Strong rumours NRL #18 team will be PNG

[Bamboozle]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

You could ask the same question of any club.

NRL clubs do get pretty generous funding well above the salary cap and if any PNG club can get the big multinationals involved, as mentioned previously, then I'm sure they will be fine. Add to that an increased PNG TV deal and PNG Government support and their funding and what they bring to the NRL could be as diverse as any other.

A lot of NRL clubs have different income streams ranging from league clubs to hotels and shopping centres etc as well as big sponsorship deals on top of ticket and merchandise sales.

not sure a PNG NRL franchise could come anywhere near matching these revenue streams.

[Barley Mow]

1 hour ago, unapologetic pedant said:

 

If the government are told to stop pushing by the electorate, they will either stop pushing or stop being the government.

Risking a detour into the political here - But if the Labor Party and the Liberals–Nationals both think it's a good idea to fund PNG NRL as a 'soft power' exercise, then the electorate would not stop it.

It seems unlikely to be in the top 15 issues for the average voter and if both major parties are proposing it, most of the electorate are still likely to vote for one of those two parties. They would be basing their decision on different issues where the two disagree - even if they think the Commonwealth Government shouldn't fund RL in PNG..

Edited October 19, 2023 by Barley Mow

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, Martyn Sadler said:

At the very least, the NRL should want to be assured that this is a bi-partisan policy by the Federal government and it would want a clearly agreed timescale agreed by all parties that could conceivably form a Federal government.

Shades of the "Solomon binding" agreements on UK prices and incomes in the 1970s. A strategy that led to 25% inflation.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

15 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Risking a detour into the political here - But if the Labor Party and the Liberals–Nationals both think it's a good idea to fund PNG NRL as a 'soft power' exercise, then the electorate would not stop it.

It seems unlikely to be in the top 15 issues for the average voter and if both major parties are proposing it, most of the electorate are still likely to vote for one of those two parties. They would be basing their decision on different issues where the two disagree - even if they think the Commonwealth Government shouldn't fund RL in PNG..

The two main parties might remain the two main parties. But the individuals therein are here today gone tomorrow. The NRL/AFL code war element shouldn't be underestimated.

I'd like to hear a business case that a PNG NRL franchise would be a major driver for the growth of their economy. That's always the best argument for overseas aid.

[Bamboozle]

Example of a broken government promise but at state level.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2023-png-team-favourites-for-18th-franchise-after-north-sydney-oval-funding-rejection/a060aeda-9bf7-4c5b-9777-7b44add14421

 

[Barley Mow]

11 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

The two main parties might remain the two main parties. But the individuals therein are here today gone tomorrow. The NRL/AFL code war element shouldn't be underestimated.

I'd like to hear a business case that a PNG NRL franchise would be a major driver for the growth of their economy. That's always the best argument for overseas aid.

I wouldn't have expected it to be at the front of many people's minds when they cast their vote - there are many economic, societal, cultural and international issues I'd expect to be priorities.

But you are more likely to have a handle on Australian politics than me. I'll take your word for it.

[GeordieSaint]

1 hour ago, Bamboozle said:

 

I’m in no position to ask the Australian government and you obviously see a threat from China or you wouldn’t have stated otherwise.

Not one for this forum. Happy to debate over on the other forum though. However, the threat is in the Australian National Security Strategy. 

[unapologetic pedant]

How to manage the effects on the Digicel Cup should be a central consideration for both governments. 

Many RL people in SEQ and Auckland say their local comps had the life sucked out of them by the creation of the Broncos and Warriors respectively. The financial repercussions for a comp in a third world nation would likely be more severe.

[unapologetic pedant]

11 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

But you are more likely to have a handle on Australian politics than me. I'll take your word for it.

I wouldn't claim to have all that strong a handle on Australian politics, but you can take my word for it that the depiction of AFL as a religion is not an exaggeration.

[unapologetic pedant]

I think @jim_57 is an Aussie. He seems to think on page 1 that the NRL are rushing to get this over the line while Albo is still around. Which doesn't convey a sense of all-party consensus or longevity of commitment.

Albo will have the full support of his party right up to the moment he ceases to have the full support of his party. Bi-partisan plans will be bi-partisan plans right up to the moment they cease to be bi-partisan.

