Wellington in frame for NRL expansion
Rugby league
The NRL has put expansion firmly on the agenda, with Wellington one of the cities in the hunt.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said on Thursday he expected to know by this time next year whether it was viable to add two franchises to the 16-team competition.
The NRL will undertake an analysis of whether such a move is feasible and to consider questions including whether the standard of the competition would be watered down, the impact on participation, financial costs and the will of broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Nine.
‘‘What we’ll do is spend 12 months putting a lot of analysis together to consider whether we make a recommendation to the commission about what the future footprint looks like beyond the next broadcast cycle,’’ Greenberg said.
‘‘There’s some very big questions for us to answer.’’
Greenberg said any possible expansion would not happen before the expiry of the current broadcast deal which runs until 2022.
‘‘To be fair and honest it’s going to take that long to even consider a future footprint – where you would invest and how you would do it?’’
A second Brisbane side and Perth are widely considered the frontrunners to receive franchises should the NRL expand while Queensland’s western corridor, central Queensland and Wellington have also been touted as options.
Wellington will host the NRL game between the Warriors and Sharks on July 19 next year and the NRL will no doubt be keeping a close eye on how big an attendance the game gets.
Another option is for sides to be relocated should they fall into financial hardship with the NRL stating they would not be bailing out any clubs which come begging with cap in hand.
The NRL has had to come to the rescue of the Wests Tigers, Gold Coast and St George Illawarra in recent years.
Greenberg said following the new club funding agreement – which gives each franchise 130 per cent of the value of the salary cap each year – they don’t have the money to prop up failing sides.
‘‘It’s up to clubs to run their businesses effectively and sustainably and if not there will be consequences,’’ Greenberg said.
‘‘Those consequences used to be us coming in and helping them, that won’t be the case in the next period.’’