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The idea that NRL teams must be rationalised within the greater Sydney basin, while the competition is expanded nationally has become a topic of conversation once again.
Clearly the entanglements at the Sharks, and perhaps also the financial difficulties at the Panthers pre-Packer have had something to do with it.
It’s not like it can’t happen. The NRL has not shown any particular loyalty to member clubs throughout its history (South Sydney and the Newtown Jets, who still have the greatest jerseys in the country, spring to mind), so it’s no stretch to imagine them forcing an arranged marriage if they got the chance.
The idea of mergers is certainly worth exploring rationally in light of boardroom fiascos and financial difficulties that occasionally render such extreme measures the only viable option. It makes sense in these instances.
However the benefits of forcing the issue between unwilling participants, or on a league-wide scale are debatable if they exist at all.
In many cases, it could prove detrimental.
Why would you do it at all if you were a club?
The fans love their rugby league. But what they really love is their team, and the chance to watch them play.
Despite the riches that have flowed into the sport, it remains deeply divided along club lines which doesn’t lend itself neatly to mergers.
By merging, say, the Sharks and Roosters (as I have heard mentioned), the NRL would effectively be provincialising the game.
It’s difficult to imagine Roosters supporters schlepping their way to Cronulla in large numbers for a home game.
And it’s even more mind-boggling to think of Sharks supporters making their way to the SFS.
What you end up with is fewer games with no increase in crowds to show for it.
So it can’t be about crowds.
The geographic divide is one thing.
The loss of fan engagement is another.
Fans will associate the new venture mostly with the most prominent team, much like the Wests Tigers are more Balmain than Western Suburbs Magpies.
Unless there is immediate and spectacular success, the process is more likely to alienate fans than endear them.
Merging teams is implicitly arguing for a second division of the NRL to accommodate displaced footballers, akin to what exists in the UK Premier League.
Unfortunately we don’t have the population to support this structure. Certainly not in a format that makes money, anyway.
Again, see the Newtown Jets as an example of a relegated club.
As a result, a second division would be underfunded and increasingly marginalised.
Pretty soon you’re looking at volunteers and sausage sizzles to raise money!
A national roll-out is a sensible strategy to grow the game on a larger scale. However, it is also a very risky strategy if implemented incorrectly.
It can only be successfully achieved with significant investment in the grass roots support that originally built the game.
The TV rights cash bonanza has given the NRL the perfect platform from which to nurture support for the game, but key ingredients away from finances are time and patience.
You simply cannot cut and paste a team into a foreign environment and expect immediate support.
I’m not convinced the NRL have done this, and a rushed strategy is likely to haemorrhage money in non-NRL towns.
The Perth Reds and Adelaide Rams proved this in the late 90’s, and the Storm’s 2012 attendances averaged only 14,000. For the best in the business, no less!
Mergers are a backward step unless they are borne of financial urgency. Expansion is what the game needs, and it must be done the right way.
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