But we don't have an old boys network or a compliant media. RL was in-fighting and killing itself long before the 1970's. The post war record crowds occurred when soccer also enjoyed big crowds, even county cricket enjoyed healthy tournouts.

Just to qualify the "success" of the Auckland 9s......the city council essentially underwrite Te prize money and the promoters look after the financials. In £25 a ticket for 2 days they offered a brilliant 2 days entertainmet where NRL sides had to bring at least 3 of heir top 10 earners and played for a prize pool bigger than that of the NRL itself......
Having never been to Dubai, I will take it under advisement, but is be stunned if such an event would interest the NRL/RFL or clubs........7s does wel there because England/Australia/NZ/SA etc need nothing other than jingoistic rivalry.......NRL clubs are not supported in anything like the numbers needed to attract the same level of interest.

Why would the NRL Clubs do something that has no benefit to them?
They are privately run Clubs or Clubs owned by investors, its called running a profitable business.

I will say it again, England should do far more to get France moving rather than silly novelty ideas in a place like Dubai.
Its just easier to try and spin dumb ideas like the "Dubai Nines" than it is to do the graft and hard work to get Englands neighbour building some real foundations and becoming a force in this great game.

I think this is going around in circles, I have said what I think, the rest can rummage through through the thread and have their say if they want.

Have a good one

feel free to run through a list of any sporting clubs in any sport that are "profitable run businesses"...

Most of the NRL Clubs, and they invest those profits back into the game and community.

Rubbish, you have one NRL club making a decent profit. One or two who scrape a profit if they have a good year on the field, the rest losing money or reliant on league club grants to break even.

If koukash offered NRL clubs $500k appearance fee they would play where ever he told them to.

I still think dubai, Singapore, USA etc would be better suited to an international nines rather than a club nines. Needs a European club nines in place of magic weekend.

The Leagues Clubs are part of the organisations except maybe for the Storm, Knights and the Titans.
Without the Rugby League teams there would be no Leagues Clubs or Pokies.
One of the major objectives of the Leagues Clubs is to generate income to financially fund the Team.

Do you think Koukash is likely or able to pay the NRL clubs 8 million in appearance fees?

I agree with your last sentence.

Wrong......most NRL clubs make losses.

No they don't.

The Football teams may not show profits but the Clubs make money.
You would have to know the structure of each organisation and book keeping practices of each Club to know that.
I am pretty sure you are not privy to that information.
The Clubs are a partnership with their licensed Club who finance the team in the way of grants.
There is no way any Club wants to show a profit on the books to be taxed on it more than they are already taxed, the money has to travel down to its junior leagues and supporting structures, they are not there to show a profit.

They don't have to make money on just gate receipts, TV deals, sponsorships and Shirt sales, they have the financial backing of their business arm which brings in much of the revenue from the Clubs fans and guests.

Next you will be saying Penrith Panthers are going broke because its team can not get generate enough money.

NRL clubs are not profitable businesses........spin it how you like but the fact is a large number lobbied for cash advances in the year before the TV deal kicked in.....

Is that the best you have got?
You are wrong.
A couple of League Teams lobbied for cash advances (that may have been a bean counters suggestion) The majority of NRL Clubs are fine.

You did not mention my point regarding Penrith Panthers, they have enough assets to buy and sell half of the SL teams

You have to get over your rejection by the English Rugby League authorities to be their marketing man.
Move on Gutters.
I have a long memory

Yes the league clubs would exist without NRL clubs, they are pokie empires who happen to bung some money, in some cases, to a for profit professional sports club. You've got storm, knights, titans, souths, warriors without any pokie club affiliation. Then you've got the Sydney clubs, broncos , cowboys and Raiders who have survived on the ill gotten gains of pokie machines which has stopped them developing the NRL club as decent businesses with large memberships.

No idea, it is what it will take. If he can't raise that sort of money then it won't happen.

Quote ="Buggo"No they don't. The Football teams may not show profits but the Clubs make money. You would have to know the structure of each organisation and book keeping practices of each Club to know that. I am pretty sure you are not privy to that information. The Clubs are a partnership with their licensed Club who finance the team in the way of grants. There is no way any Club wants to show a profit on the books to be taxed on it more than they are already taxed, the money has to travel down to its junior leagues and supporting structures, they are not there to show a profit. They don't have to make money on just gate receipts, TV deals, sponsorships and Shirt sales, they have the financial backing of their business arm which brings in much of the revenue from the Clubs fans and guests. Next you will be saying Penrith Panthers are going broke because its team can not get generate enough money.'" Strictly speaking the NRL clubs and league clubs are separated entities governed by different boards and managed by different ceo's. Many league clubs own the NRL license. We have seen by the financial problems at sharks, st's, manly, Balmain and Penrith (suggest you take a look at what they were operating on in 2011 if you think the panthers leagues can throw infinite finds at the NRL club) that leagues clubs are not the cash cow they once was. Nonsense to say no clubs are happy to show a profit. There are a whole host of reasons you want to show a growing profit or at least a surplus. For a summary of clubs revenue: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2swhv.html

