Time for NRL to be proactive not reactive
Roar Pro David Gallop the ever conservative led rugby league well, but he did it in a reactionary matter. Whenever another code did something, Gallop struck back in return.
Now he has finally been relieved of his duties as CEO, it’s time for a change, to implement a person who is strong willed, forward thinking, and intelligent. Who can take rugby league forward through the next couple of years.
Crowds may have grown under Gallop’s tenure but they have begun to stagnate, which should see memberships and developing an attendance culture become a key focus. If this culture were to eventuate somehow it won’t be to a level of the AFL, but at least the crowds will increase from current figures.
Long-term planning is something rugby league tends to lack. It always seems to be of the short-term due to the reactionary nature of league administration, who act when it is finally pushed by another code. An example is when the AFL’s new teams were set to arrive, the NRL administration all of sudden promoted memberships when it hadn’t done so in the past 10, 20, even 30 years.
Expansion is a hot topic as always but if the ARLC was to implement new teams they must stick with them for good – not like in the mid 90′s which saw Western Reds, South Queensland Crushers, Adelaide Rams all brought in and culled in short time.
Also, the expansion teams tend to fight for themselves wherever they’re located. Compare this to the AFL, who gives a helping hand to their teams. An example is when the Brisbane Bears (Lions)/Sydney Swans who got bailed out of bankruptcy by AFL multiple times so they could finally prosper and the AFL prospered. The ARL just let the expansion teams die and didn’t do anything to help them prosper.
The ARLC must provide financial assistance to the expansion teams so they can promote the game outside of Queensland/NSW. Sure the Sydney teams won’t be happy but they have to deal with it. Because it will benefit everyone in the long-run, which is something league administration never thinks of.
Overall, I wish Gallop the best in his future endeavours. He did well to deal with various issues – they can test a person’s sanity. As for the ARLC, the time has come for it to move forward to the future.
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The Crowd Says (38) | Page 1 of Comments
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June 9th 2012 @ 5:41am
Johnno said | June 9th 2012 @ 5:41am | Report comment
PNG is rumoured to be sending a team in the QLD cup in 2013 based out of Port Moreseby. big mining money in PNG and mining magnates.
June 9th 2012 @ 7:31am
Benson said | June 9th 2012 @ 7:31am | Report comment
There was a PNG team in the Q Cup 10 years ago. Realistically we are probably another 20-25 years from entertaining the possibility of having a side based in Moresby.
A lot more work has to be done at junior levels. We currently have a touch over 9,000 registered players we need to increase that to 30,000. To do that we need funding for adequate playing fields, accredited coaching, uniforms and equipment.
It has to be remembered that 2/3 of the population live on less than $3 a day so it makes junior sport basically non existent. Lloyd Robson oval is a mess and needs work immediately. Transport and distance also makes things difficult, not to mention the other social and political problems.
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June 9th 2012 @ 10:21am
Alex in Canberra said | June 9th 2012 @ 10:21am | Report comment
I notice you don’t have the guts to put your name to this cheap shot article. Says it all.
June 9th 2012 @ 1:44pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
Personally, I dont see any cheap shots in the article at all …
June 9th 2012 @ 12:21pm
oikee said | June 9th 2012 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Yes, all this 20, 30, 50 year planning, lets get real,. lets start to live in the now. I want a team in Perth, a second team in Brisbane,. The other area’s can worry about their own when and if they want a team.
As for now, a second Brisbane team will make huge money, a team in Perth under the watxchful eye of a billionaire, all well and good.
Forget 50 years from now, international sports will rule.
Asia is the future growth. We are nothing but a tentical, so lets just liive for the now, that should be the new motto of rugby league.
“Live in the Now”, Big hits, Big Origin, big players on the big screen, toomorrow may never come.
June 9th 2012 @ 1:21pm
Michael/Brisbane said | June 9th 2012 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
Live for the now? That’s what they’ve been doing for the last 100 years and look where it has got them.
June 9th 2012 @ 1:31pm
Gaz said | June 9th 2012 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
It’s got ‘them’ to a point of becoming the number one football code in the country and rightly so, That’s where it’s got them!
