NRL Bid for Wellington NRL team officially launched

[Aucklander]

Has to happen eventually.

Link

Just a week after the Kiwis triumph over Australia in the Four Nations final, a bid for a second New Zealand NRL team based in Wellington has been officially launched.

With the Kiwis now consistently challenging the Kangaroos for international domination after winning the 2005 Tri-Nations, 2008 World Cup and 2010 and 2014 Four Nations tournaments, a consortium of Australian and New Zealand investors believe the time is right for a second team to join the NRL.

They also point to the 17.3 per cent of all NRL players (72) who come from New Zealand, the success of the Auckland Nines tourmanet and the Warriors winning three of the last five grand finalis in the under 20s National Youth Competition and being runner up in 2013.

 

[Strangled Cat]

I wonder if the Warriors would then change their name from New Zealand to Auckland? Surely that'd add more spice to the imminent cross-town rivalry.

 

[Aucklander]

I would think that would be the case. Makes sense anyway.

 

[Cmarsh]

Has to happen eventually.

Link

Picone said it was "imperative" that a second team from New Zealand be included in the NRL to build the game there and combat AFL's attempts to gain inroads through St Kilda's commitment to play an annual ANZAC Day match in Wellington until 2018.

Here we go again. Another attempt by RL types to portray AFL as an "invader". RL media love setting up the "us vs them" scenario.

 

[Aucklander]

Here we go again. Another attempt by RL types to portray AFL as an "invader". RL media love setting up the "us vs them" scenario.

I didn't even notice that part and I'm not really sure why they'd even mention it given the code has such minimal interest in NZ anyway, and yes I do know there isn't 40k playing the game there either like its been claimed.

Either way, the focus is on a Wellington NRL team and not on AFL, so lets try not to be sidetracked by what really is a non issue.

 

[Cmarsh]

I didn't even notice that part and I'm not really sure why they'd even mention it given the code has such minimal interest in NZ anyway, and yes I do know there isn't 40k playing the game there either like its been claimed.

Either way, the focus is on a Wellington NRL team and not on AFL, so lets try not to be sidetracked by what really is a non issue.

Yes, the RL media seems to be very good at making issues out of non-issues, esp when they involve the AFL.

 

[Aucklander]

Yes, the RL media seems to be very good at making issues out of non-issues, esp when they involve the AFL.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough.

If you want to whinge, bitch or sook about the RL media, then there are plenty threads elswhere to do it in.

 

[fumbler]

Can't see why they'd even put a second team in Enzed while they have Perth, Adelaide, Gosford, SEQ, CQ and PNG first.

 

[Aucklander]

Can run a line through PNG and Gosford. Adelaide will only get a transplanted team. Perth, QLD and Wellington will provide the next two teams.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

How much does it cost to run a NRL team and will the next TV deal cover that?

Can't see why they'd even put a second team in Enzed while they have Perth, Adelaide, Gosford, SEQ, CQ and PNG first.

Gosford will only get a team if it's a relocated Sydney team. Central Queensland is fantasy talk. Papua New Guinea is delusional.

 

[sverik25]

I've never really understood why New Zealand are so underrepresented in competitions like the NRL and the A-League (although the latter is a bit easier to understand given the difficulties of the NZ A-League clubs). It would be good to see Wellington have a team IMO.

 

[fumbler]

Can run a line through PNG and Gosford. Adelaide will only get a transplanted team. Perth, QLD and Wellington will provide the next two teams.

How much does it cost to run a NRL team and will the next TV deal cover that?



Gosford will only get a team if it's a relocated Sydney team. Central Queensland is fantasy talk. Papua New Guinea is delusional.

Are you two kidding?

CQ would be the most viable outside of 2nd Brisbane-Ipswich team or Perth, CQ would set up similar to that of the Cowboys.

Wellington is as much a pipe dream as PNG.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Wellington isn't full of dirt poor people.

