NRL NRL Expansion

juju said:
The NRL does has options for NZ tbh - they could launch a subscription based app for NZ that might generate close to what SKY pay... They have the means and administration to pull it off currently. Broadcasters are already in place for all the Australian games.
Dazn just purchased Foxtel also so a ready made subscription app ready to go.
Click to expand...
They could just extend the watchNRL global service to new zealand with a click, that’s currently $44 AUD a month, roughly the same price as sky sport now - which gets you x10 the sporting content. NBA league pass is a similar price range, those single sport offerings aren’t cheap.

That shrinks your audience to just warriors fans who don’t want to miss a game, few casuals are paying that.

Sky lasted so long because prior to streaming, households treated it like a utility, phone bill, internet bill, sky bill … you had to if you wanted to watch anything decent and lots of boomers still pay it, until something dramatic like the ABs going to NZR+ causes them to abandon ship.

Personally long may sky tv wheeze onwards, its too good having everything in one place.
 

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JustLikeStartingOver said:
They could just extend the watchNRL global service to new zealand with a click, that’s currently $44 AUD a month, roughly the same price as sky sport now - which gets you x10 the sporting content. NBA league pass is a similar price range, those single sport offerings aren’t cheap.

That shrinks your audience to just warriors fans who don’t want to miss a game, few casuals are paying that.

Sky lasted so long because prior to streaming, households treated it like a utility, phone bill, internet bill, sky bill … you had to if you wanted to watch anything decent and lots of boomers still pay it, until something dramatic like the ABs going to NZR+ causes them to abandon ship.

Personally long may sky tv wheeze onwards, its too good having everything in one place.
Click to expand...
The only way for sports to draw in casual fans and grow is through a service that provides something for everyone.

On sky I pay only for league but also benefit with cricket, darts, tennis, all blacks tests, etc which gives them all some relevance to me.

The NRL benefits from being on sky and league could lose relevance fast like cricket did when it went to spark.

I hate sky but few it’s a necessary evil. If sky was gone I think all sports would suffer.
 
The thing is. NZ Rugby might be taking a haircut but it’s not going to fall off a cliff within the next 5 years.
15 years? Might be a different story.

So, giving myself at least 5 years to make my argument before the real collapse starts. The NRL in NZ will be fine……..

It’s not just Sky TV who needs NZ rugby, but also NZ rugby that needs Sky TV

If anything, should Sky really cut to NZ rugby. They’ll need to fill that gap with something else…….. A second NZ NRL team.

Let’s assume by 2030, NZ Rugby has almost completely collapsed and NZ has a second NRL team………….

That’s excellent news for the 2 NZ NRL teams.
Some members argue that it’ll cut the Union pathways. It will………. But.

What happens with all those kids?
You think they’re just going to turn around and say “aw chucks, I guess that’s the end. I’ll just get a 9-5 job now” hahahaha

OR…….

“Fuck, rugby in NZ isn’t really an option anymore. I have two options. 1. I go to Europe, Japan, USA or South Africa and try and make a career. Or 2…. There’s two NZ NRL teams that I can try and get into”.

Realistically, NZ isn’t going to collapse for a fair while giving NZ rugby league plenty off time. Especially when you consider where the game was 20 years ago.
 
wizard of Tauranga said:
Sky is a dying model. Super Rugby has been at dying model with South African teams leaving. Sevens rugby is dying, down to 7 tournaments from 12. Australian rugby is dying. Adding content with the female game just adds costs with decreasing income.