June 9th 2012 @ 1:36pm
Michael/Brisbane said | June 9th 2012 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
Mmm you might want to check that one again. How so are they number 1?
June 9th 2012 @ 1:47pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
Michael,
As far as the AFL goes, they are leading the other sports on crowds, sponsorships, members and total dollars. They are also winning on financial reserves, definitely including equity in stadiums.
Apart from his dumb, dumb, dumb idea of relying on a single owner who could go broke or lose interest for the WA side, Oikee has it right on the short term expansion path – its not a National anything with only three states represented.
June 9th 2012 @ 2:07pm
Michael/Brisbane said | June 9th 2012 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Ian,
I agree with you. The AFL is the number 1 code, It’s undisputed. And I agree the NRL need to expand. But the whole short-term thing is a joke, that is why in 2012 they are only just starting to push memberships and have only just created the independent commision.
June 9th 2012 @ 2:47pm
Gaz said | June 9th 2012 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
Enjoy it while you can Ian. We are still here chipping away even with all our faults. We are on the cusp of a whole new era and very excited I can understand others becoming nervous. Putting our three states up against all the AFLs expanded clubs we’re not that far behind. With expansion into other states, nurturing the virtually untapped Pacific Islands, PNG and New Zealand our future is assured. Going to be a great ride Ian that all Rugby Leage supporters will enjoy.
June 10th 2012 @ 12:40pm
Ghost said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
AFL is no.1 only IN VIC, SA, WA.
NRL is No.1 in NSW & QLD.
The problem with league is the CEO did not have a plan for the near or long term future and also he did not negotiate a bigger TV “paydays” for the last two contracts. I am glad League is looking for the right man.
June 9th 2012 @ 2:08pm
Gaz said | June 9th 2012 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Michael,
Said they were at a point of becoming number one. You are inferring that by living ‘for the now’ they have been somewhat disadvantaged and I concur. That said, my point is given those disadvantages, we are not that far away from becoming number one and thus indicating the true strength of our product. Now that the league is being administered correctly it’s really only a matter of time before monies from our new TV deal will be spent on expansion and to strengthen our weaker areas will archive that goal. However, I believe there is room in this country for all codes to co-exist and to see another football code sponsor the Storm and Broncos trial game in Tassie earlier this year is a prime example.
June 9th 2012 @ 2:32pm
Michael/Brisbane said | June 9th 2012 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
Gaz, on re-reading your comment I realize that you did in fact say ‘at the point of’ and so I apologize. The NRL has very much the potential to become number 1, but as it stands it is not – and it is not because of the people running the game, their agenda, and lack of long-term planning. The fact of the matter is that with more than half of the population in QLD/NSW it should already be number 1 But I do agree with you, wether the NRL or AFL hold that mantle it matters little, I think they can all co-exist.
June 9th 2012 @ 3:27pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
Gaz,
“Now that the league is being administered correctly it’s really only a matter of time before monies from our new TV deal will be spent on expansion and to strengthen our weaker areas will archive that goal.”
Evidence, thank you. Im seeing nothing done about Cronulla, Canberra, Gold Coast or Penrith. Im not seeing any effort put in to coordinating sponsorships, multi-game memberships or improving crowds.
I am seeing club CEOs demanding an increase in their allocation, however.
June 9th 2012 @ 4:06pm
Gaz said | June 9th 2012 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Ian,
Said it was a matter of time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, after the TV deal I’m sure there are plans waiting to be actioned. Gallop’s leaving indicates to me that the ICs honeymoon is over so watch this space I guess. We have to remember the AFL had a 300M head start with their previous television contract and have appeared to make every post a winner although their last expansion sides are struggling at the minute.
Yes Ian we need to let the IC take their time and likewise make every post a winner. Personally looking forward to it.
June 9th 2012 @ 6:32pm
oikee said | June 9th 2012 @ 6:32pm | Report comment
All this long term planning is a load of bullocks. Look , i could long term plan, put a team in China, come back in 50 years and say look, we have a team in China. Big deal, in 50 years i could have the Chinese watching rugby league and wishing to pay for the privelige every winter.
TV is the reason basebakll basketball and NFL is watched in China, not because they play alot of the games.