Quote ="Buggo"No they don't. The Football teams may not show profits but the Clubs make money. You would have to know the structure of each organisation and book keeping practices of each Club to know that. I am pretty sure you are not privy to that information. The Clubs are a partnership with their licensed Club who finance the team in the way of grants. There is no way any Club wants to show a profit on the books to be taxed on it more than they are already taxed, the money has to travel down to its junior leagues and supporting structures, they are not there to show a profit. They don't have to make money on just gate receipts, TV deals, sponsorships and Shirt sales, they have the financial backing of their business arm which brings in much of the revenue from the Clubs fans and guests. Next you will be saying Penrith Panthers are going broke because its team can not get generate enough money.'" Strictly speaking the NRL clubs and league clubs are separated entities governed by different boards and managed by different ceo's. Many league clubs own the NRL license. We have seen by the financial problems at sharks, st's, manly, Balmain and Penrith (suggest you take a look at what they were operating on in 2011 if you think the panthers leagues can throw infinite finds at the NRL club) that leagues clubs are not the cash cow they once was. Nonsense to say no clubs are happy to show a profit. There are a whole host of reasons you want to show a growing profit or at least a surplus. For a summary of clubs revenue: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2swhv.html

Quote ="JB Down Under"Strictly speaking the NRL clubs and league clubs are separated entities governed by different boards and managed by different ceo's. Many league clubs own the NRL license. We have seen by the financial problems at sharks, st's, manly, Balmain and Penrith (suggest you take a look at what they were operating on in 2011 if you think the panthers leagues can throw infinite finds at the NRL club) that leagues clubs are not the cash cow they once was. Nonsense to say no clubs are happy to show a profit. There are a whole host of reasons you want to show a growing profit or at least a surplus. For a summary of clubs revenue: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2swhv.html'" I have already read that. You will notice that the Penrith Team is owned by the Leagues Club. Hence my previous post. I work for a company that has many totally different daughter companies, some do really well others less so. In my own company we have different product channels, some reap it in some battle to break even. The Corporate accountants make sense of it all and often suppport the none profitable side of the business to suit their grand plans on their books. The fact is in the link you posted that I had already read only 7 from 16 Clubs were battling financially.

Quote ="JB Down Under"Strictly speaking the NRL clubs and league clubs are separated entities governed by different boards and managed by different ceo's. Many league clubs own the NRL license. We have seen by the financial problems at sharks, st's, manly, Balmain and Penrith (suggest you take a look at what they were operating on in 2011 if you think the panthers leagues can throw infinite finds at the NRL club) that leagues clubs are not the cash cow they once was. Nonsense to say no clubs are happy to show a profit. There are a whole host of reasons you want to show a growing profit or at least a surplus. For a summary of clubs revenue: www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2swhv.html'" I have already read that. You will notice that the Penrith Team is owned by the Leagues Club. Hence my previous post. I work for a company that has many totally different daughter companies, some do really well others less so. In my own company we have different product channels, some reap it in some battle to break even. The Corporate accountants make sense of it all and often suppport the none profitable side of the business to suit their grand plans on their books. The fact is in the link you posted that I had already read only 7 from 16 Clubs were battling financially.

That is not true.
The Leagues Clubs are part of the Football Club without them they are not much, How is North Sydney Leagues Club going? The Brisbane Crushers Club, Tweed Seagulls, Balmain Leagues Club?
The Knights and Souths have Club support.
I am no fan of the Broncos but their Club provides plenty of community support.
Why is Pokie money ill gotten gains?
No one makes a person go to a Casino or bet on the Horses or have a go on an online betting agency.

And a vivid imagination.....I applied for a role at quins RL and was overlooked by David Hughes's recruitment consultancy, even though I was recommended by the RFL as just the type of person they needed. Given the blinding success of Hughes appointments since that time and the amazing success story that is the club, I am actually relieved that they decided that Oyster card holders in canary wharf and viral videos seen by 2,000 people were a better way to go!

NRL clubs are not profitable BTW........and if you remove the pokies/gambling aspect of their businesses they are basket cases!

Your rejection shows and you have an Axe to grind with the Sport it shows in the bulk of your negative posts.

NRL Clubs are profitable or they would have gone broke like any other business would.
You can not take the pokies out of the picture to suit your argument, they are an integral part of the Clubs and the community.
RSL, Bowling,Workers Clubs and Pubs all have Pokies, they are part of the community fabric, I do not gamble but its the same Pokies that keep the Clubs financial that subsidies the Cheaper Bar prices and free entertainment and value dinning at these Clubs that many members enjoy.
They are non profit Clubs that put what they make back into the community that supports them.

Australians spend nearly $12 billion a year on poker machines and three quarters of people who have a serious problem with gambling are pokie players. www.problemgambling.gov.au It's a shame only a very small fraction goes back into the communities. Take a look at the Panthers leagues annual statement to see how little of their fortune goes to local sport. I am sure you could justify clubs running opium dens if some of the profits went to RL! As for your example of Norths, 2012 they had a revenue of nearly $36mill and a profit of $1.2 mill so there goes your theory! You said: fMost of the NRL Clubs, and they invest those profits back into the game and community Now you admit 7 of 16 have financial problems. Which is it?