Pretty dire for union. Unfortunately I think it’s a bad sign for the long term sustainability of professional sport in NZ…

To many sporting options and to many recreational viewing options for a small population?
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Always reckoned all the New Zealand stakeholders in rugby union - from the Biggest Head Honcho at NZRFU/Whatever Names it's Been Over The Professional Era down to the Watch-from-the-coach-it's-too-dark/cold/etc-to-attend-a-game fan, never really got their pretty heads around what full-time professionalism meant in terms of money generation and pathways and how cut-throat professionalism can be with Late-Teens Kids. Actually, I have my doubts about a few leaugue fans, too, in terms of getting their heads around Pathways and what it means if you're not on one by a certain point (good old "I saw this amazing 22 year old playing for Te Atatu over the weekend, surely the Warriors have to sign him pronto?" type discussion).
Everyone probably all nodded at the concept that, say, Jonah Lomu was worth $500K/Season but the sticky point was always going to be "Okay, so how do we generate that $500K that we all agree Jonah deserves?" Enter Pay TV, cost cutting at the grassroots, lowering the importance of the NPC etc. I started watching that the same season Super Rugby began - 1996 - and apart from the promotion-relegation games, which always felt stupid as the Division 1 Loser was always targetting beating the Division 2 Winner and so staying up, enjoyed it for what it was - a still passionate but somewhat less skillful level. I stopped in 2005-6 when NZ Rugby showed it didn't have the nerve to say No to any of the 3 new teams who wanted in, so let them all in. Then there were crossover games, no promotion for a season or two etc etc. Got too confusing.
My two concerns with NRL Expansion: 1, There will be too many obvious poor teams and 2, in an attempt to make things look more fun, the NRL will make the NRL Draw MUCHn more messy and confusing than it is now (and I still don't know how they pick which teams meet twice outside of individual team requests and GF replays).
I think the professional/semi-professional teams here will survive but everyone's going to have to get much less cross-fingers-and-hope about how and when they generate the money required to pay those professional/semi-professional players and as a result of that, less huggy-matey about the number of teams in their competions. And if generating money means making cuts somewhere, cue wailing and gnashing from the grassroots as they see those scissors approaching. I mean, obviously the alternative is cutting something at the top, but I don't see NZR having the nerve to go to 4 Super teams or few NPC teams however bad things get. And of course, their money and other financial benefits of being part of NZR are untouchable.
I only hope the NRL doesn't do it's own in-house Pay TV system. Lends itself to the suspicion - if not the reality - that the commentators will always big-up any NRL rule/plan/etc even if it's obvious to the fans watching that it's a dud.
 
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I think the dumbest thing NZ Rugby did was let Silver Lake Enterprises into a meeting with them.
"Hi we are Silver lake a well funded investment firm from the USA. We really admire the All Blacks and think they are a great sporting brand and have the best winning record in any team sport with a real international competition. we want to a part of this so we will make you an incredible offer you can't refuse. We have studied your financial reports for the past ten years and we will give you up front the net present value of 50% of your projected revenues over the next 50 years plus a profit margin of 20% - that will come to $3 billion dollars we will give you. Yes really. All you have to do is give us 50% of your gross revenue not net revenue, gross revenue for the next 50 years."

And NZ RFU actually said yes and cashed out and now its marginal and variable income is halved making it hard for them to pay their bills or expand the game. I guess they have $3Billion to spend but that is a taxable windfall and knowing them how long will it take to burn through that.

I am not a rugby fan but it bothers me a new zealander they sold 50% of the All Blacks. i don't think that deal was fiscally prudent as it gives them no control over their future business cases and income statements.
 
Wrighty said:
I think the dumbest thing NZ Rugby did was let Silver Lake Enterprises into a meeting with them.
"Hi we are Silver lake a well funded investment firm from the USA. We really admire the All Blacks and think they are a great sporting brand and have the best winning record in any team sport with a real international competition. we want to a part of this so we will make you an incredible offer you can't refuse. We have studied your financial reports for the past ten years and we will give you up front the net present value of 50% of your projected revenues over the next 50 years plus a profit margin of 20% - that will come to $3 billion dollars we will give you. Yes really. All you have to do is give us 50% of your gross revenue not net revenue, gross revenue for the next 50 years."

And NZ RFU actually said yes and cashed out and now its marginal and variable income is halved making it hard for them to pay their bills or expand the game. I guess they have $3Billion to spend but that is a taxable windfall and knowing them how long will it take to burn through that.

