Hot topics and cold reactions in rugby league
Roar Guru Rugby league, like all sports, has its fair share of gossip, but the most recent has re-stoked a fire that should always be burning in any sports fan’s heart.
The most recent hot topics have been the leadership of the rugby league in Australia, the TV rights deal, and expansion or retention.
The leadership will see a drastic change in the near future, with the Independent Commission coming into effect only 36 months late.
The problem with the new leadership change is that it’s not all that independent. They all derive from New South Wales or Queensland. Not great if expansion is on the table and non-traditional heartlands are up against the two stronghold states.
To truly be independent they needed to have some outsiders, even people who don’t have knowledge of the past politics of the sport.
For example, someone from the NFL such as Green Bay Packers Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Sales Laura Sankey, or Marco Baldi, the CEO of Alba Berlin who made basketball acceptable and popular in Berlin.
As a whole there must be some slightly cold reactions to the ‘Independent’ Commission. It is a major positive step, and will shall test them by their fruits, but it could have been better.
The problem with the TV rights deal is the unpredictability of the outcome. We don’t even know what number the NRL is looking for, and we don’t know who will try for the NRL rights.
With Channel 7 achieving the holy grail of become the sole only free-to-air AFL channel in almost a decade, they will not be bidding for the rights of regular-season NRL (they may try for State of Origin or specialty games like the All-Stars or the ANZAC Tests).
Channel 10 seem to be, under the direction of Murdoch and co., trying to rid themselves of sport altogether (with the new ONE showing 24 with Keifer Sutherland).
It may seem that Channel 9 will only have to face Fox Sports for the rights, and this could leave the NRL with much less than they bargained for.
It may turn out that there could be a bidding war which could lead to the NRL receiving a large deal, but it is most likely the NRL will remain on Channel 9 and the NRL will have to embrace mediocre broadcasting for another five years.
The reaction to that one could be very cold.
When it comes to expansion, rugby league has a safety net – New South Wales and Queensland. But it has remained in its comfort zone for far too long.
Melbourne Storm have shown that with enough time you can establish a footprint. It may be small, but it can only grow.
Rugby league needs to expand, it cannot remain on the Eastern Seaboard and on the M62 in England. It must move to new markets, try some adventurous strategies.
Yes, it must be smart and not go over the top by placing a team in every capital city, but it must make a move.
Retention is vital, the NRL must try and expand its audience in the heartland, but it must move to new markets and see new heartlands emerge.
The next four years are vital to the strength of league in Australia. If it stays where it is it will only go backwards. If it moves out from where it is it may go either forward or backward, but at least it moved.
New markets mean new clientele and new horizons. New markets are what TV CEOs are after, and the NRL must cater to both the TV CEO and the people of Australia. Expand and retain.
These four years could see a cold reaction, but it will be even colder if the NRL does not move.
These hot topics all have reactions, and the reactions can sometimes be cold. But for the sake of the NRL and rugby league in Australia we must confront these hot topics and find ways to ensure we don’t have cold reactions.
Rugby league will not survive on resting on its laurels but by confronting issues that have confronted all sports.
Let’s hope Rugby league can be smarter than its counterparts.
- Explore:
- NRL, NRL expansion, Rugby League
July 15th 2011 @ 9:20am
oikee said | July 15th 2011 @ 9:20am | Report comment
I wanted to see Laura Samkey at the Broncos, but yes it would have been great to see her on the Commish, again rugby league has been found wanting going for the soft option.
As for expansion, the safe bet is Perth and Brisbane. A team to expand the game, and a team to grow the game in Brisbane to greater hieghts, long over due.
As for tv deals, mate i would only sign a 3 year deal, we got stung by a 6 year deal last time, make it 3 years with a 3 year option. And instead of having restrictions on the game like channel 9 has made, make some of our own for the networks, like if you dont show the game into every state, we can offsell, and if you dont show it live, we can show it live on any other outlet.
Time rugby league started to use its head. And you have to break the game up, Origin and tests plus any other games need to be sold separately, and we also need a full year shedule, the game has evolved so that the bottom team is capable of beating the top team, so any game is as good as the next.
All this nonsense has to stop, being used as nothing more than a wet soggy pawn is no longer acceptable.
July 15th 2011 @ 1:10pm
GrecoRoman said | July 15th 2011 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
You might want to be careful about breaking up the rights to club and rep games rather than have them both in the one package. A broadcaster would be very happy to just focus on big rating rep games and leave club games on the back-burner.