The NRL is on the right path, little by little it is getting more countires added to the Origin list, and this is what they should be worried about, patenting the words”State of Origin”.
It is related to rugby league, we have already lost the words super league, we dont want to lose Origin.
To prove my point, the EPL is the most watched code worldwide.
June 9th 2012 @ 7:34pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 7:34pm | Report comment
Oikee,
Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Hope is not a plan. “Get the Chinese to play rugby league” is not a plan.
“Strengthening Fiji as a rugby league country by 1. Three games a year for the Fiji national side, including a game every two years against Australia. 2. Training Fijiian coaches and referees, so 15 Fijiians achieve qualifications each year. 3. Assist Fiji RL to bring 2 grounds up to sufficient standard. 4. Ensure NRL and Origin televised to Fiji FTA tv. 5. Assist Fijiian national team players to achieve NRL contracts by subsidised placements at Qld/Metro Cup sides and specialised offseason coaching” is a plan.
Regarding patenting ‘State of Origin’, there’s some serious prior art, based around the fact Australian Rules do SoO first.
Gaz,
Both the AFL’s expansion sides have full slates of sponsors and 9-10k members. They are getting crowds indistinguishable from those of most RL clubs. They have guaranteed funding for five years.
Yeah, they have issues on the paddock … but then again, so do Penrith, Parramatta and Canberra.
They also have the strategic advantage of the AFL’s Disequal Funding model, where AFL House will clearly and openly play favorites, and make sure that clubs that need the extra help get it (occasionally with strings attached, like we’re changing your CEO).
The relationship between the NSWRL, the QRL and the IC is still a question mark, and specifically around support for country footy and the State leagues.
June 9th 2012 @ 9:11pm
Gaz said | June 9th 2012 @ 9:11pm | Report comment
Yes Ian, the AFL do look after ther struggling teams but it caused them to record a $24M deficit to Feb of this year with Demetriou having to take a pay cut. So it’s not all sunny skies there either. There is no doubt that the AFL are the leaders at the minute but that doesn’t mean they are necessarily heading in the right direction.
You’re quite correct regarding the NSWRL and QRL and they again go head to head next Wed nite. It’s called the State of Origin and I accept the AFL started it, we just made it work.
June 9th 2012 @ 9:58pm
Meesta Cool said | June 9th 2012 @ 9:58pm | Report comment
Hey Gaz. nice Ostrich thinking mate!. #1 LOL.
June 9th 2012 @ 10:45pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 10:45pm | Report comment
Gaz,
The $24m is roughly the equity the AFL put into Skoda and Metricon.
It was also, more or less, about what one and a half AFL clubs spent on things other than player salaries
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/collingwoood-magpies-spend-20m-to-buy-flag/story-e6frg7mf-1226049430571
The AFL could spend that and not blink because the acerage crowd at an AFL game is about 10 000 better than the average crowd at an NRL game.
Punters through the gate. If you’re about sporting professionals, its about punters through the gate.
June 10th 2012 @ 12:13am
Gaz said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:13am | Report comment
Ian,
Take your point but not so sure they can make it up with out blinking having stated it would take five years to recoup the net loss. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/expansion-comes-at-cost-for-afl/story-e6frg7mf-1226273777584. This is an indication of the cost of expansion and I doubt the NRL would be able to fund in a like manner without the TV contract they are so desperately seeking. I would expect they would more than likely want to sort out their existing clubs financially before entertaining any additional clubs. Problem being any TV deal might be back ended to reflect expansion into other states sooner rather than later.
June 10th 2012 @ 12:54am
Ian Whitchurch said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:54am | Report comment
Gaz,
Its chicken and egg – the TV contract will be worse because Perth, Brisbane Crushers and Adelaide got cut from the competition, so there isnt the number of games and geographic spread to justify the really big dollars that support expansion teams.
As well, the AFL can afford it because it gives smaller handouts to clubs that dont need the money.
The weaker NRL head office doesnt want Brisbane Broncos whining at them, so they get the same amount of money as, say, Canberra. Which they then give to shareholders as dividends, losing that money to the code.
