Third NRL Club In South-East QLD On The Cards

[Smithdom]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/spor ... 09,00.html

RUGBY league boss David Gallop has made his strongest tip yet on the NRL's expansion plans, saying a team in the growing Ipswich-Logan corridor is "on the cards".

The success of Queensland's NRL teams as the competition's crowd-drawing heartland leaves a team to Brisbane city's southwest and south well placed to win a prized licence also being chased by contenders including NSW's Central Coast, New Zealand and Perth.

 

[Hamm.0]

If this was to go ahead, this will be as bad for the NRL, as leaving 9 clubs in Sydney is.

Will there be more revenue and more fans from a third SEQLD team? That's the problem I see, if it doesn't grow the sport as a whole, I fail to see the logic.

 

[Jeba]

That would mean 3 teams within an hour's drive up here, and I also fail to see the logic.

The Titans can't get 20000 to their home games on a regular basis (not a bad thing, just hear me out) and a new team would just lower that average IMO and will do a bit of damage. The Titans crowd averages are good compared to most of the League, but not outstanding, and to take away a fair chunk of their fan base, it will cause more harm than good.

Doesn't make sense.

 

[Fozz]

Logan-Ipswich? Just sell Winnie Blues and VB at the game and they'll make a motza!

It's not that bad an idea, Ipswich does have a fairly sizeable population but I can't see a team that straddle Logan and Ipswich working too well.

 

[ningnangnong]

They should think about getting rid of a few Sydney based clubs before they look at creating new teams elsewhere.

 

[Nashy]

Plentt of better options than here again.

 

[Ari Gold]

Yet more evidence as to why the NRL is the worst and most pathetic sports administration in Australia.

 

[Foordy]

So, it seems that the NRL want to do to Brisbane (and SE QLD) what they have done to Sydney. and thats over-crowd the market leaving crowd numbers of 10 000 - 14000 per game rather than the 30k averages we are getting now... but what they are doing to the Cowboys this season (with scheduling) show they just don't get it. the Cowboys have had 2 8:30pm kickoffs at home to suit TV audiences in Sydney and with fans that quite often will drive up to 2 hours to get to the game, those times automatically discount5 families and they will experience the same problems with the Monday night home game in round 11 (WTF?) the Cowboys estimate that could cost them as much as 100k in revenue.

 

[Alec]

I'm also against, but purely for selfish reasons. I want the Broncos to be the only SE QLD side so we can have better teams and more money than the rest.

 

[Foordy]

I'm also against, but purely for selfish reasons. I want the Broncos to be the only SE QLD side so we can have better teams and more money than the rest.

What about the Titans?

 

[Dexter]

Has anyone seen the population estimates for that area by 2020?

They are predicted to double by then, making a team in that area very attractive.
It's already a league area and because of the growth there the junior base would be massive.

From what Gallop was saying on Fox last week nothing would be in place before 2015 at the earliest.

I think the NRL woul be negligent for not preparing to put a side out there.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I think a team at Ipswich would go well but they would need a Stadium first. Surely another team in SEQ is still 5+ years away. The NRL admininstration are a joke though they should be worrying about clubs in Sydney folding before they worry about expansion.

 

[Nashy]

They can have ANZ.

 

[Coxy]

It'd need a lot of work, and cooperation of Queensland Athletics (whatever they're called). Ultimately they'd need to get rid of the track, demolish most of the stands and build more "boutique" stands closer to the sideline. I can't see that happening.

 

[OXY-351]

Do you think they'll be called the Giants, the Seagulls, the Chargers or the Crushers?

 

[Coxy]

They'll be the Giant Charger Seagull Crushers.

 

[mrslong]

lol, redcliffe will be fuming! hahaha.

 

[ronnyd]

surely if SEQ can accommodate 2 AFL teams and 2 soccer teams, they should be able to have 3 rugby league teams (this is rugby league heartland!!). But I do agree that the game has alot more pressing issues to deal with rather than expansion.