I am not a rugby fan but it bothers me a new zealander they sold 50% of the All Blacks. i don't think that deal was fiscally prudent as it gives them no control over their future business cases and income statements.
Click to expand...
Try almost 6% not 50%!!!
 

Rebuffed Perth NRL bid made new $20m licence fee offer​

The now defunct consortium that backed a Perth-based bid to enter an NRL side in 2027 was rebuffed despite making a revised offer of a $20 million licence fee to join the competition.

When ARLC chairman Peter V'landys announced the introduction of the PNG NRL side for 2028 on December 12 last year, he also said the Perth consortium, known as the Western Bears and led by former Western Reds chairman Peter Cumins, was "in the dust bin".

V'landys added that the joint Perth bid with the North Sydney Bears was now "in the hands of the Western Australian government" and he was confident a new partnership with the NRL would get the bid over the line.

Cumins said the consortium's $30 million bid had initially been rebuffed by the NRL due to the lack of a licence fee payment. The bid had been tagged "low-ball" in some quarters, but that was far from the case.

AAP can reveal that Cumins, executive deputy chair of Cash Converters, upped the ante after the initial rejection of the bid in October.

"After our bid was rejected we re-submitted a counter-bid to the NRL, which included a $20 million licence fee," Cumins told AAP.

"We were led to believe that was what the stumbling block was. We also made some other concessions about retaining a certain level of working capital and around bank guarantee-type things."

Cumins said the consortium had lined up a CEO, potential coach and head of football, and had developed websites and foundation membership packages. He said the bid backers had put up $30 million.

The consortium had also worked with the City of Fremantle Council and the state government on a $20 million redevelopment of a local rugby league ground that the bid was going to help fund as a temporary facility for a professional club to operate from.

"We said to the NRL when we submitted our counter-bid that it was valid until December 20," Cumins said.

"That has come and gone and we wrote to the NRL to say we were out of the race.

"The investors have looked at other opportunities. You don't have that sort of money and not have it working.

"We wrote to the NRL and said that we had done all this work, had an agreement with the North Sydney Bears, agreed on logos, club names and had registered and trademarked them.

"We said that was all available to them if they want to recompense us for the money that we have spent.

"The only advice we got back from the NRL was that they had decided to go down a completely different business model and ... were going to go with a model of an NRL-owned team supported by the government."

AAP has spoken to other sources close to the state government who said Cumins' assessment was correct and that the NRL was forging ahead to initially own the new franchise itself with a monetary injection from the state government. The financials of that deal are still in flux.

Despite his consortium's rejection, Cumins hopes a Perth side succeeds.

"It is very disappointing for us, but if they can get a team up in Perth and there is anything I can do to help, then I will. That was my motivation for being involved," he said.

"I am a rugby league man. I would love to see a Perth team get up. If it is not privately owned and is owned by the NRL then I am not fussed. I will do anything to assist ... if asked."
 
WahsaurusRex said:

Rebuffed Perth NRL bid made new $20m licence fee offer​

The now defunct consortium that backed a Perth-based bid to enter an NRL side in 2027 was rebuffed despite making a revised offer of a $20 million licence fee to join the competition.

When ARLC chairman Peter V'landys announced the introduction of the PNG NRL side for 2028 on December 12 last year, he also said the Perth consortium, known as the Western Bears and led by former Western Reds chairman Peter Cumins, was "in the dust bin".

V'landys added that the joint Perth bid with the North Sydney Bears was now "in the hands of the Western Australian government" and he was confident a new partnership with the NRL would get the bid over the line.

Cumins said the consortium's $30 million bid had initially been rebuffed by the NRL due to the lack of a licence fee payment. The bid had been tagged "low-ball" in some quarters, but that was far from the case.

AAP can reveal that Cumins, executive deputy chair of Cash Converters, upped the ante after the initial rejection of the bid in October.

"After our bid was rejected we re-submitted a counter-bid to the NRL, which included a $20 million licence fee," Cumins told AAP.