Australians spend nearly $12 billion a year on poker machines and three quarters of people who have a serious problem with gambling are pokie players. www.problemgambling.gov.au It's a shame only a very small fraction goes back into the communities. Take a look at the Panthers leagues annual statement to see how little of their fortune goes to local sport. I am sure you could justify clubs running opium dens if some of the profits went to RL! As for your example of Norths, 2012 they had a revenue of nearly $36mill and a profit of $1.2 mill so there goes your theory! You said: fMost of the NRL Clubs, and they invest those profits back into the game and community Now you admit 7 of 16 have financial problems. Which is it?

Wrong again.........
I've moved on and am actually thankful that i did t waste my time and effort on a man with less vision than blind pew. Instead I count a number of sports agencies as my clients now including the NRL, NZRL as well as the dark side and netball here in gods own country.
I am bitter that the RFL have, rather than roll up their sleeves, let Hughes destroy professional RL outside of the corridor in the UK, but that's just the way RL is In general......short sighted and self damaging whilst trying to blame anyone else for its failings.

Quote ="JB Down Under"Australians spend nearly $12 billion a year on poker machines and three quarters of people who have a serious problem with gambling are pokie players. www.problemgambling.gov.au It's a shame only a very small fraction goes back into the communities. Take a look at the Panthers leagues annual statement to see how little of their fortune goes to local sport. I am sure you could justify clubs running opium dens if some of the profits went to RL! As for your example of Norths, 2012 they had a revenue of nearly $36mill and a profit of $1.2 mill so there goes your theory! You said: fMost of the NRL Clubs, and they invest those profits back into the game and community Now you admit 7 of 16 have financial problems. Which is it?'" People are free to gamble or drink or do whatever they wish that is legal. I am not their carer last time I looked. Penrith is a community club and is not making profifts for some private owner you realise? Read the article you posted about the 7 from 16 to answer your own question.

Quote ="JB Down Under"Australians spend nearly $12 billion a year on poker machines and three quarters of people who have a serious problem with gambling are pokie players. www.problemgambling.gov.au It's a shame only a very small fraction goes back into the communities. Take a look at the Panthers leagues annual statement to see how little of their fortune goes to local sport. I am sure you could justify clubs running opium dens if some of the profits went to RL! As for your example of Norths, 2012 they had a revenue of nearly $36mill and a profit of $1.2 mill so there goes your theory! You said: fMost of the NRL Clubs, and they invest those profits back into the game and community Now you admit 7 of 16 have financial problems. Which is it?'" People are free to gamble or drink or do whatever they wish that is legal. I am not their carer last time I looked. Penrith is a community club and is not making profifts for some private owner you realise? Read the article you posted about the 7 from 16 to answer your own question.

It's legal so it's ok?
You're are the CEO of BA Tobacco and I claim my £5,000,000,000,000,000!

Just so you know. THey haven't been/ Loss after loss for some clubs like the Storm and Broncos over the years. Last season the Sea Eagles poster a very, very small profit after years of losses and just so you know they don't get money from their leagues club. North Sydney got $400k from their leagues club, but aren't an NRL club.

I suspect you are not as informed as you think you are Buggo. Some NRL teams receive a fair amount from Leagues Clubs, others don't. Some of the football clubs have been running at a loss. Again as JB has pointed out, the Leagues club have different boards etc and are no longer are bread winners for a first grade team. The TV deal was the turning point for many. And as GF has pointed out. There were clubs that went to the NRL and asked for an advance for the following season when it was announced. That is fact.

Here is a copy of the 2013 PANTHERS GROUP accounts for everyone's perusal. www.panthers.com.au/wp-content/u ... LC_Web.pdf

Here is a copy of the 2013 PANTHERS GROUP accounts for everyone's perusal. www.panthers.com.au/wp-content/u ... LC_Web.pdf

It sounds like this year we are definitely getting the 6 team WCC where 3 NRL teams play 3 SL teams over a single weekend. It also appears that two of the NRL teams are simply opting in to playing in it rather than needing to qualify, which makes it an absolute farce IMO. We also have no idea which English teams will compete, I think it should be GF winners, CC winners and league leaders. If this was announced sooner it would at least add a bit more incentive to coming top.

I'm not really sure what this expansion of the WCC acheives tbh. It's basically the same game we have now with two extra friendlies. I really wish the WCC would be taken more seriously, if properly planned and marketed a full on 8 team tournament featuring group stages and knock out rounds could be massive, especially over here. If the Aussies, as rumoured, don't want to play internationals next year then I would be looking at staging a World Club Competition next Autumn instead.

With regards to the 9s, the Auckland tournament will be here to stay for the time being due to last year's success. There was talk of invitational places for SL teams but that would be very disruptive to the SL season. Our own version at the Magic Weekend would have got my vote, it could have been played in Round 23 as a standalone tournament whilst the post-split fixtures were sorted, and get rid of the additional fixture aspect of the current MW format.

Auckland pre season nines
Magic weekend European nines
NRL and SL gf to be aligned and played on same weekend
Proper world club final two weeks after GF's
World nines end oct.
Internationals November
That would do me