 

[fumbler]

Wellington isn't full of dirt poor people.

Never said it was, and that's the stupidest argument so far today.

Wellington's population is similar to that of the CQ region, the CQ region has had some big names come out of it to play at the top level, there are only currently 3 teams in QLD atm with a population of around 5 million the game is not being utilised as much as it should be, even more so in the country areas.
With CQ i'd go with Mackay and not Rockhampton though.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Never said it was, and that's the stupidest argument so far today.

Wellington's population is similar to that of the CQ region, the CQ region has had some big names come out of it to play at the top level, there are only currently 3 teams in QLD atm with a population of around 5 million the game is not being utilised as much as it should be, even more so in the country areas.
With CQ i'd go with Mackay and not Rockhampton though.

difference is that Mackey isn't exactly an urban centre. as the cowboys have shown population doesn't matter as much as the population density.

mackay has just over 100,000 in the area next to no public transport and most of people do not live in the urban area.
wellington has almost 400,000 in an area smaller then the city of mackay itself

393,600 in 444 km squared
116,123 in 2,897.5 km squared

they don't compete, especially when Mackay is 900K's from Brisbane.
the only thing mackay has going for it is the proximity of the airport.

CQ is never going to fair any better then the cowboys or the knights. the NRL has a hard enough time with regional attendances as it is.

 

[fumbler]

difference is that Mackey isn't exactly an urban centre. as the cowboys have shown population doesn't matter as much as the population density.

mackay has just over 100,000 in the area next to no public transport and most of people do not live in the urban area.
wellington has almost 400,000 in an area smaller then the city of mackay itself

393,600 in 444 km squared
116,123 in 2,897.5 km squared

they don't compete, especially when Mackay is 900K's from Brisbane.
the only thing mackay has going for it is the proximity of the airport.

CQ is never going to fair any better then the cowboys or the knights. the NRL has a hard enough time with regional attendances as it is.

Not sure if you've been to Rockhampton or Mackay?

Mackay around 120,000 people also has Sarina around 15,000, Proserpine - Airlie Beach around 20,000, Bowen 10,000, Moranbah and other Central Highland areas 15,000 is almost 200,000 people in that area and then when you chuck in Rockhampton with around 80,000 and Yeppoon with almost 35,000 and other parts of Gladstone Emerald and in between having another 30,000 to 40,000 that boosts the population of CQ to more than the Wellington population with more Rugby League fans than that of Wellington i'd say it was a no brainer.

As for the public transport that's a stupid argument, check Sunbus, also they have a lot of private contractors they can utilise.

CQ is die hard NRL, Wellington is just to Union to even worry. Does the NRL want to prop up another team like the Storm?

 

[raskolnikov]

Central Queensland is fantasy talk.

What makes you say that? I would be majorly pissed off if Wellington got a team before CQ.

 

[raskolnikov]

Wellington isn't full of dirt poor people.

You're saying that CQ is? Lol. CQ is one of the fastest growing and booming areas in the country.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

What makes you say that? I would be majorly pissed off if Wellington got a team before CQ.

Central Queensland's cities are too small.

You're saying that CQ is? Lol. CQ is one of the fastest growing and booming areas in the country.

I was talking about Papua New Guinea.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Not sure if you've been to Rockhampton or Mackay?

Mackay around 120,000 people also has Sarina around 15,000, Proserpine - Airlie Beach around 20,000, Bowen 10,000, Moranbah and other Central Highland areas 15,000 is almost 200,000 people in that area and then when you chuck in Rockhampton with around 80,000 and Yeppoon with almost 35,000 and other parts of Gladstone Emerald and in between having another 30,000 to 40,000 that boosts the population of CQ to more than the Wellington population with more Rugby League fans than that of Wellington i'd say it was a no brainer.

As for the public transport that's a stupid argument, check Sunbus, also they have a lot of private contractors they can utilise.

CQ is die hard NRL, Wellington is just to Union to even worry. Does the NRL want to prop up another team like the Storm?

