Manly's survival

[Peter C]

Regardless of what Greenslime, Kent or Slothfield reckon I can’t see them tapping Penn on the shoulder and saying bye bye.

For a start unlike a number of clubs Manly are privately owned and funded.

We might have been going absolute **** on the ladder but to my knowledge we’ve never asked for or been given , a handout.

Relocate us and there’s a massive hole in a big area of Sydney, makes absolute zero sense and I’d be flabbergasted if it happened.

Far far more likely to happen is we’ll be forced into playing home games out of the new SFS or Gosford.

Removing us from the game has to be way way down the bottom.

They're not saying that Mark, what they're saying is the same as what they've been saying for years now, that the NRL will NO longer assist any club should they get into financial difficulties, that may be hard to adhere to though,as they have agreements in place with the telecasters for a certain number of games each week, so those clubs have to be propped up while contingency plans are in place.
They say they will issue basically perpetual licenses, with the proviso that should a club be sold, the NRL will have a say to whom that club is sold to , so for argument's sake,should the Penns decide to sell to say URM, the NRL could possibly thwart the sale, as they may say it's not in the NRL's interest to sell to them

 

[KNUCKLES]

Do you think they will put a 2nd team in Brisbane mate, seems an "obvious" thing to do, but I seriously believe a 2nd team will just get bullied out of town again. I reckon it will be a failure and this might be more trouble than the NRL will want to deal with.

I believe if relocation is on the cards it should already invest in areas that already have rugby league interest. A second Brisbane team and a team out of Wellington or Christchurch ( preferably the South island imo ). I just believe a Perth franchise wouldn't be succesful. I could be wrong though

 

[Tomay]

Perth and Adelaide will do worse than the Gold Coast. A bit of initial excitement and then it fizzles out. Especially with the half assed way they go about anything business related, including promotions.

My concern is that the current NRL administration may not be above manipulating the league to target the bottom line of the clubs they intend to relocate. There is already inequality in brand exposure, the draw, punishments and arguably even refereeing.

Either way the more the league restructures itself to give power to the decision makers at head office and to take away from a club based model the worse the outlook for the game.

 

[KNUCKLES]

Spot on mate.

Funny how there is never any talk out of the AFL that there is too many clubs in Melbourne - they have seven that are all in close proximity, all within about 20mins of each other.

We have the chooks and rabbits next door to each other in an area that has a very rapidly changing demographic to sustain what these clubs need - junors and families.
One of them should be on the agenda for relocation but the have the $$ and power. Will be interesting what the chooks will be like once Uncle Nick falls off his twig.

We have the Dragons, Dogs and Sharks core areas all within 20-30 mins.
The Dogs especially are in a changing demographic also, they pack out Belmore for two games a year but ANZ is a ghost town.
As the Dragons are established in Wollongong they have future proofed themselves very well in my opinion.
The Sharks and/or Dogs should be on the agenda for relocation.

Tigers need to work out if they are from the inner west ( Balmain, Lidcombe, Ashfield ), again a changed demographic in terms of families or the south west ie Campbelltown.
This takes on more importance as the A-League will have a new team there ( Macarthur ) in two years.

Parra whether we like it or not is here to stay - new stadium, is a city unto itself ( kind of ) and easily accessible and identifiable to the masses flocking to the new estates out west.
Penrith safe - juniors, funds, fanbase, geographically well placed.
Manly should be safe - privately owned and the only team north of the city. If the NRL are fair dinkum they'd be nuts to give us up.

To me the Gold Coast doesn't work as most people up there are from NSW - so have their own team they still support - or Brisbane so are begrudgingly Broncos supporters too.
Same reason relocation to the Central Coast won't work and didn't with the Northern Beagles.
People don't generally like to be told who they should support.

In summing up, it should be the Dogs that are candidate no 1 for relocation.

Get rid of the tigers Balmain component and bring back the magpies out of campbelltown.

 

[KNUCKLES]

The demographics of the Northern Beaches and the North Shore for that matter has changed massively and is NOT a Rugby League demographic and won't ever become one. I lived on the Central Coast for 23 years and I can tell you the vast majority are Sydney refugees with ingrained allegiances to other Sydney teams and the standard hatred of Manly that other team supporters have. Brookie Oval will not ever become anything like Central Coast Stadium which I would have thought will become the barest minimum standard for ALL NRL teams. It saddens me to say it but I think our days are numbered on the Northern Beaches. As long as we remain the Sea Eagles and retain the colours I would rather re-locate than die and I never thought I would say that. The biggest supporter concentration outside of NSW is the South Island of New Zealand and that's where we should go before someone else grabs it. Take the NRL's cash to re-locate and play 2 games a year at Brookie or Central Coast and the remainder in NZ South Island.