"We were led to believe that was what the stumbling block was. We also made some other concessions about retaining a certain level of working capital and around bank guarantee-type things."

Cumins said the consortium had lined up a CEO, potential coach and head of football, and had developed websites and foundation membership packages. He said the bid backers had put up $30 million.

The consortium had also worked with the City of Fremantle Council and the state government on a $20 million redevelopment of a local rugby league ground that the bid was going to help fund as a temporary facility for a professional club to operate from.

"We said to the NRL when we submitted our counter-bid that it was valid until December 20," Cumins said.

"That has come and gone and we wrote to the NRL to say we were out of the race.

"The investors have looked at other opportunities. You don't have that sort of money and not have it working.

"We wrote to the NRL and said that we had done all this work, had an agreement with the North Sydney Bears, agreed on logos, club names and had registered and trademarked them.

"We said that was all available to them if they want to recompense us for the money that we have spent.

"The only advice we got back from the NRL was that they had decided to go down a completely different business model and ... were going to go with a model of an NRL-owned team supported by the government."

AAP has spoken to other sources close to the state government who said Cumins' assessment was correct and that the NRL was forging ahead to initially own the new franchise itself with a monetary injection from the state government. The financials of that deal are still in flux.

Despite his consortium's rejection, Cumins hopes a Perth side succeeds.

"It is very disappointing for us, but if they can get a team up in Perth and there is anything I can do to help, then I will. That was my motivation for being involved," he said.

"I am a rugby league man. I would love to see a Perth team get up. If it is not privately owned and is owned by the NRL then I am not fussed. I will do anything to assist ... if asked."
Click to expand...
I’m glad they went with the NRL owning/part owning the team to start with.
Vlandys will make this work.
 
The NRL’s multibillion-dollar broadcast rights are going up for sale in a development that could attract interest from some of the world’s biggest brands like Netflix, Amazon and Paramount.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is targeting a mid-year deadline for finalising the NRL’s next broadcast arrangement to take the game into a bold new era beyond 2027.

The commission is hopeful of a Perth NRL expansion franchise being confirmed following the March 8 state government election in Western Australia.

A Perth team would give the NRL a 19-team competition, and new audiences in WA and Papua New Guinea, to take to the negotiating table.

Regardless, the NRL is hoping to cash in on its next broadcast deal following a surge in the game’s popularity over the past five years which has led to record audiences and revenues.

V’landys told this masthead the NRL was on the verge of beginning negotiations for its next broadcast deal.

“We will be negotiating the rights this year,” he said.

“They don’t start until 2027 but you need to give yourself a couple of years’ lead time.

“We hope to have something done in the middle of this year.”

The NRL’s next broadcast negotiations are shaping up to be fascinating.

V’landys orchestrated what is reported to have been a $1.7 billion deal with Foxtel and Channel 9 during the Covid crisis of 2020 that threatened to sink the game.

The landscape has changed significantly since then following the introduction of the competition’s 17th team the Dolphins in 2023 and recent announcement a PNG franchise will enter in 2028.

A Perth team is still on the agenda for 2027 but is contingent on current WA Premier Roger Cook being re-elected given the bid is state-backed.

In an Olympics year, the NRL boasted four of the top five rating programs on free-to-air television for 2024 while Fox Sports reported record viewership for NRL games last year, including the inaugural Las Vegas season-opener.

While Australian free-to-air channels will be in the mix along with Foxtel, the NRL is also expected to attract global interest from streaming powerhouses as it pushes to top the AFL’s last $4.5 billion deal.

News Corporation, publishers of this masthead, last month announced it had struck an agreement for Foxtel to be sold to UK sports streaming giant DAZN (pronounced da-zone).

DAZN is expected to be a major player in the next broadcast cycle negotiations but may not be the only global brand.

Paramount, owners of Network Ten, has shown interest in Australian sports along with $4 trillion mega company Amazon, while Netflix recently paid US$150 million (A$240 million) to stream two NFL games on Christmas Day.

