New Brisbane NRL team

[Cumbrian Mackem]

6 hours ago, frank said:

Looks like the NRL and SL  are sticking to their own backyards as far as expansion  concerned. They are both doing League a great dis service. Scared of any commitment to expand the game on the chance it doesn't  work and they might lose a few bob.. A golden opportunity missed in Canada  because  SL didn't want to share the Sky money.

Brisbane2 gives Perth or NZ2 a better chance of happening.

[Sports Prophet]

7 hours ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Brisbane2 gives Perth or NZ2 a better chance of happening.

All 3 should happen. 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

28 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

All 3 should happen. 

Sure but it’s all down to $$$. Expansion to 18 teams in the next 3-5 years is a must. Anything else after that will be down to money, player depth and success of other expansion teams.

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Sure but it’s all down to $$$. Expansion to 18 teams in the next 3-5 years is a must. Anything else after that will be down to money, player depth and success of other expansion teams.

It sure is, that’s why Bris 2 must be a $$$ success. There are plenty of players, no issue there. Where is the fourth new entry coming from if we want no byes each week?

[Cumbrian Mackem]

11 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

It sure is, that’s why Bris 2 must be a $$$ success. There are plenty of players, no issue there. Where is the fourth new entry coming from if we want no byes each week?

Queensland again. Fast growing population that love RL.

Sunshine Coast. Ipswich/Logan.

[DlEHARD]

Bombers and Ipswich bid teams merge to form the Brisbane Jets as NRL expansion battle explodes
https://www.couriermail.com.au/

The NRL’s expansion race has taken a dramatic twist with the Brisbane Bombers and Ipswich’s western-corridor sensationally joining forces in a $12 million super bid known as the Brisbane Jets.

The new consortium has reached agreement-in-principle after months of secret talks to form a powerful joint-venture bidding to become the NRL’s 17th outfit — and Brisbane’s second team to rival the Broncos.

As revealed by News Corp last year, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys targeted expansion for 2023, with the NRL to begin due diligence next month with a view to announcing the code’s 17th team in June or July.

Now the NRL’s expansion battle has exploded, with the Bombers and Ipswich burying a 10-year rivalry to form a merger they believe will blow contenders Redcliffe and Easts Firehawks out of the race for a 17th licence.

The parties are in the advanced stage of formulating constitutional structures but believe the name Brisbane Jets is the brand that can win over the ARL Commission to become Queensland‘s fourth NRL team.

The creation of the new entity is a critical development in the expansion saga, with the battle for the NRL‘s 17th licence now ostensibly a race in three between Redcliffe, the Firehawks and the Brisbane Jets.

Bombers shareholder Nick Livermore confirmed top-secret negotiations with Ipswich bid chief Steve Johnson have led to the birth of the Jets alliance.

“We’ve agreed in principle to joining forces,” Livermore said.

“The Bombers and Ipswich are moving together as one and this is the perfect model for the NRL’s 17th team.

“We’ve been in talks for about six months.

“There’s been a lot to work through but we’ve found common ground and if the ARL Commission makes a call in June or July, we’re ready to go as Brisbane’s second team.

“If the ARL Commission looks at all the metrics around growth, participation, sustainability, financial security and creating a genuine derby with the Broncos without cannibalising the current NRL market, it will take a special bid to overtake this.

“There is no other bid that will compete with the Brisbane Jets.”

The Jets will target the likes of Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett to be their foundation coach should they clinch an NRL licence for 2023.

Bellamy held talks with Bombers bosses 18 months ago in relation to a possible coaching director’s role.

Former NRL head of football and ex-Titans chief operating officer Brian Canavan is operating in a consultancy capacity, working on the Jets‘ bid document and holding talks with ARL Commission figures.

The Jets will be based in the Ipswich region, which will boast 19,000 registered players by 2026, and will also leverage the Toowoomba catchment which helped produce NRL champion Johnathan Thurston.

The Bombers nickname was widely criticised but Livermore believes the ARL Commission will be impressed with the new Jets branding and bid document.

