Gotta hand it to Russ

[prattenpark]

He managed to get Oprah to don a Rabbitoh cap on the Harbour today.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/gallery-e6frex89-1225966904533?page=1

 

[hammertime]

He is one of the best things to happen to Rugby League. I hope his Vegas style Champions League gets off the ground because it's a brilliant idea.

 

[stryker]

He is one of the best things to happen to Rugby League. I hope his Vegas style Champions League gets off the ground because it's a brilliant idea.

Totally agree mate…When you hear Rusty talk about league, he is a supreme fan of the game. He doesnt seem to be in it to make money, he seems in it to be a major part in winning his club a premiership.
To me that is awesome.

I also agree with his ideas about some sort of champions league tournament. Especially as the Tiges would most probably feature heavily in it!

The bloke is very knowledgable and passionate about this game and we as a code and especially South Sydney are lucky he is around.

 

[T-REXX]

whats the Champions Leauge story? i havnt heard much about it… actually nothing?

is it a good idea?

 

[Kul]

whats the Champions Leauge story? i havnt heard much about it… actually nothing?

is it a good idea?

Teams 1, 2, 3 and 4 from both the NRL and ESL battle it out in Vegas to be crowned the World Club Champions.

So it would include the Dragons, Roosters, Tigers, Titans, St Helens, Wigan, Giants, Leeds

I really like the idea. You'd get more money, bigger crowds and more interest than the internationals do.
Exposure in the US would be awesome too, but even if it were to be played in the UK or here then it would still be pretty cool.

 

[T-REXX]

Like the idea but that would start to put alot of pressure and game time of the players.

 

[hammertime]

whats the Champions Leauge story? i havnt heard much about it… actually nothing?

is it a good idea?

Here is the full article mate.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/crowe-wants-a-vegas-playoff-20101126-18aow.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[stryker]

whats the Champions Leauge story? i havnt heard much about it… actually nothing?

is it a good idea?

What he proposed essentially was an expanded WCC with the top 4 season finishing NRL and Super League sides squaring off in a round robin tournament in Las Vegas.

i.e. this year we would have had Dragons, Roosters, Titans and Tigers taking on St Helens, Leeds, Huddesfield and Wigan.

As he described, NFL fans are receptive to RL and the rules would easily translate. Americas a massive market and if only a small percentage of people tuned in religiously then the game would be flooded with money.

 

[Kul]

Round 1:
**Tigers (nrl3)** vs Leeds (els4)
Giants (els3) vs **Titans (nrl4)**
**Dragons (nrl1)** vs Wigan (els2)
**St Helens (els1)** vs Roosters (nrl2)

Round 2
**Tigers** vs Wigan
**Titans** vs Roosters

Round 3
Dragons vs **Tigers**
**St Helens** vs Titans

Final:
**Tigers** vs St Helens

easy :smiley:

 

[hammertime]

Like the idea but that would start to put alot of pressure and game time of the players.

I agree mate. But who wouldn't want to go to Vegas? Especially if it meant more money in their pockets.

I say the teams that make it though could just use this for their trials.

 

[T-REXX]

dont get me wrong i think it is a GREAT idea.

But if they were to do it i think they should scrap the Tri-Nations and do this instead..
Players that are in the Aus Team are useally in the top teams anyway. playing Tri-Nat, Origin, Club Games, Semis in these cases, then this will lead to problems down the track with players wearing out and getting injured.

 

[Spartan117]

I like both tournaments.

It equal less of a painful off season.

 

[redemption]

The World Club challenge was an absolutely laughable piece of crap in the dim dark days of Super League (when Broncos played Hunter Mariners in the 1997 final in Auckland) - why the frick would it be any better now just because Russell endorses it and wants it in Vegas????

The Premiership trophy is the be-all and end-all of team achievement - this novelty would not embody any of the tradition or passion of true top class rugby league!