V’landys said he didn’t expect the sale of Foxtel to impact the NRL’s target price given the popularity of the code and potential bidders.

“I don’t think it will make any difference,” he said.

“We have got the most valuable rights in Australian sport. Last year we were the most viewed sport in Australia.

“It will also depend on if someone else wants the rights and there will be plenty of parties wanting the rights.

“The way free-to-air TV is going – sport, reality TV and news is their whole ball game. They are not competing for the other content anymore.”

As it stands, the NRL will launch an 18-team competition in 2028 when PNG joins the league but that could change if Perth is fast-tracked from 2027.

The commission’s ultimate goal is to have a 20-team competition within the next decade, which would create 10 games per week (eight currently) and a potential conference system.

“We are still in discussions with Perth and they have been positive,” V’landys said.

“Unfortunately for us the election is on March 8 so we will give it some breathing space until after that.

“We will look at a 20th team but that may not be done in this broadcast cycle.

“I wouldn’t discount another team from Queensland or New Zealand.”

 
WahsaurusRex said:
The NRL’s multibillion-dollar broadcast rights are going up for sale in a development that could attract interest from some of the world’s biggest brands like Netflix, Amazon and Paramount.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is targeting a mid-year deadline for finalising the NRL’s next broadcast arrangement to take the game into a bold new era beyond 2027.

The commission is hopeful of a Perth NRL expansion franchise being confirmed following the March 8 state government election in Western Australia.

A Perth team would give the NRL a 19-team competition, and new audiences in WA and Papua New Guinea, to take to the negotiating table.

Regardless, the NRL is hoping to cash in on its next broadcast deal following a surge in the game’s popularity over the past five years which has led to record audiences and revenues.

V’landys told this masthead the NRL was on the verge of beginning negotiations for its next broadcast deal.

“We will be negotiating the rights this year,” he said.

“They don’t start until 2027 but you need to give yourself a couple of years’ lead time.

“We hope to have something done in the middle of this year.”

The NRL’s next broadcast negotiations are shaping up to be fascinating.

V’landys orchestrated what is reported to have been a $1.7 billion deal with Foxtel and Channel 9 during the Covid crisis of 2020 that threatened to sink the game.

The landscape has changed significantly since then following the introduction of the competition’s 17th team the Dolphins in 2023 and recent announcement a PNG franchise will enter in 2028.

A Perth team is still on the agenda for 2027 but is contingent on current WA Premier Roger Cook being re-elected given the bid is state-backed.

In an Olympics year, the NRL boasted four of the top five rating programs on free-to-air television for 2024 while Fox Sports reported record viewership for NRL games last year, including the inaugural Las Vegas season-opener.

While Australian free-to-air channels will be in the mix along with Foxtel, the NRL is also expected to attract global interest from streaming powerhouses as it pushes to top the AFL’s last $4.5 billion deal.

News Corporation, publishers of this masthead, last month announced it had struck an agreement for Foxtel to be sold to UK sports streaming giant DAZN (pronounced da-zone).

DAZN is expected to be a major player in the next broadcast cycle negotiations but may not be the only global brand.

Paramount, owners of Network Ten, has shown interest in Australian sports along with $4 trillion mega company Amazon, while Netflix recently paid US$150 million (A$240 million) to stream two NFL games on Christmas Day.

V’landys said he didn’t expect the sale of Foxtel to impact the NRL’s target price given the popularity of the code and potential bidders.

“I don’t think it will make any difference,” he said.

“We have got the most valuable rights in Australian sport. Last year we were the most viewed sport in Australia.

“It will also depend on if someone else wants the rights and there will be plenty of parties wanting the rights.

“The way free-to-air TV is going – sport, reality TV and news is their whole ball game. They are not competing for the other content anymore.”

As it stands, the NRL will launch an 18-team competition in 2028 when PNG joins the league but that could change if Perth is fast-tracked from 2027.

