The CEO of the NRL, Dave Smith, recently announced that rugby league will be the biggest sport in the country by 2017. Ambitious? Yes. Realistic? No.
In the grand scheme of things, rugby league currently sits third in terms of Australia’s most-followed sports behind cricket and Australian rules football – and they are both pretty far ahead.
By 2017, the NRL wants to have doubled club memberships to 400,000, increasing average crowds by 7,000 to 20,000, increasing participation rates from 555,000 to 700,000 and negotiating a better TV deal.
Barring the last aim, the thought of achieving these in just five short years is laughable.
Even if by some miracle they do achieve these key points, rugby league still won’t be the biggest sport in the country.
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There are 850,155 registered cricketers in Australia, while a 2011 study showed that 93.6% of Australians watched at least some cricket during the 2010-11 summer.
A more accurate comparison to the NRL would be the AFL. The Barassi line is non-existent when speaking of cricket, but comes into play when comparing these two football codes.
AFL club memberships totaled at 670,811 for 2013, with an average of 32,163 attending each game. This means that the AFL has the fourth-highest average crowd of any sporting league in the world, while the NRL doesn’t even rank inside the top 10.
While it may not become the biggest sport in Australia, there certainly has been a lot of optimism surrounding rugby league following the appointment of the new CEO in late 2012.
However, some things still haven’t changed. Rugby League is still too fixated on its heartland.
For the first time since 1994, seven matches of the opening round of the season were to be played in New South Wales. This leaves only one game being played outside of the state, that being in North Queensland.
Three of those seven matches will be played at ANZ Stadium. Sure, it may be the biggest stadium in Sydney, but the general consensus is that not too many people like it.
An example of this was seen last Thursday night.
Last season, 35,952 packed into Allianz Stadium to watch South Sydney and Sydney do battle. On Thursday, the attendance was 27,282.
Of course, 27,282 is still a fantastic crowd for the NRL, but in the context, it could’ve pulled in many, many more fans.
These two clubs hold arguably the biggest rivalry in the league, however the majority of both club’s fans live and work in the city’s east, not in the west where ANZ Stadium is located.
The trip out west is not one that should be taken lightly. The prospect of arriving home at a late time on a Thursday night and having to front up to work the next day would have turned many people off.
Why do that when they can just watch in on TV?
Had the game been at Moore Park once again, the crowd would definitely have been larger. This is a massive opportunity lost.
The NRL also starts one week before the AFL season. Why not take advantage of the gap and schedule matches around the country in areas that don’t have teams?
While some may not agree, games in Adelaide and Perth to open the season would have been great. The clubs and the league would both benefit from the added exposure and give the code a one-up on their main rival.
But perhaps what is most ridiculous is the fact that Melbourne played their first game away to Manly.
Barring the A-League match on Friday night, it was a sports-free weekend in the ‘sporting capital of Australia’ and the NRL has failed to take advantage of this.
It is simple things like these that are severely hindering the NRL’s chances of making rugby league the biggest sport in Australia.
With the A-League taking off and the AFL going from strength to strength, the next few years for rugby league really are crucial for the future of the game.
Professionalism has to come to the fore. The headlines now need to be about the actual matches and not the off-field antics that some players involve themselves in.
Of course, the scrutiny from the media will come, but this is where the league needs to step up.
Smith has said all of the right things in the media, but now is the time to start acting on it. The NRL must think smart and act even smarter.
With expansion into non-league territory such as Western Australia and a second team in Brisbane both big possibilities in the near future, Smith is working with a code that has some real potential.
All he has to do is tap into it.
Sports nut
Guest
League does it more than AFL. You're blind and deaf if you don't notice it.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well you have to go into a document. I think AFL's use of the term Australia's Game is quite a load of #%$ and certainly doesn't represent a great swathe of Australians. Victoria's game with a few other states perhaps but please, Australia's game.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
to be fair, you arent exactly supplying links or evidence either.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
http://rugbyleague2013.nrl.com/ page 2. And then all over the game plan.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Funny how the bulk of half backs and 5/8ths little guys seem to be of another extraction,other than Polynesian. Yet was'it not the AFL who purchased Folau,sp he would attract these Polynesian kids to the code.Apparently not engaging that community too well . Another point,female rugby league participation rose 20% last year.They must be all hulking Polynesians. Now lets looks at those so called huge Indigenous players,Barba,Hoffman,Peachey,Thurston,Bowen,Nrman,Gagai.some people really need to do some research,instead of believing the guff swirling around . Paul Crann must be living on another planet or is following the AFL book.Rugby league has more playing the code than at any time in its existence,more females,more kids,and they are no means all Polynesian. There are players of Thai,Phillipino,Vanuatu extraction hardly giants. To suggest the code is not enagaging the broader community,shows complete ignorance,and I suggest he has a chat with Bulldogs admin. Rugby league has been all inclusive for ages ,had the very first Indigenous national captain of any sporting football team : A Beetson.
matt h
Guest
And they've won their first two games. Great stuff.
matt h
Guest
Wow, I didn't even know people like you still existed. We're all human beings mate. Did a nasty Samoan move in next door and scare you diddums?
