Niel Wood's Roar Profile

As the dust settles on Origin 1 and the perennial debate about international rugby league continues to divide opinion, particularly in Australia, maybe we…

League

Jun

Niel Wood

Roar Rookie

How to truly grow international rugby league (no, really)

League

Jun

From Hull originally but live in Rochdale

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It doesn’t factor in player payments specifically as they differ from nation to nation. However the amounts factored in from members own income such as team sponsorships and their own government support are very conservative.

I’m trying to demonstrate that there is a risk but it is small and is made worse by the sporadic nature of games. Oceania Cup being an example of what can go wrong.

Adam, thanks for commenting. I think I disagree about season length just from a practical side. The NRL season is already shorter than the SL and I know for a fact that SL clubs need the games to generate income. So, whilst it’s not ideal, it is reality. That still leaves a 4/5 week window at the end of the season to play international games and still leave the required rest period. I just don’t think the calendar needs a major redesign to bring this to fruition.

Thanks David – the windows are there already to be used by NGBs. The reality is, every year there are 50/60 international matches played by nations that will not reach the threshold to pay a levy therefore are a cost to IRL and the individual NGBS – which is unsustainable. At present there are only a small number of nations who would reach the threshold and would earn from their games plus contribute a levy and one of those “controls” many of the assets … The players. There is no doubt that there is some risk attached to a programme at the start but the returns would grow quickly once a reliable programme was established.

The IRL Board does try to lead the conversation, however if it tries to impose then there will just be a conflict that it can’t win. This has to be done by consensus with all parties seeing that a comprehensive international programme is good for everyone (which I think is the majority view). The problem then become one of implementation not a philosophical discussion about the value and importance.

I would say, sitting over here in the UK, it’s not one or the other. If the NRL was truly commercially savvy, it would be surveying the market for additional sources of revenue to grow their business. The obvious “content” and space is 30 days in October, November and international games to service the existing audience and grow a new audience. Australia is so multicultural it has thousands of people who might have some interest in watching their “home” country if they had the chance and then maybe become regular fans.

Then we get to brand. The All Blacks are so famous that the leader of the free world includes them in a recent speech in Ireland (even if he did make a gaffe with their name). The point is that the Kangaroos, a way better actual sports team, has no profile and should and could be a worldwide brand.

There are 200 odd countries in the world and not one of them is fundamentally unable to play rugby league. Therefore developing the sport in multiple nations is a very cost-effective way of creating access to the player pathway which could lead all the way to the NRL and Super League. Look at the demography of the NRL now – his did it change so much? Players just got access to the pathway!

IRL is a not for profit and only directly benefits by a 10% levy on international games. The competing nations benefit from 90% – again great additional income by anyone’s standard. The real income to IRL is every fourth year through the World Cup. That fuels the activity in the intervening years. However, IRL is a members organisation for the benefit of members, therefore a successful IRL further supports and feeds Australia and all members.

To conclude, I would say this is not either/or look at the whole picture. Look where the real growth could be and construct a calendar that supports existing events and competitions, gives them even more meaning and gross the whole economic system of the sport globally.

International rugby league is dying a death - and it’s Origin that’s killing it

May