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Is a merger or perhaps buyout by the NRL a possibility?


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Have you not seen the loses most NRL clubs make.

Good point. But I have to continue the rant.

Yes they make losses......but are still getting a massive cash injections next year regardless. Someone is making some money. We can only speculate what the RFL will negotiate, but on past form it won't be much.

Just look at the way the NRL market themselves and the game, and compare it to ours.

I understand a role out, by the NRL, of 'free to air' TV coverage of the games is going to be made between 2017/18. NRL will get a boatload of sponsorship money from the increased coverage in households. What are we doing? Still reliant on the BBC pittance for the Challenge Cup and SL show. Peanuts.

A previous comment said SL did nothing for the game, when it lifted it out of the doldrums......and we've never really progressed as we should have.

Basic stuff. More people hear about it, see it, want to watch it, demand increases, revenues increase.

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The problem is that the nrl isn't some super duper press machine. Whoever is in charge at any given moment inherits a massive advantage of being the clear no 1 sport in 2 of the 3 biggest oz markets. You don't have to convince the media to cover your sport or worry about explaining that is a different sport to union, it's all in place. The idea that they would come to the uk market and transform things is a nonsense.

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Crusaders RL to get a franchise for 2012 onwards -WRONG

Widnes Vikings also to get a franchise - RIGHT

Crusaders RL to do the double over Widnes and finish five places ahead of them -WRONG

Widnes Vikings NOT to dominate rugby league in years to come! STILL TO COME

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cardiffdemonsrlfc/

http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/

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There's no certainly about it, why would us being owned by an Australian competition suddenly see a surge in attendances?

Of course there's no certainty dk Marketing is as much a gamble as anything else in human efforts but the Aussies do a much better job of selling the product than the RFL. It's not ownership but the attitudes that comes with it!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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The problem is that the nrl isn't some super duper press machine. Whoever is in charge at any given moment inherits a massive advantage of being the clear no 1 sport in 2 of the 3 biggest oz markets. You don't have to convince the media to cover your sport or worry about explaining that is a different sport to union, it's all in place. The idea that they would come to the uk market and transform things is a nonsense.

Janners that's absolutely right and much the same as snore in UK but they're still tons better at marketing their product even when you take their advantages into account!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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Janners that's absolutely right and much the same as snore in UK but they're still tons better at marketing their product even when you take their advantages into account!

what specifically have they done better?

PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF http://www.rugbyleaguecares.org/ and http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/8790/join-team-wales-for-2013

Predictions for the future -

Crusaders RL to get a franchise for 2012 onwards -WRONG

Widnes Vikings also to get a franchise - RIGHT

Crusaders RL to do the double over Widnes and finish five places ahead of them -WRONG

Widnes Vikings NOT to dominate rugby league in years to come! STILL TO COME

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cardiffdemonsrlfc/

http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/

I promise to pay �10 to the charity of Bomb Jacks choice if Widnes Millionaires finish above the battling underdogs Crusaders RL. I OWE A TENNER!

http://www.jaxaxe.co...89/Default.aspx

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what specifically have they done better?

We're not going into one of those hasn't answered the questions moments , are we

Just a couple of examples, there are more: Tina Turner, Thomas Keneally, Greg Inglis and things like the super heroes rounds! You can look up the rest, not all as successful as each other but decent salemanship and imaginitively done!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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Where have you been for the last 20 years?

This is what I was saying but to keep it reasonable I try to be circumspect most of the time!

 

I have also seen as many posts on Aussie forums complaining about NRL marketing which may only prove RL fans are never satisfied which I'm sure is a surprise to everyone on this forum. We might all need counselling and nerve tablets after this revelation. ;)

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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The Super League would only benefit from the NRL taking over if they invested their cash into us. Our problem is we don't have the cash to do things big and take risks. We can't invest significant amounts in target markets like they have Melbourne.

Everything else could be done by anyone if they had the cash. Sponsors from Australia may not necessarily be interested in the UK markets our clubs would hit. It's not as simple as the OP and some others are hoping it is.

Basically, we need significant investment as a game. The NRL aren't going to invest their money in us and I doubt they'll have enough about them to find investment for 12 clubs to compete with the competition over there. Personally, I don't think anyone will unless a rich guy decides to sponsor the game to a huge sum of money over a long period of time so we can take risks and strategise.

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The man reason why I questioned "what a merger would look like" however was basically whether it'd be a merger of business (so more of the same on field but different corporate strategies) or a merger of competitions (both playing the same comp, same end goal, more cross over games).

I think we've seen that NRL does create interest when playing us over here. And those that want to see a more instant change would see this as a good thing (something that would spark more interest and spike crowds).

But we're not competitive anymore. The gap is too wide and will take way too much money to bridge and too much time to develop enough players to close it. Mid table clubs like Hull, Catalans, etc would really struggle let alone Wakefield, Salford and Hull KR.

If they NRL were to merge with SL, I very much see us becoming a feeder competition to the NRL much in the same way as the NSW Cup and QLD Cup are. They'd then look at what clubs would work being in their competition and combine all resources into those clubs (no more than four if they want to have the resources to match current NRL sides). They'd either go with the big clubs (Wigan, Leeds and Saints probably alongside Catalans) for instant fan base but at risk of alienating the rest; or go for a new level above them (Yorkshire and Lancashire along with Catalans and a proper investment in London) with the current clubs playing in SL as normal and feeding into it and no one being "favoured" locally but a risk of not supporting the new (or revived) regional sides in as great numbers.

Pros and cons. But that's a more interesting merger proposal IMO if you want some instant improvement on field. Concentrating resources and playing the best.

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I think it would be a great boon for the game in the UK and France if the NRL did hypothetically take the game over. Imagine an 18 team NRL AU with a 10 team NRL UK, all with equal salary caps and TV deal + sponsorships pooled together, with equal money invested into coaching, development and promotion. They could play regular season, plus champions league style tournament, plus regular internationals.

Can't see it happening but it would put the UK and France on an even footing with Aus & NZ

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I think it would be a great boon for the game in the UK and France if the NRL did hypothetically take the game over. Imagine an 18 team NRL AU with a 10 team NRL UK, all with equal salary caps and TV deal + sponsorships pooled together, with equal money invested into coaching, development and promotion. They could play regular season, plus champions league style tournament, plus regular internationals.

Can't see it happening but it would put the UK and France on an even footing with Aus & NZ

All sounds good, but where would the money come from? You've just expanded the NRL by two and upped the income for 10 SL clubs - all because they'd now be under the NRL banner. The Aussies are worried about expanding by 2 clubs and keep delaying it, let alone taking on 10 NH clubs as well.

I also don't like the term "NRL AUS" and "NRL UK" considering we're looking at bringing in more French and NZ clubs.

If the NRL did take over, they might be best rebranding as I INRL (International Rugby League) and calling their comp the Premiership. It's not really "national" if it's played in 4 countries!

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The game in the UK is one TV contract (with a true value) away from really kicking on. However, to do it there needs to be a clear out at Red Hall, along loosening the grip Gary Hetherington seems to have on the game.

I would like to see what a maverick like Marwan Koukash could do for the game.

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