July 16th 2011 @ 10:06pm
Bam Bam said | July 16th 2011 @ 10:06pm | Report comment
I like the 3-year deal, it also makes it look cheaper to the buyer. As it also does help us raise the amount every 3 years as compared to 5 or 6 and the 3 year option would insure we don’t lose money.
I think the IC will be a lot smarter than our previous negotiators, but I just hope that RL in Australia expands. WA should have been pushed a long time ago to be honest. It is the highest participator of RL outside of QLD and NSW – still, even with the Melbourne Storm in Vic. And it could have been a success had they stuck there throughout the SL war to this day. Imagine Western Australians playing in the Kangaroos, alongside Victorians.
This game needs to go national, not emulate the AFL (I think the FFA and Hockey have a better diagram to be blunt), but to make sure that a) this game survives and b) our game gets better. The more competition the better the product.
July 18th 2011 @ 4:49pm
oikee said | July 18th 2011 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
The hockey is one of my favorite Olmypic sports. Great veiwing.
July 15th 2011 @ 9:26am
GrecoRoman said | July 15th 2011 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Broadcast deal is going to be a tough one. Forget OneHD – that’s all but dead in the water and overall Ch.10 is cutting costs and axing programs and putting others on notice. Ch.7 have gone for AFL so it really only leaves Ch.9 as FTA bidder. I think a lot of NRL’s strategies hinge on the broadcast deal and it doesn’t look too favourable at this stage.
July 15th 2011 @ 3:16pm
Epiquin said | July 15th 2011 @ 3:16pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t be surprised if Channel 10 is cutting costs in order to fund a raid on NRL.
July 15th 2011 @ 12:18pm
Jaceman said | July 15th 2011 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
I think Channel 7 will bid in the hope they can do a deal with Nine not to bid but give them some scraps in return. I still say Stokes holds the key to Perth because he owns the only newsppaper in town (I’m neglecting the Oz) and as Storm, GWS and GCS have shown you need the local paper onside to get traction in a new market. So the NRL will have to placate him somehow. The impact of News Ltds problems on the NRL rights should be minimal but you never know….
July 16th 2011 @ 4:01pm
Boomshanka said | July 16th 2011 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
You mentioned the Storm in the same sentence as “…..have shown you need the local paper onside to get traction in a new market” FYI, The Melbourne Herald Sun do not promote rugby league in the southern capital.
I’d suggest News Limited is currently reaping what it has sowed. I trust we see them out of rugby leagues future as well.
July 15th 2011 @ 12:41pm
clipper said | July 15th 2011 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
“it cannot remain on the Eastern Seaboard and on the M62 in England” – a fair summation of how far RL has spread. Only 3 of the super league teams are outside the M62 area, and the majority of people who attend games live in 4 postal areas along the M62.
July 16th 2011 @ 3:20pm
Crosscoder said | July 16th 2011 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
Clipper.
That unfortunately is only part of the story.
Just to keep you up to speed.
http://www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/07/15/rugby-league-beginning-to-make-its-mark-in-London
The notation by BSKyB is that 69% of the total ESL viewing audience is outside the M62 corridor>But,but.but.
as far as Wales is concerned
http://www.rlef.eu.com/news/article/220/business-confidence-grows-in-wales.
The fact the game is played in just about every major tertiary institution in England and many in Wales and now Scotland ,represents the future .That the biggest schools rugby league tournament in the world is in England ,Wales and now Scotland. All the above suggests the code ,is getting out of its M62 harness.
July 16th 2011 @ 10:16pm
Bam Bam said | July 16th 2011 @ 10:16pm | Report comment
That’s good, but it’s still not enough. Union is seeing great growth in their game in England, and the Union is increasing its distance between League as the preferred option of Rugby. This needs to change. League should have the more growing room – moving into London should be a great market 13 mill people. I thought Rugby League should have tried to secure Newcastle as a Rugby League town, but they missed out. I also thought they should try and get a Manchester team. I know Salford is close, but they get 3,000 supporters, that’s ridiculous.
July 17th 2011 @ 12:28pm
Crosscoder said | July 17th 2011 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Not enough,in what scheme of things ? All codes had to start from zero or small bases.To get any idea about grassroots development go to London rugby league website or the RFL.I don’t belive they are standing still.
That is why the RLWC2013 is important ,to secure additional funding.
The biggest problem for the ESL was reliance on too many Aussie and NZ imports,thus denying locals a spot.That is gradually being reduced.
As far as comparison , Welsh grassroots rl has increased by 300% ,making it the fastest growing sport in that region.
The ESL have just announced their consecutive 9th year of profits,thus putting them in a position to expand the game further.
