While not yet a done deal, it seems the next Super 14 expansion has overlooked Japan, Argentina, Western Sydney and the Gold Coast in favour of a new team in Australia’s second most populous city – Melbourne.
If a Melbourne bid is approved, will expansion into Melbourne will help or hinder development of rugby league?
After ten years, millions of dollars and several State Of Origin games, the Storm are building a strong foundation.
While they are not, as yet, turning a profit for the NRL or News Ltd, they are making significant inroads into the what was once thought to be a fool’s errand.
The success of the team has seen a surge in junior league registration, with many of the Storm’s Toyota Cup (under 20s) team born and bred in Melbourne.
For the last two years, the rugby league grand final has outrated the AFL grand final, largely on the back of strong figures from Melbourne.
A large portion of the Storm’s support comes from Melbourne’s large population of Kiwis, and this support base would surely be split if they had a Super Rugby team to support.
Also if rugby was able to gain the support of Melbourne’s private schools (as in Sydney and Brisbane), this would also stifle junior league development.
However, on the other side, a higher media profile for rugby union would not necessarily eat into that afforded to league.
For years, many Sydney and Brisbane expats who now live in Melbourne support Aussie Rules because there is no other option – they don’t show either rugby code on TV and there are very few games to attend.
Having two teams competing in international competitions would definitely boost the profile of both codes.
Another key point is that if both leagues could invest into the same facilities, they could both benefit from the other’s effort in a similar way to how the AFL has had a piggy back ride from cricketing associations Australia wide.
Pete
Guest
That the Crusaders are rebuilding their stadium for the RWC and have temporarily reduced the capacity?
Amband
Guest
Al the Wallabies do is kick, and the new rules are blamed. The Shute shield clubs did a lot to help their local juniors, but less so now as they have less money. There appears to be something missing in the corprate structure and it's harming rugby at junior level, that is our breeding ground for future wallabies That game against ireland was a disgrace, England not much better. kick kick kick. i wish Beale would get a run
Chris
Guest
Warriors crowds and ratings are growing. The Warriors (a ordinary at best NRL side) had a higher crowd average than the Crusaders (the best sub-national rugby side on earth). What does that tell you?
sledgeandhammer
Guest
Amband, the Shute Shield has grown in popularity over the last 2 seasons on the back of the ELVs. It's the only place you get to see open, running rugby these days. And you now want to ditch them? You must be kidding!
Amband
Guest
correction ELVs I mean. Get rid of O'Neill, the selectors and Dean. I mean that in the nicest possib;e way. Seems rugby admin is getting richer and the shute shield clubs poorer
Dave1
Guest
Try get in with someone who works for the sponsers of the Lions.
Dave1
Guest
you are right. Just because Oikee hasnt watched ESPN doesnt mean millions of Americans don’t.
Dave1
Guest
I’ve got ESPN and I do watch it. I like the NFL, other good shows are PTI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_the_Interruption and Around the Horn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_Horn there are a few of us who are upset that the pub near work doesn’t have ESPN to show the NFL on Monday and Tuesday duing lunch. Two of the restaurants near work do show The NFL on ESPN on those days but.
Dave1
Guest
What does it matter what the potential audience will be. Wont the important figure be …….the actual audience?
Dave1
Guest
In 2009 ten years after their first game the Storm’s attendances were home average 11979 away average 15101 finals 43793 http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/2009.html http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/1992.html In 1992 ten years after the Swans had been in Sydney the average home crowd was 9963 and the away average was 18968
Dave1
Guest
That is why they are talking about the next 20 years of the GWS team and not the the short term initial growth.
Amband
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get rid of the WLVs all of em. Go back to the old game. Rugby only needs running players in the backline to make it a fine spectacle. Randwick has shown us this for decades
Dave1
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shoulder charges arent wussy and you have them in AFL as well
Amband
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I heard today on ABC newsradio that ruby attendences are down. If true, then the administrators better figure it out. I suspect ignoring juniors and Western Sydney, and general fooling around with the traditions of the game in favour of sponsors, such as jerseys that are dreadfully commercial and not traditional I also suspect no one wants to follow a francise
Dave1
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Jeff Wall is not an AFL tragic. He writes about rugbyleague http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=18595 "Off the Wall Written by: Jeff Wall Oct 5, 2009 10:51am The Melbourne Storm are entitled to claim to be the stand out team of the current decade, and even the NRL era, but the celebrations today need to be tempered by the reality that grand finals don't mean automatic success off the field......."
Dave1
Guest
yes put those kiwi ex-pats make up one of the biggest immigrant groups of all and its not going to stop in the near foreseeable future http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Australia#Country_of_Birth_of_Australian_Residents Country of Birth Estimated Resident Population[17] United Kingdom 1,153,264 New Zealand 476,719 China 279,447 Italy 220,469 Vietnam 180,352 India 153,579 Philippines 135,619 Greece 125,849 Macedonia 120,649 South Africa 118,816 Germany 114,921 Malaysia 103,947 Netherlands 86,950 Lebanon 86,599 Sri Lanka 70,908 Serbia and Montenegro 68,879 Indonesia 67,952 United States 64,832 Poland 59,221 Fiji 58,815 Ireland 57,338 Croatia 56,540 Bosnia-Herzegovina 48,762 http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/02key.htm#b July 2008 to June 2009 Arrivals % Variation New Zealand 33 034 19.7% United Kingdom 21 567 -7.0% India 16 909 10.3% China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) 14 935 14.9% Philippines 5 619 2.9% Iraq 4 008 79.9% Sri Lanka 3 918 11.3% Malaysia 3 261 11.9% Burma (Myanmar) 2 931 17.1%
Dave1
Guest
I don’t think you’d' find many 21 year olds in league who are millionaires.
Amband
Guest
Nothing wrong with being club oriented and tribal, good for the game. Club and district junior's should be promoted more by the ARU and the NSWRU
Amband
Guest
get rid of the old school tie from rugby administration
Siva Samoa
Guest
karlos, you have been hearing things again. there is no way the majority of the samoan, tongan, cook islands and fijian population who are all rugby mad should be answer to what other countries do. I don't think the majority of rugby league fans in australia would even know how league started and even care. rugby is control and run by many nations with australia, new zealand, south africa, argentina, japan and the pacific nations also have a say in the admin power of the irb. whats with the racist card and when did the french, australian and english rugby became racist? the islanders and maori's in new zealand have always been strong at rugby. all islanders were rugby players when they moved into nz . i suggest you check your facts. most rugby grounds are own by the provincial rugby and cricket board. and most rugby fields are own by the councils all over nz. rugby league was never ban from any schools. its just that there was hardly any schools who played rugby league. schools have already had their winter codes and summer sports and most schools didn't want league. i went to a school that produce league greats like sbw, fred ah koui, solomona brothers, mattew ridge, sam panapa and many all blacks. all those names mention above and many others all played in the school 1st xv teams because it was the only reason why they went there. there was alot of rugby league competition at school from the 70's, 80's and 90's but it wasn't the nzru who put a stop to it. it was mainly the rugby league clubs themselves who didn't want the kids to chose rugby league at high school over the clubs. perhaps you asked your so call kiwi mates why there are less schools now play rugby league and why all the high schools in south auckland now play rugby unon. most of the kids from south auckland schools are pacific islanders and with the help and incouragement of their parents who are all ex rugby union players from the islands. they play the game they love and its the national sport of their ancestral home.