NRL expansion (Merged Threads)

[rlno1]

20 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

V’landys and his hard on for a return of the Bears:

https://www.2gb.com/podcast/vlandys-says-north-sydney-bears-set-for-nrl-return/

https://thenightly.com.au/sport/nrl/national-rugby-league-chairman-peter-vlandys-impressed-by-perth-big-amid-premier-roger-cooks-persitence--c-14703708 

https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/australian-rugby-league-boss-peter-vlandys-says-perth-bears-is-his-ideal-partnership-for-new-club--c-14638680

He wants them in. I’m not opposed to having them in. I just think the only sensible place for them is Central Coast and they should to focus their energy on commanding the huge market from North Sydney to Tuggerah and drawing crowds of 20k in Gosford and playing 2-4 games annually down the highway at North Sydney Oval against Manly and any other of Tigers, Rooster or Bunnies which they draw a home game against.

I agree but the Roosters want that area as their juniors, so it's Perth for the bears.

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, rlno1 said:

I agree but the Roosters want that area as their juniors, so it's Perth for the bears.

Central Coast isn’t “owned” by the Roosters. Not unless they move there.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

On 02/07/2024 at 08:38, Anita Bath said:

Unlike Perth, NZ2 and PNG another Brisbane based team would need a new stadium. A league regular season goes to end of April, Super rugby until June, Broncos and Dolphins, Wallabies, Origin men and women all use Suncorp. 

They could use the Showgrounds or the Gabba as a temporary venue while constructing a new stadium in the West of the Brisbane Metropolitan area.. Both grounds have hosted Rugby League and both those grounds are bigger than Kayo stadium in Redcliffe.

Remember the Western Corridor bid is not dead, and the plan was always to build a permanent stadium at either Ipswich, Springfield or the Ripley Valley. But you do not build a stadium before getting a licence.

[AB90]

On 02/07/2024 at 17:38, Anita Bath said:

Unlike Perth, NZ2 and PNG another Brisbane based team would need a new stadium. A league regular season goes to end of April, Super rugby until June, Broncos and Dolphins, Wallabies, Origin men and women all use Suncorp. 

No they wouldn’t. If there are too many tenants the owners of Suncorp stadium would just pick and choose who brings them the most game day fans and money. A 3rd Brisbane NRL side brings in far more fans, money etc than the Brisbane A league and super rugby teams. 

 

[Anita Bath]

10 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

They could use the Showgrounds or the Gabba as a temporary venue while constructing a new stadium in the West of the Brisbane Metropolitan area.. Both grounds have hosted Rugby League and both those grounds are bigger than Kayo stadium in Redcliffe.

Remember the Western Corridor bid is not dead, and the plan was always to build a permanent stadium at either Ipswich, Springfield or the Ripley Valley. But you do not build a stadium before getting a licence.

Showgrounds is a tip, and suffered a fire earlier this week affecting several buildings. Unlikely to be any public money in Queensland for further new stadia that are not an integral part of Brisbane 32. The Gabba would be a possibility but watching rugby league at cricket grounds is awful.

[Anita Bath]

8 hours ago, AB90 said:

No they wouldn’t. If there are too many tenants the owners of Suncorp stadium would just pick and choose who brings them the most game day fans and money. A 3rd Brisbane NRL side brings in far more fans, money etc than the Brisbane A league and super rugby teams. 

 

No they have a legal obligation to fulfil contracts. There is talk of a ‘boutique’ stadium being built at Bowen Hills on the edge of CBD for football (soccer to Aussies) that would serve the Brisbane Roar but it would need significant money. If the Reds had any interest in moving they would already be back at the rennovated Ballymore. Not even a ripple of interest…already arranged to play the welsh touring team at Suncorp.

[rlno1]

22 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Central Coast isn’t “owned” by the Roosters. Not unless they move there.

no but they have set up their juniors there, hence why they are now called the Central Coast Roosters.

[AB90]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

No they have a legal obligation to fulfil contracts. There is talk of a ‘boutique’ stadium being built at Bowen Hills on the edge of CBD for football (soccer to Aussies) that would serve the Brisbane Roar but it would need significant money. If the Reds had any interest in moving they would already be back at the rennovated Ballymore. Not even a ripple of interest…already arranged to play the welsh touring team at Suncorp.

