Melbourne Rebels Players - where are they going?

[KevinO]

^^^^Or play more games to make the salary justified. Aus players would be some of the highest paid rugby players if you based it on minutes played.

 

[Wilson]

Overall yeah, though I think there might be a few top earners in Japan who take the cake there.

The key for it though is getting more product out of those extra games. Development games have plenty of values, but if they're not earning more money off of broadcast/tickets/sponsorship/appearance fees the problem remains.

 

[Proud Pig]

I am not sure playing more games is going to make more revenue. Our issue isn't that we don't play enough it is that there are other draws on the available money that the public has to spend on entertainment. The reason for the lack of support for Rugby and therefore revenue in Australia is that we have two other winter sports with a vastly higher profile taking precedence. Other countries have one other winter sport but none have two especially where one is a derivative of Rugby anyway. Rugby has lost the fight for the hearts and minds of the public and must accept that and live accordingly within it's means.

 

[Rebel man]

We need to play more games.

This is why we need a domestic comp.

If we had 3 teams in south east Queensland, 4 teams in Sydney and Perth, ACT and Melbourne.

18 game season, all of a sudden we are staging games that aren’t a massive drain on the comp as the players can drive to the away game.

When we look at comparisons with the AFL and NRL both these codes have a number of games that they aren’t needing to fly for

 

[Tomthumb]

I agree with the need for more rugby, but who is paying for this and what's the plan to get people to actually care about these teams?

 

[Rebel man]

I think we need to take a step backwards. In an attempt to take the game forward.

10,000 at Brothers v Randwick is proof that there is support for the club game.

Phil Waugh claims to be on a mission to re-engage rugby with corporate Australia to grow sponsorship revenue. While I have been critical of him let’s hope he can be successful on this front.

I also believe we should try and tap in to the strength of club rugby. Obviously the bigger clubs need a level of investment and support to operate as a professional club. Yet while not being an expert I would assume the investment wouldn’t be as great as starting a whole new club.

I would also be look at taking the games to smaller venues with less overheads. A but like how the VFL use to have all the games at suburban grounds with the game of the round at Waverley

 

[LeCheese]

10,000 at Brothers v Randwick is proof that there is support for the club game.

Not quite... The local paper suggested 5k, the Reds media outlet (probably the most trustworthy as they'd know gate numbers) says "nearly 4k"...

A crowd of nearly 4000 found delirious relish in cheering the pacy substitute to the corner to secure the trophy for Brothers inside the final 10 minutes.

Over 5000 passionate supporters turned up at Crosby Park on the day to bear witness to what is undoubtedly one of the most significant events ever held at the park.

 

[liquor box]

I actually hope for the good of the game in Australia they go overseas. Australian Rugby cannot keep paying all these players. Only one team, the Reds, are financially sustainable. The other three teams are either running at a serious loss and as such a drain on RA coffers or are being propped up by a sugar daddy willing to pour money into the club for now. We need to lower the salaries in Australia not increase them which is what will need to happen to get players to move to the Tahs given Sydney's Eastern suburbs is the most expensive place to live in the country. Let the Wallabies be selected from players plying their trade anywhere and accept the financial realities of Rugby in Australia.

I agree with that, apart from picking players from around the world, I am open to picking players from any Super Rugby team but not from foreign competitions. I know it will weaken us but I still would prefer to watch local players.

 

[Rebel man]

 

[LeCheese]

And what's the source on that? As I said, Reds press release figures are the most trustworthy - if it was anywhere near 10k, I have no doubts they would've promoted it as such...

Edit: Ahh, I see it's from the CODE article that came out earlier in the week promoting the elevated club comp... Absolutely definitely a trustworthy number that just happens to be over 2x more than what was reported at the time...

 

[Rebel man]

Tickets sold and a full house is different. Last week's Collingwood game was sold out and the ground 80% full.

Even if the crowd was not as big as it was reported. We need to increase our market presence in key cities like Brisbane and Sydney

 

[Strewthcobber]

Pretty sure it was free entry at Brothers for that game. There definitely weren't 10,000, or even 5,000 there. Crosby Park can't hold anything like that.

It was a good crowd sure, but let's be realistic here, I've been to 3 Shute Shield and 3 Hospital Cup games so far this year. There isn't anything like enough support for a pro level comp for most of the teams

 

[LeCheese]

Yeah, so tickets sold were an extra 20% on attendees - not the 2-300% the article and yourself (though I understand you're just quoting what you've seen) are suggesting. Crosby Park definitely does not have the capacity to hold 10k regardless, so they wouldn't be able to sell that number of tickets. A fair bit of creative license used by that particular author to suit their cause it would appear.

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

yep if a higher level comp is formed with clubs. its going to be painful for some clubs but it has to happen. clubs should have to put forward a business case and attempt to raise money.

if clubs can get put forward a good enough case, then welcome. if they can't, then sorry mate.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Depending on what the budget is, there is probably no clubs that could put up a viable business case?

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

I feel like if put forward to them (a national club comp), they would have ways to raise money through community and benefactors. A national club comp would also bring more eyeballs to the comp thus more sponsorship $$ etc.

 

[Wilson]

They weren't able to do it when the NRC was being setup, I can't imagine many (or really any) of them being in a better position to now.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Even the most popular Shute Shield clubs currently hvs annual income of around $1 to 1.5m. Most are a fair bit less than this. It's nowhere near what is required for pro rugby (The Rebels were spending $14m a year).

Many/most of the Hospital Cup teams don't even charge for entry. There's no infrastructure for pro levls

 

[Members Section]

If TT is going to go to Leinster its going to be now & not after 1 more yr

Humphreys: 'After next year there will be no front-row forwards coming in'

David Humphreys believes his decision to stop bringing non-Irish qualified front-row talent into the system is an important first step.

www.irishexaminer.com

 

[Wilson]

That's already been ruled out I think, they're chasing (and might have already locked up) Rabah Slimani instead.