Finally, Gold Coast Suns made a profit last year, mostly due to their management rights to Metricon (thank you Foo Fighters ! That concert is rumoured to have netted more than memberships did). My feeling is, given their stadium deals, the expansion clubs wont need all the $45m thats been allocated to them over 5 years.
June 10th 2012 @ 3:06am
Gaz said | June 10th 2012 @ 3:06am | Report comment
Ian,
Agreed, the Current NRL system is not a good one, the salary cap is designed to even the clubs up on the footy field and it does that to a large extent but by making the weaker clubs stronger it is also holding the stronger clubs back and therefore the entire NRL back.
It’s easy to say that the handouts to clubs like the Broncos are going back to their shareholders but you know that’s not the case. Those monies would go into the running of the team funds and would be divorced from the overall business package. Profits and therefore dividends are achieved through the sale of merchandise, bums on seats, poker machines and whatnot. There is much for the new commission to sort out but it appears they have made a start.
June 9th 2012 @ 2:20pm
bjt said | June 9th 2012 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
Realistically, we only need 4 more teams to become a truly national comp. League could go a close to calling itself the national pastime if that happened and achieve something no other major sport in Australia has. It’s just a shame that the great game of rugby league is full to the brim of naysayers. We had one running the shop for the last 10 years.
I just hope the next guy in, stands up for the game, and says it’s the best product in the world. I want that person to say Channel 9 will not get league again, because it had its many chances, and has proven it values it as second rate product. I want him or her to say by the end of 2020 we’ll have a team in every capital city in Australia, and now we, Australia are going to make the International game great and a leader of sport. I want them to laugh in press conferences at the Sydney press and say, Who’s gus gould? When the whinging starts.
I’m tired of everyone treating league as if it was a cancer patient. What it is, is a juggernaut. We just need someone to let it off the chains.
June 9th 2012 @ 5:55pm
154roma said | June 9th 2012 @ 5:55pm | Report comment
bjt – couldn’t agree with you more. Leagues greatest problem is it seems to constantly second guess itself from within. If only its supporters would shout its praises a liitle more often (and more loudly) rather than constanly seemingly expressing the negative, it probably would aready be number 1.
June 9th 2012 @ 6:38pm
oikee said | June 9th 2012 @ 6:38pm | Report comment
Rugby leagues future starts now.
June 9th 2012 @ 8:42pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | June 9th 2012 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
I hope the new bloke has a plan on making the Queensland Cup a professional competition. Pay the contracted players in the competition around $20,000 each. It isn’t a huge amount, but it’s enough to allow them to live off rugby league. Fijians and Papua New Guineans would jump at the opportunity to earn $20,000 a year. Fringe playes who are on the cusp of reaching the NRL could earn a living while they perfect their game. The extra talent it’ll produce will help the NRL when it decides to add expansion teams to the competition.
The QRL must accept the PNG bid and look forward to introducing a team in Darwin. Logan needs a team of its own in the QLD Cup. Toowoomba must be brought back.
June 9th 2012 @ 10:49pm
bjt said | June 9th 2012 @ 10:49pm | Report comment
The QLD Cup has a lot of potential, and really can be thanked for the incredible depth of Queensland talent at the moment. Hopefully it’s maintained and continues to prosper. The NSWRL is trying to set it back though, with the exclusion rule for NSW NRL teams not being able to source from them, in an effort to strengthen the NSW Cup. In other words, an attempt to weaken the QLD Cup, by luring talent to NSW Cup – Just like the old days. Another classic example of the selfish attitude of NSW and their never wavering desire to punish and not embrace the successful.
Good news is, any expansion in the NRL outside of NSW will most definitely be supported by QLD Cup. So if there’s two new teams and including Melbourne, that will now be at least 6 clubs requiring the services of the QCup.
I would really like channel ten to buy the rights to the Qcup and start airing live games. It would be cheap and they might actually start getting some people watching One. You’ve got the second best league comp in Australia, and the third in the world (saying behind super league – why dont they buy that too?). It’s great that they do basketball and netball, but league’s the meal ticket and they could use it as a vehicle to show the NRL what they could do with the product of league. Just imagine if Channel 10 aired only 2 live Qcup games a week? That would surpass the current level support on nine with the premier competition.