“There was some feedback that there might be push-back on the Bombers name for an NRL club, so we’ve removed that hurdle,” he said.

“The aviation brand is a great way to entice young people to get involved in rugby league so the Brisbane Jets is an exciting brand.

“I have a lot of respect for Steve Johnson. We have spent 20 years of our professional lives trying to grow the game of rugby league in Brisbane.

“To align our values together makes sense, we are both truly passionate about rugby league dominating and we can do that as the NRL’s 17th team.”

Johnson lauded the strength of the Brisbane Jets.

“Coming together, we are a super bid,” he said.

“The ARL Commission won‘t find a more comprehensive model for a second Brisbane team.

“It’s exciting, it unites the community strength of the Ipswich western-corridor bid with the commercial expertise of what was the Brisbane Bombers bid.

“Peter V’landys has spoken about participation. Our bid will deliver on that and we will grow the NRL playing base more than any other bid.

“The Brisbane Jets theme is easy to market and is resonates with the Ipswich region’s proud involvement with the defence forces.

“It is the perfect branding for the NRL ... this bid is the undeniable standout.”

[Davo5]

1 hour ago, DlEHARD said:

Bombers and Ipswich bid teams merge to form the Brisbane Jets as NRL expansion battle explodes
https://www.couriermail.com.au/

The NRL’s expansion race has taken a dramatic twist with the Brisbane Bombers and Ipswich’s western-corridor sensationally joining forces in a $12 million super bid known as the Brisbane Jets.

The new consortium has reached agreement-in-principle after months of secret talks to form a powerful joint-venture bidding to become the NRL’s 17th outfit — and Brisbane’s second team to rival the Broncos.

As revealed by News Corp last year, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys targeted expansion for 2023, with the NRL to begin due diligence next month with a view to announcing the code’s 17th team in June or July.

Now the NRL’s expansion battle has exploded, with the Bombers and Ipswich burying a 10-year rivalry to form a merger they believe will blow contenders Redcliffe and Easts Firehawks out of the race for a 17th licence.

The parties are in the advanced stage of formulating constitutional structures but believe the name Brisbane Jets is the brand that can win over the ARL Commission to become Queensland‘s fourth NRL team.

The creation of the new entity is a critical development in the expansion saga, with the battle for the NRL‘s 17th licence now ostensibly a race in three between Redcliffe, the Firehawks and the Brisbane Jets.

Bombers shareholder Nick Livermore confirmed top-secret negotiations with Ipswich bid chief Steve Johnson have led to the birth of the Jets alliance.

“We’ve agreed in principle to joining forces,” Livermore said.

“The Bombers and Ipswich are moving together as one and this is the perfect model for the NRL’s 17th team.

“We’ve been in talks for about six months.

“There’s been a lot to work through but we’ve found common ground and if the ARL Commission makes a call in June or July, we’re ready to go as Brisbane’s second team.

“If the ARL Commission looks at all the metrics around growth, participation, sustainability, financial security and creating a genuine derby with the Broncos without cannibalising the current NRL market, it will take a special bid to overtake this.

“There is no other bid that will compete with the Brisbane Jets.”

The Jets will target the likes of Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett to be their foundation coach should they clinch an NRL licence for 2023.

Bellamy held talks with Bombers bosses 18 months ago in relation to a possible coaching director’s role.

Former NRL head of football and ex-Titans chief operating officer Brian Canavan is operating in a consultancy capacity, working on the Jets‘ bid document and holding talks with ARL Commission figures.

The Jets will be based in the Ipswich region, which will boast 19,000 registered players by 2026, and will also leverage the Toowoomba catchment which helped produce NRL champion Johnathan Thurston.

The Bombers nickname was widely criticised but Livermore believes the ARL Commission will be impressed with the new Jets branding and bid document.

“There was some feedback that there might be push-back on the Bombers name for an NRL club, so we’ve removed that hurdle,” he said.

“The aviation brand is a great way to entice young people to get involved in rugby league so the Brisbane Jets is an exciting brand.

