NRL Expansion

[Rusty]

Just watched the NRL Video News on the NRL.com website, in it there is a brief mention of a Gallop interview where he says that there will likely be expansion of the NRL by 2013.

Note the news piece does not quote Gallop, mearly suggesting what he may have said.

The news cast goes on to mention Gallops view that the the Central Coast are a lock with a number of other options as well. It is suggested that the NRL would expand by 2 teams not one, with Perth having the inside running to be the other team included.

Thoughts? I think that it may be all be postioning before the TV rights negotiations intended to make the deal look more attractive to 7 and 10. Still surely the NRL must include a CC team soon and if they do it makes sence to add 2 at the same time, I mean 17 teams is a stupid number.

Also did anyone hear Gallops interview first hand?

 

[deadlyeagle]

I recall the idea of expandingto Perth is a strong case because it is ideal for more tv exposure and $$ due to the time difference gap.

 

[ManlyBacker]

Can you post the link Rusty?

Gallop came out in Dec saying that there would be no expansion considered before the tv deal negotiations and even went as far as saying that 2013 would be the earliest time and that was unlikely. Strange.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/01/2758965.htm

 

[Rusty]

On the www.nrl.com website, click the NRL VIDEO NEWS link in the top right section of the page, it was Wednesdays Edition I was listening too, which is the one that is titled 'Lyon' which is why I clicked it.

I just listened to it again, and the mention is shorter then I remembered but definitly mentioned 2013, expansion Perth and CC.

 

[DSM5]

A team on the CC is not realy moving out and expanding out of the Sydney area.  Port Morsby, Perth, South Africa, South Island of NZ, Pacific Islands team, Adelaide, even Darwin are more the go.  I noticed that the AFL are getting into South Africa with development people over there.

 

[conanu]

Isnt it Ironic that the reason behind Ribot and Brisbane wanting Super League was to cull the teams down to 14 and have "state of origin every game" and also because Brisbane felt that Manly with Arko at the helm had him twisting the knobs in our favour. Now we have the News Ltd NRL looking at expansion to 18 teams and Melbourne getting strings pulled for them (Smith Fox Sports Deal of 100,000 not part of cap).

These blokes shagged us with a pineapple.

Like the great legend Arko said of our merger with the Bears
"If you are going to get Fu**ed you may as well lay back and try to enjoy it"

 

[Rusty]

I am all for league expansion, especially with teams that will either make money straight away or have obvious supporters who will poor money into the game, ie. Singleton. But if the league is to expand then we should stop increasing ths salary cap, each new team would add 5.5million in player payments, meaning a whole team worth of players retained in league rather then each year increasing the cap a little each year for each team and giving all of the increase to one player.

20 teams seems about right to me, or perhaps 24 with each team playing each other only once a year, each two years playing each home and away.

Obviously the next team will be CC then I would look at Perth and Adelade, Pacific Islands, Wellington, PNG, Tasmania, Sunshine Coast. Other options include Hunter Valley, Gelong, West Brisbane, Darwin, Cairns or Central QLD.

Other ideas I have heard thrown around include creating a second 16 team comp with promotion/relegation to the NRL.