[JonM]

10 hours ago, AB90 said:

They may play the most but ‘watching’ rugby league is still a challenge for the majority of locals as it’s estimated only 9% of households in PNG have a TV with circa 1% of the population having fixed broadband/internet. 

A significant (and rapidly growing) proportion of the population has access to a smartphone - same as in every other developing country.  A PNG NRL team would be huge for Digicel.

[westlondonfan]

7 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

I smell a Toronto Wolfpack club

I don’t.

[The Future is League]

3 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

Why are the NRL allowing themselves to be used as political pawns?

the NRL if they had any sense whatsoever should be trying to woo the Chinese into investing into the competition.

$$$$$$

[Bamboozle]

5 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

$$$$$$

That and they were never serious about Perth or NZ2.

[The Future is League]

4 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

Of course the elephant in the room being that PNG is a poor 3rd world country with a large part of its population living below the poverty line.

and then of course there’s the high crime rates.

I suspect that IF they are the 18th club they will be based in North Queensland and will fly in the day of the match and comeback the same day and will the teams playing them

[Keith989]

Funny how we've all thought the PIs could never have pro clubs in fully professional competitions and now we have the Drua and Pasifika in super rugby and possibly PNG in the NRL! It's great to see. 

[The Future is League]

2 minutes ago, Bamboozle said:

That and they were never serious about Perth or NZ2.

I think you are missing some points here is that this will cost the NRL next to nothing and at some stage Perth and NZ.2 will enter the NRL, after Brisbane.3/Queensland.5

[Copa]

3 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

Why are the NRL allowing themselves to be used as political pawns?

the NRL if they had any sense whatsoever should be trying to woo the Chinese into investing into the competition.

The NRL probably smells money and opportunity.

The Canberra Raiders got millions from China via Huawei. After a few years they realised their PR campaign wasn’t working and the money stopped. 

[Hello]

10 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

I smell a Toronto Wolfpack club

Hope so, to see such large enthusiastic crowds at a new domestic club in a new country would be fantastic for the sport!

Edited October 19, 2023 by Hello

[17 stone giant]

5 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

What threat does china pose to Australia?

We have to press the correct button to answer your questions, right?

Red button: None at all

Yellow button: Nothing to worry about

Green button: A little bit of a nuisance

Blue button: The most significant threat to Aussie national security.

I'm pressing blue.

 

[EggFace]

5 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

How to manage the effects on the Digicel Cup should be a central consideration for both governments. 

Many RL people in SEQ and Auckland say their local comps had the life sucked out of them by the creation of the Broncos and Warriors respectively. The financial repercussions for a comp in a third world nation would likely be more severe.

Tasmania are getting a AFL team so why not PNG for NRL.

Edited October 19, 2023 by EggFace

[UTK]

4 hours ago, JonM said:

A significant (and rapidly growing) proportion of the population has access to a smartphone - same as in every other developing country.  A PNG NRL team would be huge for Digicel.

For some perspective on Sponsorship: 

• Digicel are the platinum sponsors of the Kumuls and Orchids, they currently pay $1 Million AUD/year for that privilege
• Digicel and ExonnMobil became naming rights co-sponsors of the domestic competition, this deal is also worth $1 Million AUD/year 
• Santos is the naming rights sponsor of the national stadium in Port Moresby - this deal is worth 375k AUD.
• Port Moresby Vipers had 15 Companies sponsoring their side in 2023 with their platinum sponsor NCD contributing 700k AUD (length of sponsorship unknown)
• Mendi Muruks platinum sponsor PRK renewed their sponsorship this season for 800k AUD (length unknown), local government also pledged 250k AUD to the side. 

[unapologetic pedant]

35 minutes ago, EggFace said:

Tasmania are getting a AFL team so why not PNG for NRL.

How is that related to a point about the Digicel Cup losing media attention and sponsorship revenue?

[RL Tragic]

I greatly doubt the NRL have had much choice in the matter , this is a geopolitical soft power move , Aussie government will foot the bill regardless. Australia is coming yo the end of its mineral fuelled land of milk and honey bubble , post Solomon Islands aligning with china it wants a friendly shield and associated air fields and deep water ports on its doorstep , An NRL team is a small price to pay .  

[EggFace]

3 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

How is that related to a point about the Digicel Cup losing media attention and sponsorship revenue?

I thought Tasmaina was a 3rd world country.