The commission’s ultimate goal is to have a 20-team competition within the next decade, which would create 10 games per week (eight currently) and a potential conference system.

“We are still in discussions with Perth and they have been positive,” V’landys said.

“Unfortunately for us the election is on March 8 so we will give it some breathing space until after that.

“We will look at a 20th team but that may not be done in this broadcast cycle.

“I wouldn’t discount another team from Queensland or New Zealand.”

Click to expand...
Finally I can ditch sky and sky go 👌👌👌bloody extortionate prices and it's about time it changed hands as the only reason I'd have sky is rugby league.
 

Time of the essence for Perth NRL side: Dolphins CEO​

Story by Joel Gould

A new Perth-based NRL team slated for 2027 has the support of the Dolphins, whose CEO identified a ticking time bomb as the key challenge a new franchise must address.

The Dolphins were granted a licence as the NRL's 17th team on October 13, 2021 for the 2023 season. They started training and paying players just 384 days later on November 1, 2022.

With foundation coach Wayne Bennett at the helm for a 12-month lead-in to the opening season they successfully assembled a squad that finished a credible 13th and then 10th in 2024, despite missing out on signing NRL big guns Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga and others.

Off the field, with their facilities and financials, the Dolphins had every box ticked.

In December of last year the NRL rejected the Perth Bears consortium's bid headed by former Western Reds chairman Peter Cumins.

At this stage the NRL will pursue a franchise model that they initially own, while seeking financial assistance from the Western Australian government. The details of that structure are yet to be finalised and ARLC chairman Peter V'landys has indicated that won't be done until after the state's March 8 election.

Giving the new franchise time to get the best coach and players will be critical.

"That is the biggest focus," Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said.

"You can only sign players like (we did). We got no funding, no concessions and we could only sign players who were coming off contract the year before (in 2022).

"They were the conditions we were set and we worked with them.

"Because the Dolphins have come in and been able to do a good job - and our players have done a wonderful job in setting us up along with what we have done off the field - people think it is easy.

"It is actually not. Recruitment was our hardest part."

V'landys remains confident a Perth team will be up and running in 2027. If so they will need to be officially established and training by November 1, 2026.

The Dolphins have played two games in Perth in their short history, drawing 45, 814 at Optus Stadium against Newcastle in 2023 and 20,027 at HBF Park in the clash with Sydney Roosters last year.

Reader met with key movers and shakers behind the Perth bid when in Western Australia, as did former Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett.

The Dolphins have been vocal supporters of a Perth entry into the NRL since their inception and have walked the talk.

"The next best place for the NRL to go would be Perth to put the 'N' in the National Rugby League," Reader said.

"It would be on the other side of the country and give us another time slot for TV which is going to bank roll another side coming in."

The Dolphins had to wait an extra season to sign several of their biggest stars, including England centre Herbie Farnworth who came on board last year after leaving Brisbane.

The Dolphins would have wanted 18 months as a lead-in to their first NRL season at least if they could. Even so, Reader said the time line set for Perth and Papua New Guinea by the NRL may suit current players.

"Now we know PNG is coming in 2028 and a lot of players know another side (in 2027) is coming in their managers are putting them in a position that those years link up with their current contracts," he said.
 
If it wasn't for the evil News Corp & the weak as wet paper ARL we'd have 20 teams. 10 in Sydney and 10 outside and there wouldn't be this PNG nonsense where the government of gigantic Alcatraz are giving them $60m every year for 10 years.

As for a team in Perth, Sth Sydney's the only club without a home ground. Crowe would probably bite my head off for the suggestion. Alternatively they could take over Henson Park. It's less than 7klm from Redfern and they claim it can hold 30k, which is hard to believe looking at it on google maps.
 
What an all around terrible idea.

Partnership with super rugby team that's on the verge of collapse - check.

Playing out of a terrible stadium that they'd battle to get a quarter full - check.

Trying to muscle in on a city that's riding a Warriors wave - check.

Reckon they might need to check the guys backing this for CTE.
 
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