Legal obligation to fulfil contracts sure but those contract end at some stage. From 2020 to 2023 Brisbane Roar played out Redcliff stadium only moving back to Suncorp Stadium this year.

My point is the statement that a 3rd Brisbane can’t team be the next expansion team because they ‘will need a new stadium’ is completely false.

[Anita Bath]

1 hour ago, AB90 said:

Legal obligation to fulfil contracts sure but those contract end at some stage. From 2020 to 2023 Brisbane Roar played out Redcliff stadium only moving back to Suncorp Stadium this year.

My point is the statement that a 3rd Brisbane can’t team be the next expansion team because they ‘will need a new stadium’ is completely false.

Roar moved back to suncorp in 2022 but couldnt get enough dates so remained at Redcliffe for games when suncorp wasnt available. They now have the full season, reducing the capacity for new events.

Dolphins are selling out the home games played at Redcliffe, missing out on substantial revenues. I suspect over time they would look to play more games at Suncorp if the dates can be found. 

Last season broncos had to move three games away from Suncorp because of the FIFA womens world cup. Next year the British Lions already have two games booked in at Suncorp, the following year its the Womens rugby world cup, then the prospect of the RLWC in 2026 and the mens RWC in 2027. And looking further ahead Suncorp will host events at the 32 Olympics. These major tournaments often require full control of the stadium for the period of the tournament, not just the gamedays.

Add to this the strongly supported local bye law limiting the number of events with 30,000+ attendances.

Good luck to any expansion bid proposing playing out of Suncorp. There is nothing approaching a Redcliffe equivalent to offer a split season opportunity. Sunshine Coast Stadium has 1000 seats and lots of grass. (in comparison redcliffe has over 9000 seats). Hardly the basis for revenues required to support an NRL team.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

35 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

Next year the British Lions already have two games booked in at Suncorp, the following year its the Womens rugby world cup, 

Are you referring to League or Union?

The 2025 women's RUWC is in England. The 2029 women's RUWC is in Australia. 

[Anita Bath]

Correct…2029

[EggFace]

On 03/07/2024 at 09:35, rlno1 said:

Nick Politis is the one who has said he would help to get the Bears back in.

He wants to concentre on getting on hos own club and how to get people watching the Roosters.

[Damien]

Plenty in this about expansion and according to this Perth will be the 18th team in 2027 followed by PNG in 2028 and hopefully being at 20 teams by 2030 (which Id like to be NZ2). That would be fantastic if it all came off:

 

Edited July 21 by Damien

[lucky 7]

On 04/07/2024 at 18:36, Anita Bath said:

Showgrounds is a tip, and suffered a fire earlier this week affecting several buildings. Unlikely to be any public money in Queensland for further new stadia that are not an integral part of Brisbane 32. The Gabba would be a possibility but watching rugby league at cricket grounds is awful.

Whats the old ANZ stadium like nowadays?

[Anita Bath]

3 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

Whats the old ANZ stadium like nowadays?

Its still an Athletics facility used maily for training. No major events held there. It is to be redeveloped as the olympic stadium for 2032. The plans have not been published yet but I expect it will be based on lots of temporary stands etc to meet budgetary expectations. It has an indoor stadium next to it used for the professional netball team and until recently the brisbane bullets basketball team. Its located in a residential area  next to the brisbane-gold coast highway.

[The Rocket]

On 21/07/2024 at 19:25, Damien said:

Plenty in this about expansion and according to this Perth will be the 18th team in 2027 followed by PNG in 2028 and hopefully being at 20 teams by 2030 (which Id like to be NZ2). That would be fantastic if it all came off:

 

 I`m starting to see that this might just work. Blokes and girls will sign up for a couple of years on good money combined with hefty tax advantages and as V`landys has said recently it need be only for a couple of years. The club may become a bit of a revolving door but that won`t matter as long as the players keep coming, and some will probably stick around for longer anyway, like players do once they get settled and make friends etc.

As for the claims by the bid that sponsors are lining up, I think there may be some truth in that as well. New Guinea may probably lack those small to mid-sized companies that make up a large chunk of mainland clubs sponsors but PNG has no shortage of multi-nationals that may be keen to be associated with a PNG Rugby League team in the NRL.