“I have a lot of respect for Steve Johnson. We have spent 20 years of our professional lives trying to grow the game of rugby league in Brisbane.

“To align our values together makes sense, we are both truly passionate about rugby league dominating and we can do that as the NRL’s 17th team.”

Johnson lauded the strength of the Brisbane Jets.

“Coming together, we are a super bid,” he said.

“The ARL Commission won‘t find a more comprehensive model for a second Brisbane team.

“It’s exciting, it unites the community strength of the Ipswich western-corridor bid with the commercial expertise of what was the Brisbane Bombers bid.

“Peter V’landys has spoken about participation. Our bid will deliver on that and we will grow the NRL playing base more than any other bid.

“The Brisbane Jets theme is easy to market and is resonates with the Ipswich region’s proud involvement with the defence forces.

“It is the perfect branding for the NRL ... this bid is the undeniable standout.”

Doesn’t the Ipswich area provide the Broncos with its biggest membership base ? and is this joint bid a result of rumours that V’Landys was favouring the bids from East’s & Redcliffe ?

No doubt there will be a few twists & turns before the successful bid is announced.

[Damien]

It sounds like the bombers have given up and thrown their lot in with the Ipswich bid.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

How many NRL clubs are Sydney based? Brisbane has a population of over 2.5 million people and rising. It’s a massive rugby league city, why not add both Redcliffe and the Brisbane Jets. The city deserves to have 3 NRL clubs, it’s similar to West Yorkshire and nobody thinks all of West Yorkshire should have a combined club.

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

It sounds like the bombers have given up and thrown their lot in with the Ipswich bid.

Confirmed here

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/benny-and-the-jets-two-backers-combine-for-expansion-super-bid-20210203-p56za3.html

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

How many NRL clubs are Sydney based? Brisbane has a population of over 2.5 million people and rising. It’s a massive rugby league city, why not add both Redcliffe and the Brisbane Jets. The city deserves to have 3 NRL clubs, it’s similar to West Yorkshire and nobody thinks all of West Yorkshire should have a combined club.

Because there are more worthy and strategic locations for expansion than simply adding a third team in Brisbane. 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

36 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Because there are more worthy and strategic locations for expansion than simply adding a third team in Brisbane. 

There should be no limit to the number of clubs in the NRL. If they can sustain a club Perth, Adelaide, a 2nd New Zealand side would all add to the value of the tv deal. I’d like to see a new club added every other year. 

[The Great Dane]

5 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

There should be no limit to the number of clubs in the NRL. If they can sustain a club Perth, Adelaide, a 2nd New Zealand side would all add to the value of the tv deal. I’d like to see a new club added every other year. 

But the reality is that there is a limit on the number of clubs because the NRL, talent pool, and Trans-Tasman pro sport market can only support so many at any given time.

At the moment the NRL could probably support 18-20, maybe 22 but even at that point you are stretching resources pretty thin and you wouldn't want anything to go wrong or it could be disastrous.

So whether we like it or not there is finite space in the competition, and we do have to be discerning with how many teams we allow in at any one time and where they come from, and in my opinion there's no way you can justify 3 clubs in Brisbane and 9 in Sydney at the expense of other large, strategically and economically important markets.

So in other words if you want three clubs in Brisbane it would have to come at the expense of a club in Sydney, and not at the expense of other places like Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Christchurch, Wellington, etc, etc, and the odds of Sydney being rationalised in our lifetime is slim at best.

[The Great Dane]

9 hours ago, Damien said:

It sounds like the bombers have given up and thrown their lot in with the Ipswich bid.

Nah, it's definitely a symbiotic relationship.

The Bombers lacked the juniors system and RL credentials that the Jets bring, and the Jets lacked the resources and business connections that the Bombers bring. So it's a win-win for everyone and they instantly put themselves on the same level as the Firehawks and Dolphins.

The real question now is what their bid's plan actually looks like; are they going to try and represent Ipswich, or are they going to broaden the brand and try to appeal to a mass audience in Brisbane. If A. there're better options, if B. who knows you'd have to look at their business plan and compare it to the others.