Notice in sporting life a yank has landed a top RLEF role ,which organisation is apparently growing well.
http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleag
July 15th 2011 @ 12:45pm
Johnno said | July 15th 2011 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
Rugby league is growing massively is Jamacia and Lebanon. The english super league is helping Jamaica and the rest of the west indies islands with rugby league. A big west indian population in england. Why the NRL is not helping jamica astounds me so much talant, but england is helping them. i read the Jamaica rugby league website very impressive. and USA rugby league is developing the sleeping giant. Russian rugby league was developing so well but fell in a heap now rugby is the sport there. Rugby league is developing nicely in ukraine and chichi republic, would be good if south africa cam through mro ein rugby league. They all know about rugby league and would be an easy transfer to rugby league with so rugby union players in south africa. and someone has to put a bit more. I invest money into PNG and th pacific islands so much talent there especially PNG in terms of numbers and sheer passion for the game. I want to see more Adrian Lams, Neville costigan, Marcus bay’s of this World, and Fiji’s Noa Nadruku’s in the NRL.
July 15th 2011 @ 1:59pm
Numbers man said | July 15th 2011 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Johnno,
While I like your positive outlook the NRL the fact is rugby is 10 times bigger in the USA than league and alot of the smaller European nation have a sort of decent semi pro rugby comp. League will be making in roads but will struggle to be decent. To give you an idea on the talent a players Matt Vautin couldnt quite cut it at Narraweena and moved to the USA where he is listed in a media release by the Northern Raiders as
‘Some of the top Australians the Raiders are welcoming in 2011 are Adam Shaw, Dan Fullarton, and Matt Vautin’
As a side note the Northern Raiders ( New York Raiders) basically took the Canberra Raiders logo and changed the name…….go the BOMBERS
July 15th 2011 @ 3:25pm
Epiquin said | July 15th 2011 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
In 2004 The Kangaroos played a 1 off test against USA’s national team ‘The Tomohawks’ at Yankee stadium.
expecting an embarrassing scoreline, the game made absolutely no waves in the media, that is until the Tomohawks found themselves ahead at half time. The end result was a very very respectable 36-24 with the Aussies snatching victory.
USA has also restructured their comp and governing body. Stay tuned.
July 15th 2011 @ 3:35pm
Epiquin said | July 15th 2011 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Sorry, another interesting fact: Matthew Elliott seems to have found life after Penrith as the head coach of the tomohawks.
July 16th 2011 @ 12:19am
Johnno said | July 16th 2011 @ 12:19am | Report comment
Yes I agree Numbers man, good points you make rugbyleague has a long way to go. But i think rugby league has potential in jamica, Soth africa , ukriane,czech republic. I was very impressed with the jamica rugby league website, they remind me a bit of who Georgia in rugby uninon is developing. slOW AND STEADY AND SENISBLE. and REMARKABLY THEY HAVE QUALIFIED COACHES AND A FEW officials who all have the top accreditation by Uk rugby league standards it is impressive. I can only see them getting better, and if we could tap into the abundance of south africna league players then why not. SO much rugby union talent in south afrcia. And the thing about rugby league which it has one advantage over rugby union i think is it is initially at the junior stage a very easy game to intertparat and play, so you need less technical coaches in the the teenage ranks. mind you at schools rugby the only grade that they actually police and take seriously is the 1st 15 , where they punish things like coming in format he side. But at every other level of school rugby bar 1 team only the 1st 15 they are a lot more relaxed and very loos bout the rules. a BIT like offside in soccer at juniors, i have never seen that rule interpreted properly except at the 1st 11 rule to when i was at school.
I am a rugby man , but like league so i want both codes to grow as i have enjoyed and played both codes all my life.
July 17th 2011 @ 12:36pm
Crosscoder said | July 17th 2011 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Numbers Man
It is obvious that ru has a tremendous advantage over rl overseas.That is not the point.the point being there is a huge population base spread throughout Europe,Middle east and the USA/Canada,plenty of room to make reasonable growth.
In fact in the last 12 months in the USA/Canada and Jamaica the growth has accelerated.In fact both the competing rl comps in the US the AMNRL and the USARL,have received enquiries about setting up rl teams in other US cities.The Jacksonville Axeman in fact get 1,000 plus to their games to date and are getting the game into schools.The bulk of players in these comps are locals.Small in the scheme of things but growing.
July 15th 2011 @ 1:20pm
Gaz said | July 15th 2011 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
All of that is just fine but at the moment they appear not to be able to put their own commission together let alone helping anyone else.
You don’t hear a peep from Gallop anymore, the judiciary is suing a state coach heaven help us.