A PNG team has been tried before, but money issues held in back. In theory it is a great idea to get PNG in there, national or QLD, but in reality there’s just too many underlying issues. For starters I think everyone’s got to realize it’s a developing country, aka poor and lacking the infrastructure of the developed world. It’s currently suffers from chronic corruption, safety issues, they’re currently going through very serious HIV/AIDS epidemic (that gets very little attention in Australia) that would have to be considered as League is a heavy contact sport. Lastly, the NRL keeps its players on a tight leash, how will it treat a people with a very different culture than our own?
If the rugby league could help this country on it path to progress, I’d be happy to see the NRL in there, but in reality I want the NRL/Australia Rugby league to develop the international game, not have the responsibility to develop a nation.
June 9th 2012 @ 11:35pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | June 9th 2012 @ 11:35pm | Report comment
bjt,
PNG have already submitted a bid to the QRL. The Prime Minister of PNG has pledged his full support behind the bid, including a K1.5 million payment if the QRL gives them the green light. Brad Tassell spoke about it on ABC Radio. He met with the QRL in Melbourne during origin week, or some time around that period. He said the QRL were highly impressed with the bid.
Here is what was said in a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister:
CEO of the PNG NRL Bid, Brad Tassell who has been dealing with the Queensland
Rugby League for the past 10 months said he was now confident of a positive result
having received the Prime Minister’s full backing.
“Once we receive a positive response from the Queensland Rugby league, the plan is
to invite 40 players from across the nation to attend a training camp in Port Moresby
for four weeks,” he said.
‘A final squad of 25 players will then be selected and managed as full time
professionals.
‘We will have full control over their diet, physical and mental development to ensure
they can compete and represent their country at a very high level.”
http://www.pncpng.com/pdf/20120514_pma_pnc_pr_media_alert_rugby_league_bid.pdf
June 10th 2012 @ 12:57am
bjt said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:57am | Report comment
Thanks for the link. An interesting development and maybe a step in the right direction, however it’s no done deal. The job of Prime Minster in PNG isn’t the most stable of positions these days.
Having PNG in an Australian rugby league competition would be great achievement for the country of PNG and for the sport of league. The only problem is, as I said before, its a developing country, with many issues. All it will take are few incidents, and dream could be over before its started.
But regardless, it would be great to have them in the Queensland Cup again. Any advancement of our sport is a good thing.
June 9th 2012 @ 10:56pm
Ian Whitchurch said | June 9th 2012 @ 10:56pm | Report comment
Qgirl said,
“Pay the contracted players in the competition around $20,000 each. It isn’t a huge amount, but it’s enough to allow them to live off rugby league.”
No. Its not. Its less than you earn working 20 hours a week at a labouring job. It’ll help, but thats not enough to live off rugby league.
As well, assuming 25 players per team at $20k per, its about half a million a year, per team. Assume twelve subsidised teams in the Queensland Cup – thats $6m. Do it for the Metro Cup as well. At $12m, thats roughly the turnover of an NRL side.
Personally, I’d do it via a 3% sling on a NRL players salary, going back to their old club(s), because that way, as a club develops NRL players, money flows back to it.
June 9th 2012 @ 11:29pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | June 9th 2012 @ 11:29pm | Report comment
There is no Metro Cup. It became the Jim Beam Cup, or whatever it’s called now, back in the early 2000s. There’s no need to make that a professional competition. Anyway, the NSW Cup holds higher status than the Jim Beam Cup.
A teacher earns what, $30,000 a year?
They do alright living off that.
Queensland Cup should be a professional competition. A professional Queensland Cup would help make up for the low amount of Queensland clubs in the NRL. NSW Cup doesn’t need to be professional as there are plenty of Sydney teams in the NRL.
There should be 14 clubs in the Queensland Cup. That works out to $7,000,000 on player payments per year, and $35,000,000 over 5 years. If the NRL television deal works out at $1,000,000,000 over five years then the NRL could easily make room so that $35,000,000 goes towards the Queensland Cup’s contracted players. Isn’t $35,000,000 only 3.5% of $1,000,000,000?