Now you want to include areas outside the city of Mackay itself?

As Townsville has shown the areas outside the main city don't go to games regularly, doesn't matter how diehard the "region" is you can only rely on the local population.

The stats don't lie there's 120,000 spread over double the space of Wellington population density is far more important then just population.

The surrounding cities never help crowds never.

The Nrl will force any entity to support itself, if Wellington won't in of course they get in.

But when the league's average crowds is just 16K population density is the winner, closer they are to games easier to sell.

Much like the AFL the nrl also want to GROW the game, sticking a team in an area where everyone already has a team adds nothing for the league as whole which is why the pirates bid is so attractive.

Few million people in a city that doesn't have a hardcore following. People in CQ will still support the Nrl with or without a team.

 

[raskolnikov]

Central Queensland's cities are too small.


I was talking about Papua New Guinea.

Rockhampton with a population of nearly 100,000 is only about an hour from Gladstone with a population of about 50,000. We would have a larger catchment area than North Queensland.

 

[fumbler]

Now you want to include areas outside the city of Mackay itself?

As Townsville has shown the areas outside the main city don't go to games regularly, doesn't matter how diehard the "region" is you can only rely on the local population.

The stats don't lie there's 120,000 spread over double the space of Wellington population density is far more important then just population.

The surrounding cities never help crowds never.

The Nrl will force any entity to support itself, if Wellington won't in of course they get in.

But when the league's average crowds is just 16K population density is the winner, closer they are to games easier to sell.

Much like the AFL the nrl also want to GROW the game, sticking a team in an area where everyone already has a team adds nothing for the league as whole which is why the pirates bid is so attractive.

Few million people in a city that doesn't have a hardcore following. People in CQ will still support the Nrl with or without a team.

Townsville relies on Bowen, Ayr, Home Hill, Ingham, Charter Towers even people from Mt Isa and cairns fly in.

Look at Green Bay in the NFL, tiny population compared to many other teams but get the crowds as it's a local home team that supports the community, something a CQ team says it will do.

As you've said many CQ people will continue to follow the game but due to not seeing any live games they will drop off buying merchandise and the little things that help prop up the NRL. Also Union is making inroads into the CQ area and has been playing a Country's Blue Dogs game in Rockhampton for the past 5 years.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Townsville relies on Bowen, Ayr, Home Hill, Ingham, Charter Towers even people from Mt Isa and cairns fly in.

Look at Green Bay in the NFL, tiny population compared to many other teams but get the crowds as it's a local home team that supports the community, something a CQ team says it will do.

As you've said many CQ people will continue to follow the game but due to not seeing any live games they will drop off buying merchandise and the little things that help prop up the NRL. Also Union is making inroads into the CQ area and has been playing a Country's Blue Dogs game in Rockhampton for the past 5 years.

Now your starting to get to fairytale land.
NQ do not rely on any of those places for regular crowds, finals and a handful of games a year at most help crowds but for 8-9 games a year they rely on Townsville.

And the Nrl don't rely on CQ for anything financially.

And no comp in Australia let alone team compares to the green bay packers.

No point worrying about it anyway the league's going private in the future, word is packers looking at investing in souths due to shits in broadcast agreements and some bored Saudi is supposedly interested in buying one of the existing teams.

Any team will come down to who offers Smith the biggest slush fund.

 

[robbieando]

It will come down to which teams can increase the TV Rights. Perth and Wellington can do that as they add or increase timeslots for the NRL to take to the next rights negotiations. Central Queensland can't add to that and thus will miss out

 

[Chicken Parma]

Townsville relies on Bowen, Ayr, Home Hill, Ingham, Charter Towers even people from Mt Isa and cairns fly in.

Look at Green Bay in the NFL, tiny population compared to many other teams but get the crowds as it's a local home team that supports the community, something a CQ team says it will do.

Don't Green Bay get a ton of support from Milwaukee?