“The geek shall inherit the Earth” has been a good expression for the idea that trainspotters and anoraks will make the really big decisions in future because they are mostly smarter than everyone else.
This prediction has always applied to rugby league.
When the dinosaurs of the old Sydney Premiership die out, they won’t be replaced. Instead, younger, more outward-looking people will take their place and attitudes which were hitherto considered fanciful will gain widespread acceptance,
Did you ever think you’d hear Phil Gould calling for a shorter club season? Or Trent Robinson for that matter? He suggested 20 rounds in the NRL as a way to clean up scheduling.
Wayne Bennett says rugby league “won’t have a product” in 20 years unless it gets on the globalisation train. These options have been expressed for a long time but always seemed extreme and even traitorous.
Now they are quite reasonable things to say.
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Reporters are the same. The older guys who saw rugby league as a Sydney sport which they could dominate as long as it stayed a Sydney sport are being replaced by a younger brigade that follows big overseas competitions and wants to see rugby league up there alongside them.
For the first ten years of its existence, the RLIF wasn’t even called by its correct name in the Australian media. Now it seems to be talked about as a serious organisation almost every day there.
Not too many new reporters coming into Australian rugby league don’t care about international competition, or exhibition matches in new territories, or expansion – the benefits are obvious to them because these people are products of a connected world.
Rugby league has underachieved so spectacularly over the past 123 years that it seemed reasonable to suggested it would always be thus, that the proletariat would always put its own interests ahead of those of the sport out of sheer necessity to put food on the table.
But maybe that is not set in stone. Maybe the necessary culture change is happening.
Outside interests are derided within the NRL but without Duco Events, there would be no Auckland Nines. Without Jason Moore, we wouldn’t be taking the World Cup to America in 2025.
The NRL and its clubs need to appreciate that while they don’t – or think they don’t – need outside the promoters, the sport as a whole desperately needs them if it is to grow. Live and let live, folks. When players are on international duty, they’re not your IP anymore.
The arc of rugby league history is long – but it may just bend towards progress after all.
Georgina Brown
Guest
Finally someone with a sports business brain that understands
SAVAGE
Guest
I beg to differ, NFL are in trouble, and they know it. We'll see where they are within the next 10 yrs. Basketball is played all over the World, so the NBA will continue to market their product around the world, and also ensure their best are represented at the Olympics. MLB is trying to figure out an actual WC type tournament, that won't impact on their season, which would draw in all the countries that play baseball and get the game growing everywhere else.
David
Guest
You might want mark "when hell freezes over" in your calendar.
Georgina Brown
Guest
Because Fox has total broadcast rights and wont allow any potential rivals air it in various cities
Georgina Brown
Guest
I have worked in Hong Kong..the only thing they care about is having a punt and the races are way out in front there.....daylght 2nd.....world cup every 4years probably of interest to punters as well...
Tony
Guest
Luckily, Boomarang does a great schnitzel, and there are plenty of place to drink in BQ after the games finish at a reasonable hour.
Tony
Guest
No more RL on Setanta on Starhub I'm afraid. Could not get any answers as to why.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Sentanta Asia have signed a contract that will show Toronto Wolfpack games, so international reach is important!
Sham
Guest
The NFL is in the biggest economy in the world. The AFL is in a way smaller market so the comparison is not a good one. Will the AFL continue to prosper as a marginal provincial sport? Maybe but no guarantee -having such a tiny footprint is not something to celebrate. The rest of the world doesn't care.
John
Guest
The bars screening NRL in HK seems to be getting fewer and fewer these days. Last year there were quite a few screening SoO live around area where I work, which has a pretty big expat pub scene. This year I can count on one hand the amount of bars showing game 1. I'm guessing with the World cup happening finding a bar that will show game 3 will be tough to find.
Georgina Brown
Guest
Hardly a world senation.....NFL had tried a world league 20years ago and went bankrupt failed......without high schools having it as a sport nothing will work...long term ...same with AFL...NRL and AFL full of overseas players....Most .NFL overseas players went through a university scholarship prigram first but there only 3% of All universty players make it to pro NFL or CFL.....i am not going to do any more reseach for you....good luck with your beliefs have a great year xxx
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Ha....that's exactly what I thought.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Did Georgina Brown just out herself as GWSingapore?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Why is the NFL talking about a team in London? Why play annually at Wembley? Why has it thrown resources in Europe over the decades? Why are more overseas athletes playing in the NFL? I think you'll find the same thinking with the AFL-China, NZ etc, athletic trials in the US?
GWSingapore
Guest
The AFL is screened here on the Australia Plus channel that sits on the basic pay TV packages from both pay TV providers. Rugby League is screened on a more expensive pay channel (Setanta Sports) and consequently does not get much exposure. There are a few bars around town that screen NRL. Setanta gives priority to rugby union due to its greater international size furthr limiting the NRL's reach.
Georgina Brown
Guest
AFL and american football dont care about what the world is doing....they are enjoying their sports in Australia only and USA only and would not care if the rest of the world where Geeks
wow
Guest
@GWSingapore Does GWS get better TV ratings in Singapore than Sydney? Because its a flatline here.
sham
Guest
AFL does well in Australia but nowhere else. Hardly something to celebrate.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
It’s very poor that my comment that you were very poor has led to such a very poor response from you GB. Very poor.
Georgina Brown
Guest
My comments on TR are spot on and just because you dont agree please dont get personal and suggest i am not being truthful ...that is a Very Poor comment of yours.....anyway have a great week xxx