June 10th 2012 @ 12:09am
Ian Whitchurch said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:09am | Report comment
Qgirl,
You’re a little bit off on what people earn these days.
“Beginning teachers in NSW public schools enjoy one of the highest commencing salaries of any profession. In 2011, four-year trained teachers start on a salary of $56,829. Salary increases are by annual increments subject to satisfactory performance, with our most experienced classroom teachers earning $84,759 from 2011.”
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/about-us/careers-centre/school-careers/teaching/teach-with-us/benefits-and-incentives
A storeman and packer is being quoted at $31-51k.
http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Storeman/Hourly_Rate
Offering 20k for professional sportsmen is therefore delusional, although its useful money for a three-day-a-week semi-professional.
If you are having the NRL pick up the salary for the Queensland Cup, then they’ll need to do the same for the Metro Cup, or whatever the heck they are calling the comp that the Newtown Jets and Wentworthville play in these days (and, yes, I call the Mines Department the Mines Department, and I call Easts, Easts).
At this point, you can double the money.
Now, because the QRL and NSWRL have a vote each on the panel that appoints the IC, you’ve got a political problem in getting them to part with a NRL team worth of money for each of the Queensland and NSW second tier competitions.
June 10th 2012 @ 12:04pm
Mike said | June 10th 2012 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
All the talk about money allocatiion and competitions is pointless at this stage. RL finally has an IC in place and they have made a bold play by sacking the CEO after 4 months. They obviously have plans both short term and long term and will no doubt be actioning them asap. We can only sit back and see what the ‘bold’ new vision for the game will be.
One thing seems clear though: The AFL has sqeezed the lemon for all it is worth in its dominant states thus their move into NSW and Qld with new teams. RL still have plenty of potential for improvement in all the key areas even in their dominat states, let alone new areas. Let’s see what the IC has in store in the next few months and years, if they do it right anything is possible.
June 10th 2012 @ 4:30pm
Crosscoder said | June 10th 2012 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
That’s a vey salient point Mike.Rugby league has so many expansion options in this country PNG and even NZ both short and long term.7 options short term with various bid teams.
The NRL does not have to prop up expnsion teams,except provide them with the annual garnt all clubs naturally receive.The aspiring clubs must show they are self sufficient,before being considered in an expanded competition.
June 10th 2012 @ 11:39pm
Mike said | June 10th 2012 @ 11:39pm | Report comment
Crosscoder,
I think the IC will do expansion clubs differently to any in the past and definately different to the way the AFL has done GCS and GWS. Time will tell but the two AFL clubs could be a millstone around the AFL’s neck for decades to come, RL dosen’t need that.
My main point is that even in NSW and Qld RL has plenty of potential for improvement in crowds, memberships, sponsorships,TV ratings and general governorship. On the other hand AFL, through its absolute dominance in Vic, WA and SA, have just about maxed out all the key performance areas. So, in real terms, RL has more potential to improve than AFL, it’s up to the new IC to grab that opportunity and run with it.
June 11th 2012 @ 1:33am
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | June 11th 2012 @ 1:33am | Report comment
It’s also up to rugby league fans to get off their backsides and attend the matches. Far too many fans are willing to just sit in front of the TV. The ARLC needs to find a way of converting these people into regular attendees of NRL matches.
We need the superstars of the game to be in the media more often. Have them there promoting memberships in the off season as well as during the season. I know they do it to some degree at the moment, but not nearly enough to get through to casual fans. The problem is most fans don’t see a link betweem memberships, tickets and loyalty. They think if they buy a hat or a jersey every few years then that’s enough to support their team. Time to set up an ‘us v them’ campaign to draw on their emotions. Imagine a campaign aired in Brisbane, featuringAndrew Johns, Tommy Raudonikis (sp?) Phil Gould, Ken Arthurson and other NSW legends saying they don’t believe Brisbane fans are passionate enough to become ticketed members of the Broncos and will never sell out Lang Park every week. Have that on the TV during ad breaks for the cricket and news in the summer months and keep it there until round 5 of the NRL season. It’s bound to draw Bronco fans into a frenzy. Have a few Queensland legends do the same on NSW TV. If it doesn’t work then go back to the drawing board.