 1 million minimum and really closer to 2 million head in the region especially if a lot of people from overseas who haven't heard of rugby league and just want to watch soccer etc. Even with future growth that means maximum 6 in Sydney. Maybe Dragons to Wollongong full time as that region will keep growing and old Sydney fans prop up a bit and ideally Roosters to Perth. Won't happen but need only on of Souths and Roosters.

 

[Kimlo]

How are the Roosters so rich when they get crowds of like 5000? I don't get it. Uncle Nick funnels his personal money?

 

[Kimlo]

Roosters games are absolutely embrassasing, the sport looks like it's dying if you were a casual fan and you tuned in to a near empty stadium

 

[tommy]

Agree need to look after grassroots but Sydney is not sustainable.

I think a passionate regional and country fan base of 250000-500000 can generally sustain a team. But city teams with lots of other sports choices and different sensibilities need a 1 million minimum and really closer to 2 million head in the region especially if a lot of people from overseas who haven't heard of rugby league and just want to watch soccer etc. Even with future growth that means maximum 6 in Sydney. Maybe Dragons to Wollongong full time as that region will keep growing and old Sydney fans prop up a bit and ideally Roosters to Perth. Won't happen but need only on of Souths and Roosters.

Roosters have the backing of Politis. Probably the most financially viable club in Sydney. They would be the last team that would have to relocate. For the laughs though would love to see them be merged with their biggest adversary, the Rabbits. Never happen though.

 

[Number6]

I've always been a fan of the salary cap, I know people from overseas (America, Europe) and they have told me they like how it is structured out. I believe it serves it's purpose well I guess as it evens out talent and has provided different premiers almost each year, evident in North Queensland and Cronulla winning their first premierships in the last 2 years. It protects clubs from themselves as well.

' Protects clubs from themselves.' Also known as the Nanny state. How's that working for everyone? Sounds nice in theory but hinders excellence and supports stupid behaviour because there aren't the consequences.

Beyond the life philosophy issue why is a new club winning every year an inherent good? No proof it actually brings in more fans or makes for better games.

 

[pennywisealfie]

The NRL has been held down by the shit clubs. Get rid of the cap.

 

[Accept]

The NRL has been held down by the shit clubs. Get rid of the cap.

14 teams operated at a loss last year. That would just leave a competition consisting of NQ and Bris. There would be some great games and the Broncos would make the GF but it probably wouldn't work out.

The salary cap is a good thing because it keeps the comp relatively even. Without it, some clubs wouldn't survive hence making the NRL quite lame. Such is the drawback in a sport which plays second fiddle to the AFL.

 

[Morkel]

Then don't relocate teams. Force them to merge. For every wealthy but lazy club you have a poor club that invests in its juniors (and then loses them to the rich clubs). Combine them. Wests & Balmain. St George & Illawarra. Sure, a lot of those clubs have fierce rivalries, but they need to get over it. Or lose their license. Sydney then has 4 less teams, so the other regions that deserve it more can be added and we still have our magical 16 clubs.

 

[Accept]

Then don't relocate teams. Force them to merge. For every wealthy but lazy club you have a poor club that invests in its juniors (and then loses them to the rich clubs). Combine them. Wests & Balmain. St George & Illawarra. Sure, a lot of those clubs have fierce rivalries, but they need to get over it. Or lose their license. Sydney then has 4 less teams, so the other regions that deserve it more can be added and we still have our magical 16 clubs.

That would be the sensible approach and probably will occur sometime in the distant future. The NRL seem hesitant to rock the boat atm but until they do, they will experience the same financial difficulties. This could be a really good comp if someone was proactive enough to make the necessary adjustments.