[Lowdesert]

6 hours ago, The Rocket said:

 I`m starting to see that this might just work. Blokes and girls will sign up for a couple of years on good money combined with hefty tax advantages and as V`landys has said recently it need be only for a couple of years. The club may become a bit of a revolving door but that won`t matter as long as the players keep coming, and some will probably stick around for longer anyway, like players do once they get settled and make friends etc.

As for the claims by the bid that sponsors are lining up, I think there may be some truth in that as well. New Guinea may probably lack those small to mid-sized companies that make up a large chunk of mainland clubs sponsors but PNG has no shortage of multi-nationals that may be keen to be associated with a PNG Rugby League team in the NRL.

I don’t know exactly but sometimes there is an amount of years that you have to be out of your country to be totally tax free.  Certainly was in my experience so that might/might not be something PMG haven’t considered.

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, Lowdesert said:

I don’t know exactly but sometimes there is an amount of years that you have to be out of your country to be totally tax free.  Certainly was in my experience so that might/might not be something PMG haven’t considered.

I think we can be pretty sure that the Tax office has been consulted.

[EggFace]

9 hours ago, The Rocket said:

 I`m starting to see that this might just work. Blokes and girls will sign up for a couple of years on good money combined with hefty tax advantages and as V`landys has said recently it need be only for a couple of years. The club may become a bit of a revolving door but that won`t matter as long as the players keep coming, and some will probably stick around for longer anyway, like players do once they get settled and make friends etc.

As for the claims by the bid that sponsors are lining up, I think there may be some truth in that as well. New Guinea may probably lack those small to mid-sized companies that make up a large chunk of mainland clubs sponsors but PNG has no shortage of multi-nationals that may be keen to be associated with a PNG Rugby League team in the NRL.

Why can't they just do what the NFL do overseas and keep having a NRL 10-12 games played outh through the season ?

[gingerjon]

2027 - Western Bears

2028 - PNG side

https://7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/north-sydney-bears-confirm-return-to-nrl-as-western-bears-c-15648372

[eal]

The Bears are back! This is so awesome. As a former North Sydney Bears fan I wasn't sure this day would ever come.

[Damien]

A different kind of expansion. About time too:

 

[unapologetic pedant]

4 hours ago, gingerjon said:

2027 - Western Bears

A return to South Melbourne has long been inconceivable for Swans. Enough people in Sydney embraced the team. Same didn't happen for Kangaroos, so back they went to North Melbourne.

I reckon the deal for Western Bears will, at least tacitly, be like these AFL expansion ventures. WA are offered the chance to make the Bears their own. NRL will activate the North Sydney insurance policy, after a decent interval, if sufficient support fails to materialize out west.

[stookie]

On 09/08/2024 at 23:44, unapologetic pedant said:

A return to South Melbourne has long been inconceivable for Swans. Enough people in Sydney embraced the team. Same didn't happen for Kangaroos, so back they went to North Melbourne.

I reckon the deal for Western Bears will, at least tacitly, be like these AFL expansion ventures. WA are offered the chance to make the Bears their own. NRL will activate the North Sydney insurance policy, after a decent interval, if sufficient support fails to materialize out west.

Do you mean to return to NSW? Because they will never return to North Sydney permanently, the Oval is not sufficient for first grade. It will be Central Coast with very occasional games in Nth Syd.

But, while I hope youre wrong, I suspect youre right. This feels partly like an each way bet, which is a really good way to disenfranchise people over in WA by forcing a team that isnt really theirs.

Best case I think is, it survives for a generation, and then it starts to really morph into a WA entity. At which point I hope the 1 game per year at Nth Syd is removed.

[unapologetic pedant]

18 hours ago, stookie said:

Do you mean to return to NSW? Because they will never return to North Sydney permanently, the Oval is not sufficient for first grade. It will be Central Coast with very occasional games in Nth Syd.

Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park aren't exactly the last word in opulence. Some speculation Western Bears v Manly would be at Allianz.

Relocation would follow a prolonged period of instability in Perth. Both NRL and North Sydney management may fear a repeat on the Central Coast. If it were believed a more immediately reliable fanbase existed north of the harbour, they might well choose to play games at a combination of Allianz and NSO.