The Adelaide Experiment

[Guest]

Thoughts on how the Adelaide experiment will go? This weekend is the first of three matches the sharks will play in Adelaide over the next three years.

Adelaide had their own team in the 90's, the Rams, but they demised quickly.

Since then there has been 1 game played there, in 2006 between the panthers and the storm, only about 7,000 were there.

The experiment will be interesting, I'd say probably about 7 or 8,000 will be there.

[Guest]

It is not an experiment as such Nick.The Sharks have failed to make profit at some home games last year and all games this year.The Sth Aus government are giving the Sharks $100,000 to play over there.We also are playing some usually poor attended games at Gosford for a similar garanteed amount.West Tigers also moved six of their home games to the SFS this year for a $100,000 garantee.Similar Souffs in Perth this year.Teams have been doing this for a few years now,with some choosing to play in Wellington NZ in years gone past.By no means does it mean a club is considering a permanent move anywhere,rather it is only to get the money they only would have missed out on by playing it at their home ground.

[Guest]

I'd be happier if Souths moved there.

[WickedAngel]

I bunny (excuse the phrase) hopped home yesterday via Adelaide and met 2 couples on the plane heading there for the game..........well the men to the game & the ladies shopping. Were Sharks supporters.

[The General]

Adelaide had their own team in the 90's, the Rams, but they demised quickly.

In 1997 News Limited's Super League were only able to "buy" 8 of the existing 20 ARL teams which wasn't enough to start their own competition. They created 2 new teams to make up the numbers, the Hunter Mariners and the Adelaide Rams.

The Hunter Mariners directly competed with the ARL loyal Newcastle Knights and there were crowd figures posted in the News Limited papers of 1,000 whereas others said there would have been less than 50 people there. They were a huge black hole for News' coffers and were easily sacrificed for the newly created NRL.

The Adelaide Rams survived and took part in the new 1998 20 team NRL competition. Unfortunately the culling continued in an effort to get to just 10 teams and they joined the long list of sacraficial lambs.....

Hunter Mariners (1997)
South Queensland Crushers (1995-1997)
Perth (Western) Reds (1995-1997)
Gold Coast Chargers (1988-1998)
Illawarra Steelers (1982-1998)
St.George Dragons (1921-1998)

Had they been given half a chance, had there not been a ridiculous push for 10 teams and had there not been a Rugby League civil war who knows they could still be with us today. I expect to see them back sometime in the future.

[Guest]

I'm with you General... I reckon we'll see Adelaide & Perth back in the NRL in the not too distant future.

[stsae]

I disagree fellas.

Melba leak $8-10 Mill a season. If a city of that size cant more than pay for itself theres no chance Adelfade or Perff will have any chance to be competitive off the field.

I honestly dont see our game moving off the East Coast any time soon.

Shame cos I reckon it would work in Perff given time and patitence. But we all know NewsRL only care about making back their investment.

[Guest]

Well the crowd was about 8,000. Unsurprisingly the cowboys won. I did hear some people commenting on the lack of atmosphere.

[supermario]

considering it was the sharks vs cowboys, no wonder there was no atmosphere, i don't actually think i saw a sharks jersey in the crowd !!!!!

[Guest]

considering it was the sharks vs cowboys, no wonder there was no atmosphere, i don't actually think i saw a sharks jersey in the crowd !!!!!

I was thinking the same thing... Lets try a game over there with 2 decent sides.

[stephenj]

lets not?

[Guest]

hope more games in adelaide, we need to have teams in perth and adelaide

[Guest]

Adelaide would be a perfect place for NRL. NRL needs to be more widespread eg. SA, WA, NT Not just NSW & Queensland

[Kingbilly]

Its an absolute joke trying to push RL into SA and WA.

Why bother, I don't think you would ever make any money on it and I see it as a kick in the guts for other areas that are league heartlands.

I don't mind having the odd exhibition games there but, I just don't think it would work.

While I think RL is a great game, its just not popular in those areas and it just isn't going to be.

The only reason Melb worked was the early success.
AFL can expand all over Aust, because its far more popular in areas where it is not the "major" code than RL in areas where it is not the "major" code.

Don't even mention the success of the Force in Perth, because its largely due to a big South African population there and they are RU fans and frankly not interested in RL.

[stsae]

Agree 100% KB.

And Melba only work cos theyre owned by NewsLTD and they kick in the 8-10 mill a year they bleed.