Penn has an asset worth $20 million and he will surely re-locate before die and lose that value.

Having family being from Christchurch, I think this would be the only option that I would back. But that is a worse case scenario. Coz I never want us to leave manly

 

[niccipops]

Pre game yes outside the Arko stand entrance

Nothing post game I am aware of - they might set one up in Brookie Pub???

Brooke Pub's a great idea, especially after a win. They could maybe approach the pub. Memberships could be sold during away games too. Played on the big screen. Manly win and hopefully people sign up.

 

[StuBoot]

They're not saying that Mark, what they're saying is the same as what they've been saying for years now, that the NRL will NO longer assist any club should they get into financial difficulties, that may be hard to adhere to though,as they have agreements in place with the telecasters for a certain number of games each week, so those clubs have to be propped up while contingency plans are in place.
They say they will issue basically perpetual licenses, with the proviso that should a club be sold, the NRL will have a say to whom that club is sold to , so for argument's sake,should the Penns decide to sell to say URM, the NRL could possibly thwart the sale, as they may say it's not in the NRL's interest to sell to them

And I wouldn't put it past them to surreptitiously work on the movers and shakers of any city that fits their master plan to garner the necessary interest and $$.

 

[rifraff]

It is the clubs we have now that generate all the money that comes into the game.. Manly, tigers and sharks, the three clubs most people think are in trouble are a big part of that. If anything all the clubs should get a bigger slice of the pie since they are the reason we get big tv dollars. Make them all profitable.

The NRL would have about a billion to spend on everything else after the money the clubs get, for the five year cycle.. Where are they spending all the money.

Relocate the so called leadership of the game , not the clubs.

 

[HappilyManly]

And still melb are allowed to have feeder teams in qld. How long do they need proping up.

Weren't they also getting 5 million a year from the NRL to expand the junior participation in Victoria

Not sure if this has stopped or what criteria was used to account for the spending

 

[niccipops]

A lot of fans from less favoured clubs would clearly see how Toddy's comp and future plans are not considering all teams equal or important.
The line about the vital clubs such as cowboys, broncos, storm and warriors not having to relocate if in financial trouble is very telling.
Todd's decided that some teams are more important than others.
It makes me wonder just how corrupt the NRL comp is and the steps that would be taken to oust teams, even possibly manipulating the results of games?
There's already been evidence showing that teams lower on the ladder get penalised more. Is this manipulating the comp?
I just don't trust anything that comes out of Greenberg and Beattie's mouths.

 

[Brissie Kid]

Relocate us and there’s a massive hole in a big area of Sydney, makes absolute zero sense and I’d be flabbergasted if it happened.
.

The minute the NRL succeed in killing or moving Manly, the 'Sydney' Roosters will be given NRL assistance in taking over the north side of Sydney & Central Coast.

 

[manly al]

In practical terms , just can not comprehend why Manly even come close to being one of the clubs whose tenure in Sydney [ ie Northern Beaches . should be in any major doubt and taking past circumstances into account . Manly has not been one of the financially strained clubs who has required direct financial assistance or for that matter intervention in recent times . such as Newcastle , Dragons , West Tigers , Titans or previously Sharks . Like most clubs , has been running at a loss for most recent seasons but has managed the short fall and apparently still has outside interest for a majority share buy out . Unfortunately does have a membership base and crowd numbers at the lower end but again has still stayed financially viable since their return as a stand alone entity in 2002 . Probably also just the continuing anti Manly bias out there either in various public or media circles that still tends to cast Manly as a club in general in a negative light . A second Brisbane team and Perth continue to be the logical suggestions for League expansion and unless some Sydney team does unexpectedly fall over , no relocation for Sydney based teams and certainly not Manly again if rational perspective and reality remain the principal consideration .

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Let’s be honest with ourselves this isn’t to do with history, fans , the good of the game it’s to do with one thing and one thing only.

The broadcast deal!

Foxtel and Channel 9 will call the shots.

Teams that rate will remain, teams that don’t face oblivion.

Perth wouldn’t have to rate as that gives them another live game slot, Super Saturday becomes Super Dooper Saturday live games at 3.30pm, 5.30pm, 7.30pm and 9.30pm East Coast standard times.

Another Brisbane team would rate regardless.

Greenslime and Beatnik don’t give a **** about the game and certainly not the fans!!

But they do give a big **** about the broadcasters!!

 

[Ralphie]

What particular part of North Qld are they referring to? Because Townsville alone has around 200k and Cairns isn’t far behind. Mackay (still in the north rather than central Qld orbit) has another 100k. Innisfail, Ingham, Ayr etc. are all sizable towns.

