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Rugby League will be better off financially if it is to accept and sell one of the three prestigious State of Origin series games to Melbourne.
The series has matured into one of the nation’s most dominant annual sporting events. So much so that even AFL-driven Melbourne are asking to be a part of it for a long time to come.
It is no secret the Australian Rugby League commission have identified increasing league’s market share as one of their key concerns.
Melbourne is second to Sydney as the biggest advertising market in Australia. Therefore it cannot be denied how crucial having Rugby league in Victoria will be for the game.
A recent investigation disclosed that the National Rugby League stand to generate $2.5 million more if Victoria’s $12.5 million bid is accepted.
Unfortunately, the bid requires Sydney or Brisbane to relinquish one game annually.
Melbourne have already got the necessary tools in place: a strong crowd at local NRL games, live coverage of the Storm on free-to-air TV, and participation rates continuing to rise in the community.
Further, television statistics illustrate that Channel 9 ratings are much superior for Origin footy out of Melbourne than anywhere else.
When there are NSW and Queensland fans sitting in front of their television screens watching the games live in Melbourne, obviously there is an increase in ratings each time a game is played.
Even the strongest opponents, fans from NSW and Queensland cannot deny it will be a step forward as profits are redirected to the clubs – which could aid the development of an increased salary cap.
Even representatives from the NSW supporters group ‘Blatchys Blues’ can understand the sense of losing one of their home games.
“It’s become such a big spectacle you have to move markets that are willing to pay for it,” said Dan Blatch.
Melbourne has been host to six State of Origin games with both teams sharing three wins apiece.
So what is all the fuss about for NSW fans? League pundit Matthew Johns is all for the notion of a State of Origin encounter in Melbourne.
“The State Government of NSW have just about decimated some of our Rugby League clubs. Sydney City Council do very little for the game, and there’s been a great complacency here. If they want to stump up the money, let’s take it there,” he said.
During the past three seasons, Sydney has only delivered one sell-out of its 85,000-seat stadium.
Even less encouraging are numbers from the past two seasons where crowd numbers have dropped to as low as 72,773 and 76,924.
Sydney fans just aren’t talking with their feet anymore. This year, tickets for game two in Brisbane sold out in 90 minutes.
NSW and Queensland fans cannot keep the State of Origin to themselves any longer.
Three Origin games are on display every year. If the first two are played in Sydney or Brisbane, the third game can be sent to Melbourne: a neutral venue.
When or if the time comes for another expansion then the ARL can look more far and wide to their next targeted area – and conduct a similar process there.
It is clear that taking one of the three Origin games to Melbourne is not only the best option for the NRL, but also the fans. The sooner they realise this the sooner they can revel in its benefits.
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