General NRL Expansion

[matiunz]

Nine extended their broadcasting rights to 2027 which only mentioned an additional 3 games per season- assume this means further expansion is off the table til then?

 

[The Falcon]

Nine extended their broadcasting rights to 2027 which only mentioned an additional 3 games per season- assume this means further expansion is off the table til

Nine extended their broadcasting rights to 2027 which only mentioned an additional 3 games per season- assume this means further expansion is off the table til then?

You would think so.. it doesn’t make much sense negotiating a deal and then go and add another team. Sell in the extra team when doing a new deal.

 

[The Falcon]

NRL agrees to new five-year broadcast deal with Nine

NRL secures a new bumper five-year deal with Nine, while expansion to an 18th team is still possible before 2028.

www.abc.net.au

 

[bruce]

NRL agrees to new five-year broadcast deal with Nine

NRL secures a new bumper five-year deal with Nine, while expansion to an 18th team is still possible before 2028.

www.abc.net.au

i wonder if they calculated on covid? I assume so.

 

[Fonzie]

 

[6Again]

Great news this!, anything that strengthens Rugby League in NZ is good for the game as a whole. Would work well on many levels, question remains, who will fund a new franchise and where would it be located?

 

[Fonzie]

Great news this!, anything that strengthens Rugby League in NZ is good for the game as a whole. Would work well on many levels, question remains, who will fund a new franchise and where would it be located?

Funding is already there based on the last tv deal

 

[6Again]

Funding is already there based on the last tv deal

Not as much love for the idea from the initial responses on Twitter but it’s a no brainer isn’t it? Would help to develop further pathways into NZ and extend the footprint of the Nrl and rugby league generally in a more strategic way than it would if Perth got the nod I would’ve thought.

 

[tajhay]

Just to put that into perspective, it was a survey conducted by SMH between nrl club bosses regarding expansion (amongst other things). Full read here:

Teams are cheating: NRL club bosses’ concerning revelation

More than two-thirds of NRL club bosses believe there are teams who are rorting the system by facilitating off-the-books payments to their players outside the salary cap.

www.smh.com.au

In particular:

The verdict: The clubs want the NRL to venture across the ditch and add a second team in New Zealand. With 27 per cent of votes, a second Kiwi side received the majority of support ahead of NSW’s Central Coast and Perth (both 22.5 per cent). There’s also minor support for a team in Papua New Guinea, Central Queensland or Melbourne.

 

[wizards rage]

Just to put that into perspective, it was a survey conducted by SMH between nrl club bosses regarding expansion (amongst other things). Full read here:

Teams are cheating: NRL club bosses’ concerning revelation

More than two-thirds of NRL club bosses believe there are teams who are rorting the system by facilitating off-the-books payments to their players outside the salary cap.

www.smh.com.au

In particular:

That’s terrible that 70% of clubs bosses think the cap is being rorted.

Logically if that number of the most influential people in the system believe there is cheating, then it would indicate that it must be happening…

 

[playdaball]

I’ve said it before and will say it again , a 2nd NZ team won’t work.
No idea why a Perth team has not been adopted.

 

[matiunz]

That’s terrible that 70% of clubs bosses think the cap is being rorted.

Logically if that number of the most influential people in the system believe there is cheating, then it would indicate that it must be happening…

Beauty of stats, 30% of club bosses didn’t respond so that 70% is really 70% of 60%.
Still I wonder if those who responded ‘yes’ did so because they were rotting the cap and assumed others were too?

 

[The Falcon]

I’ve said it before and will say it again , a 2nd NZ team won’t work.
No idea why a Perth team has not been adopted.

It would be a massive task, you would have thought Perth or another Queensland team would be next cabs off the rank and a better chance of success.
However the NRL really want to take Rugby Union head on and this sets the scene for a Christchurch based team to prepare for entry - especially with a covered stadium set for completion by 2025.

 

[matiunz]

If they do want to be serious about a second NZ team they should really take the time to do it right.
Year 1 Invest in a schools comp n the likes of BOP,HB,East Coast, Manawatu,Taranaki,Tasman,Canterbury,Otago play it in summer if you have to to get numbers up and perhaps convert a few Union boys.
Recruit coaches from Aus systems to teach our next generation of coaches, particularly in fundamentals.
Year 2 Introduce a regional rep competition at school level for those schools to compete as a province etc introduces first pathway.
Year 3 From those provincial rep teams select a wider squad for an SG ball team, set up living and support/development facilities in Wellington and Christchurch.
Year 5/6 Look at NSW/QLD cup Team
Year 8(2030) NRL team.
Could still set up the pathways and have the team in earlier but will take a bit of time to see the results.
Perth I believe already has something in place but set up something similar in Adelaide And there’s a 20 team comp that will tick most boxes for quite a while

 

[Bangbros 2023]

For me I would like a team based in the South Island, I know Wellington is a real chance but if there was a team based in Canterbury then i can properly hate it!

 

[ramraider78]

A 2nd NRL team based in NZ will probably stop the decline at grassroots by giving the game some actual growth, through pathways. Things are getting worse on the ground with NZW based in OZ, no visible pathways for the Youth here. I know we can't consistently win with the team we have now, but the bigger picture would keep the game moving in NZ.

CHCH should get it IMO - better grassroots system, but the noise I heard was Wellington, they had a financial backer?

 

[gREVUS]

imo the only place a second franchise would be succesful is ..... Auckland.
it would create a real rivalry, allow more home games and building strong local support, allow teams to travel in side NZ more often (extending the NRL brand), and solidify a real competitor to rugby in the north.
2 million peps in auckland 3 mill spread everywhere else. u have to go with the numbers

 

[wizards rage]

2 million peps in auckland 3 mill spread everywhere else. u have to go with the numbers

The 3 million? Christchurch/ Wellington - representing the rest of NZ?

 

[gREVUS]

The 3 million? Christchurch/ Wellington - representing the rest of NZ?

chch 380 000
well 215 000
auck 1,463,000

 

[wizards rage]

chch 380 000
well 215 000
auck 1,463,000

I was half joking. But anyway,

Half Auckland population for a second team would be around 750 supporters. That is with a even split. Realistically 90% would stay with the Warriors and you might get a few hundred thousand supporting the new franchise.

Wellington central is 215k but Greater Wellington including up the Kapiti is 527k. Greater Christchurch is 520k. Combined they are 1m+ and eclipse a halved auckland without even pulling in the other major centres (New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Dunedin, etc).