Google population of North Qld and it tells you the areas covered.

 

[Ralphie]

You say that but Crowe has had no problem affording a coach or sacking a coach and paying him out.

How on earth does that say he has more money. It says he is more flippant with it I would agree. The Penns wealth is growing exponentially as their business expands right across North America all while Rusty’s career withers.

 

[Brissie Kid]

1. If there was no team currently on the north side of Sydney, the NRL and the media would bleating endlessly about adding a team there. Unlike in Perth &Adelaide, people on the north of Sydney are already rugby league people.
2. Instead, they currently have a team there (Manly) and they are doing their best to run them down and out the door.
3. When they succeed with 2., they will start on 1. The Sydney Roosters will be gifted the territory.

 

[BOZO]

***************** IT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE POWER **************

***A COMMITTED GROUP OF PASSIONATE PEOPLE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER FOR ONE CAUSE

***AND THAT IS TO MAKE THE MANLY SEA EAGLES CLUB MORE POWERFUL !!!

*** INVESTORS , PLAYERS , SPONSORS , AND CLUB MEMBERS

***ALL UNITED AS ONE TO TAKE THEIR CLUB TO THE NEXT LEVEL

***BECOME A CLUB MEMBER OF THE MIGHTY MANLY SEA EAGLES

*** AND COME ALONG FOR AN EXHILARATING RIDE TO OUR CLUBS SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY !!!

*******************YOU'VE GOT THE POWER . JOIN US TODAY !!! **************************

 

[HoldenV8]

Perth and Adelaide will do worse than the Gold Coast. A bit of initial excitement and then it fizzles out. Especially with the half assed way they go about anything business related, including promotions.

Being from Adelaide, I can't really argue with that. We saw it 20-odd years ago with both the Western Reds and Adelaide Rams. Both started under a lot of hype and got good crowds for a while. The largest home attendance for both teams (24,392 at the WACA for the Reds and 27,435 at the Adelaide Oval for the Rams) came in their very first home games. But when they started getting to the reality of it and neither team were very successful with on-field results, the crowds and interest dropped away. The Reds dropped from an average home attendance of 13,390 in 1995 to 8,981 by the end of the 1997 Super League season, while the Rams averaged 15,330 in 1997, but that had dropped to just 7,682 by the end of 1998.

If a team is ever to be put back into Perth and later Adelaide, it will need to be a long term commitment from both investors AND the NRL. They can't let them suffer an early death like the Reds and Rams suffered or you may as well just forget about either city when it comes to anything more than one off big games like test matches or State of Origin.

 

[OneEyedEagle]

***************** IT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE POWER **************

***A COMMITTED GROUP OF PASSIONATE PEOPLE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER FOR ONE CAUSE

***AND THAT IS TO MAKE THE MANLY SEA EAGLES CLUB MORE POWERFUL !!!

*** INVESTORS , PLAYERS , SPONSORS , AND CLUB MEMBERS

***ALL UNITED AS ONE TO TAKE THEIR CLUB TO THE NEXT LEVEL

***BECOME A CLUB MEMBER OF THE MIGHTY MANLY SEA EAGLES

*** AND COME ALONG FOR AN EXHILARATING THE RIDE TO OUR CLUBS SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY !!!

*******************YOU'VE GOT THE POWER . JOIN US TODAY !!! **************************

View attachment 11077

@BOZO Love your passion, my feathered friend

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Apart from of course playing from an upgraded Brookvale, I think the owners would be mad not to look at taking say 2-3 games per year to the new SFS and perhaps two to Gosford.

Re: SFS.
1. It’s better than taking games to Brisbane, calling it a ‘home’ game, then run the real risk of losing in front of the other team’s home fans - especially if your team is struggling on field.

2. It will be a magnificent stadium with (possibly) the usual financial inducements attached.

3. By the time it’s up and running, the new light rail will be operational. From the northern beaches perspective:

a. you can catch the Manly ferry and the light rail is waiting for you at Circular Quay;

b. the B Line buses are up and running;

c. now that the state government has been re-elected, Beaches Link (especially if games are played there on a Sat/Sun) will bring the city and Moore Park much closer for northern beaches residents; and

d. if you’re a Manly fan living elsewhere in Sydney, some of the above transport options will also help you, along with the eventual completion of Westconnex in 2023, with Burwood towards the city opening this year; the metro from the northwest (next month) through to Bankstown by 2023/24; and the City to Parramatta metro (plus others) to follow.

In short, getting around Sydney should
become easier in the coming years.

I am sure the Penns’ would be taking all of that into consideration. Better to be on the front foot in the long term survival stakes, informing the NRL that ‘this is part of our plan,’ than have the NRL trying to dictate your fate.