PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
If the two QLD teams thing was to go ahead, I wonder if a model like the below would work:
2 teams - QRU have 49% ownership stake in each team and provide funding to get them off the ground. Both teams use the currently established QRU pathways as feeders for players.
The other 51% ownership can be whomever, but preference given to collectives of clubs who form a joint venture. Doesn't have to be region based. For example GPS, Bond and Souths might have a good management relationship and choose to form the venture. I know this type of club merger was floated during the NRC, but I think something like this would be far more appealing for investors because it would be playing in the primary Australian rugby competition, not a semi-amateur feeder comp.
Both teams play 80% of games at Suncorp during the season and the other 20% at whatever regional venues they choose. That way, you aren't making it more difficult for the current Reds supporters to get down and support the teams, but it also provides teams their own opportunity to go into regions they see as good markets.
The idea of the joint club venture would be to engage with the grassroots more, but it could be focussed. So one team which is backed by GPS, Souths and Bond would do rotating training sessions at those clubs, giving them a broad spectrum of fans as well, North and South. Each team would obviously need their own home base still, Ballymore would work for one, no idea for the other.
Anyway, I know it's a pipedream to think anything like that would happen or could financially make sense at the moment. But I like it.
2 teams - QRU have 49% ownership stake in each team and provide funding to get them off the ground. Both teams use the currently established QRU pathways as feeders for players.
The other 51% ownership can be whomever, but preference given to collectives of clubs who form a joint venture. Doesn't have to be region based. For example GPS, Bond and Souths might have a good management relationship and choose to form the venture. I know this type of club merger was floated during the NRC, but I think something like this would be far more appealing for investors because it would be playing in the primary Australian rugby competition, not a semi-amateur feeder comp.
Both teams play 80% of games at Suncorp during the season and the other 20% at whatever regional venues they choose. That way, you aren't making it more difficult for the current Reds supporters to get down and support the teams, but it also provides teams their own opportunity to go into regions they see as good markets.
The idea of the joint club venture would be to engage with the grassroots more, but it could be focussed. So one team which is backed by GPS, Souths and Bond would do rotating training sessions at those clubs, giving them a broad spectrum of fans as well, North and South. Each team would obviously need their own home base still, Ballymore would work for one, no idea for the other.
Anyway, I know it's a pipedream to think anything like that would happen or could financially make sense at the moment. But I like it.