EM
Guest
What about the addition of the PNG Hunters to the Intrust Super Cup. Could that be considered an expansion? http://www.qrl.com.au/intrust-super-cup.html
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Lake Kookootia was always heading to the dark side. The AFL is planning to move Carlton there.
Paul Crann
Guest
Checker, I totally agree with you mate. The sporting bodies are falling over themselves to demonstrate to the political elite that they are diverse and inclusive. The government is using sport as a Trojan horse to unite the people. For the Rugby codes this comes at the expense of the traditional heartland of the game that has increasingly grown alienated from both codes with the rapid and inexorable rise of Polynesian players and culture. If Rugby and league cannot engage again the broader Australian community both codes risk becoming niche sports in this country.
ctar
Guest
there's a code war Craig, don't you know? whenever one side gets stronger, the other side gets weaker. I have intel that AFL just claimed the township of Lake Kookootia in the southern west pocket of QLD, they are having a parade down Flinders street tomorrow in celebration. The NRL must retaliate.
ctar
Guest
This is sort of true, inner Brisbane becoming very hipster now, almost like Melbourne. But the QLD and Brisbane media is still saturated with Rugby League. I haven't heard anything about the Lions over the off season.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
I would have had the following opening Rd fixtures, Fri - Rabs v Roosters - ANZ Fri - Storm v Manly - AAMI Park Sat - Warriors v Titans - Mt Smart Sat - Cowboys v Raiders - 1300 Smile Sat - Knights v Sharks - Hunter Sun - Broncos v Dogs - Suncorp Sun - Panthers v Eels - Pirtek Mon - Dragons v Tigers - Kogarah
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I will never understand the preoccupation many people have with wanting their sport to be better than everyone else's As long as the sport is being played and my team is running around then I'm happy
eagleJack
Guest
But but but my sport is better than your sport.....
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Facts? You don't provide any links, evidence. You are like your AFL leader, a person who misinforms. AFL hasn't gone past its boundaries with any success for 150 odd years. It means nothing to QLDers & NSW people bar expats. It has not TV market overseas. Not one paid TV contract abroad. Rugby league gets $$$ from several countries for the NRL. AFL zilch. AFL won't exist so I can see why the fear coming on here. You already are bored with the boredom of AFL. Season kicking off and you're here. Greatest testimony to the fear you AFL lot hold for rugby league. Peddle your misinformation & untruths on the AFL forums and in Victoria but not here. AFL's going the way of Vlad..Gonski. Then you have GWS & Suns sending you broke. Can see why you're transitioning to NRL forums, it's the game. How's AFL Europe lol? See Chinese companies are desperate for NRL game in China but we're not as desperate as AFL, we'll go when ready. Not embarrass ourselves with 1500 watching the Lions & Dees (gee AFL's bad enough but these 2 clubs exhibit AFL lol ). Not gone back to China after that mess?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Where's the latest use of this term? Not on the NRL.com or QRL.com, or any club website. Haven't heard it used by ground announcers at games I've attended. Getting a little precious about nothing.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Now you're just making up anything Hoopster. Forgot about TV ratings? How convenient. Where's your proof of Swans sponsorship levels higher than say South Sydney? How come Swans have to be propped up and they are actually given a ticket to the GF just to keep them afloat. Only 1 or 2 bad seasons from getting into trouble must not be a good thing hey! How many times have they been bailed out before? The Suns, come on their crowds are fudged just ask those visiting AFL fans who discuss the fudging on BigFooty. You actually believe everything Vlad tells you. That's sad cos the guy is as corrupt as they come. he's being exposed time again and now his time is up. No more lies left in him. Over to you Hoopster, you seem to exaggerate effortlessly. As Iron Chef says "Letz cook" :)
Sports nut
Guest
I follow league but it needs to stop promoting itself as "the greatest game of all" . That is just pathetic.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Yep, it was a balls up by the NRL but there are those out there trying to sensationalise it as another NRL bashing exercise.