Until the administrators get their own house in order all else will remain withering on the vine including expansion and TV deals.
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July 15th 2011 @ 1:39pm
Numbers man said | July 15th 2011 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
I have been following the NRL crowds for quite a while now and as the present round stands there is 13 less people than last year. Just 13.
For me it shows that the NRL has either hit a saturation point or more people are watching it but in the confines of thier lounge room. or both.
Expansion into to Perth and Adelaide come at a risk and the reduction of the pokie revenue will be interesting on the funds of some of the sydeny clubs.
The SOO is getting bigger TV crowds helped by the 1-1 result after 2 games and Lockyers retirement.
I really think now the NRL is at a cross road it can step up another level or flatline for quite a while.
July 15th 2011 @ 3:41pm
turbodewd said | July 15th 2011 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
I suggest average crowd numbers could be improved by having byes on a dedicated SOO weekend. Why? Because crowds suffer when stars are missing. A fan attending the SOO is unlikely to attend NRL games before or after AND weather is at its worst around SOO time.
I also put it to anyone that if we lopped 2-4 rounds off the NRL total crowds would be the same, but the average would be higher.
July 16th 2011 @ 10:01pm
Bam Bam said | July 16th 2011 @ 10:01pm | Report comment
I don’t think it’s saturated as of yet. I think the stadiums can fill up a bit more to be honest. And I really like how the NRL is getting behind the Membership drive. I was a member last year of the Broncos and it was awesome (I live overseas now, so unfortunately I get my fix from sports reports), I think the Membership thing is also getting more people dedicated to their club and with kids going to school telling other kids what they did on the weekend, this membership thing can only be good.
We do need to find other ways of getting our supporters to the games, but that is why I thought Laura Sankey should have been appointed. Her whole role is to bring in money and supporters for the GB Packers. She makes sure that over 75,000 tickets are sold for each game in a town of only 240,000 people.
And with the expansion, that’s where I thought a Marco Baldi would come in handy. Those type of people know how to generate support for a relatively new sport.
We do need to expand, but we also need to grow our heartland’s support.
My bid would be for Perth and Central Coast. Brisbane Broncos should be selling out that stadium every time, so I don’t think Brisbane is a success yet.
July 18th 2011 @ 4:54pm
oikee said | July 18th 2011 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
I think the Broncos missed a opportunity with Laura, they went the safe option, a dinosaur Bronco fan.
July 15th 2011 @ 1:41pm
Charles said | July 15th 2011 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Rugby League should have expanded years ago. Instead it was not that long ago with Super League they wanted to shrink the amount of teams we had then. We need a state competition in each state and to do that we need a blueprint to how that is done.
For example, you may have a 12 team competition North, South, East, West Sydney and another 8 teams spread throughout NSW. For example; Illawarra, Newcastle, Canberra, Albury, Tweed Heads, wherever. You do the same in each state and you do that in this way. As each state fulfils its amount you go to the next state with teams playing that may not come from that state.
For example, say NSW have 12 teams, and then other teams like Melbourne, NZ, play in the QLD competition until they fill up. Then they go to Victoria and so on. So this means states like WA, SA can play in the QLD competition until they are strong enough to play in their own right. This means we can fill each state very quickly having plenty of room to expand.
We can have it they play once against each other then they can also create a state team competition, at the end of the state grand final. Do this in each country and you will have Rugby League the No1 sport throughout the world and quickly.
July 15th 2011 @ 3:29pm
Epiquin said | July 15th 2011 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
I think a better structure for a nsw comp would be north shore/central coast, CBD, Inner West, Greater West, The Shire/Illawarra, newcastle, Canberra and another regional team. 8 is probably the magic number.
July 15th 2011 @ 4:05pm
Charles said | July 15th 2011 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
Epiquin, I agree an 8 team competition would probably be better, than follow with a State Competition, but perhaps further down the track. It all depends what they have in mind, as long as we grow and faster than what we have been. The majority of the population is in the city but people will travel to see a good game with the right infrastructure in place.
July 15th 2011 @ 4:11pm
Epiquin said | July 15th 2011 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
And thats the key thing in the end isn’t it Charles: Infrastructure. I think Sydney could easily handle all its current teams if getting to a game was as easy as it seems to be in Melbourne.
Spend an hour travelling to a stadium on 2 crowded trains and a stinky bus with screaming children. or sit in front of the TV???
July 15th 2011 @ 4:28pm
Charles said | July 15th 2011 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Epiquin, with the Broadband comming in, I think more people will live in regional areas and the demand for better infrastructure will take place.If a state competition was to unfold, clubs would save a fortune over a year on air travel.