And if it has to come at the expense of Test football (that has 100+years of tradition and provides a genuine a platform for players to aspire to competing on the international stage - unlike provincial AFL) then something is very wrong!!!

Playing in Vegas against English footballers who would not make the QRL or NSW Cup - and former-NRL retirees is hardly going to be the best advertisement for the game!!!

It is also a virtual charity to the ESL - who do not deserve our help in developing their domestic game (they are a competitor in the playing market after all!!

 

[redemption]

He managed to get Oprah to don a Rabbitoh cap on the Harbour today.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/gallery-e6frex89-1225966904533?page=1

When she does a Tom Cruise and refers to her support for the "Rab-beet-ohs" all the good will be undone!

I couldn't give a crap about celebrity fans - I can't see Oprah recommending the history of South Sydney on her book club!!

 

[redemption]

Geez - I can sure kill a thread…..

I am more than happy to see further debate on the merits of the Vegas extravaganza etc.

 

[Bismark]

1\. International exposure. The fact that I don't watch Gaelic football or Lacrosse or whatever other awesome sports are probably played in Europe and around the globe is because I'm not exposed to it, never understood it, etc. League could gather an international audience through such a promotion in the US, however small it is, which will generate further income for the game.

2\. Rivalry. I would get into the Club Challenge if it were fair. The fact that one team is playing in it's home country, without having to travel a massive distance, is never going to produce a classic game. This competition would not only increase the rivalry between the ESL and the NRL, but also give more of a rivalry between England and Australia in sport, which I see no issue with.

3\. Incentive. We finished 3rd this year and didn't get rewarded for it whatsoever. We were essentially saved by Manly, who failed to pick a team capable of competing with the Dragons. As more teams opt for the bigger venues as home fields (alla the AFL), the competition would be a furhter incentive to finishing in the top 4.

Happy?

 

[redemption]

No - show me a business plan that proves potential revenue would benefit the game in Australia Mr Ribot!!!

Rivalry - the last time we tried this concept two Australian teams made the final - one no longer exists!!!! If we made this to ensure an ESL team makes the final - the entire comp loses its integrity and fifth best gets a run (great adverisement for our code yet again)!!!! As for genuine rivalry with ESL teams - what a load of crap!@!!

Incentive - without rep football show me the incentive for individuals to excel if their team is struggling (i.e Gallen this year & plenty of Tigers given the years we have missed the semis)!!!!

Russell has about as much of a sense of reality in his business nous - as is in his scripts (or his belief in his musical/singing ability)!!!!

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I actually agree with Red. Yeah, we will promote the game in the US and make it a pretty grand fixture on the footy calendar for the NRL and ESL, but it's not a truly "international" fixture as you will have at least five foreigners in the top three ESL sides and our sides have quite a few breeds spread out as well, removing the international status of the fixture. Also the US is in a different part of the world to both us and the UK so the games will be on at a rude hour. Also, you give the fledgling NRLUS a boost, therefore pouring more corporte dollars into their game and it leaves the NRL fighting a war on two fronts beating player drain to both the UK and now the USA.

 

[stryker]

I'm not saying that it is without problems Redemption but as a fan and a past player I want to see the sport grow and become a powerhouse, at least of Australian sport.

I'm sick of seeing brilliant young talent snatch it and either leave our shores or the code altogether. Money is the problem and anyone who is thinking outside the box to create more revenue gets my full support.

Gone are the days when Robbo went out on a sunday and smashed Thommo because he hated his guts due to a dispute over a stolen concreting contract a month prior. The game is professional now and the only way it can grow, move forward, combat consistent raids from rival codes is with huge injections of capital.

To be totally dismissive of ANY idea is ignorant.

 

[Tigerdave]

We won't really know how well it will go, if we don't try. His idea is worth a shot.

In so far as promotion goes, he's getting the word out about League in the States, which will hopefully generate some interest. If it doesn't, then it doesn't, but not saying anything will definitely not generate interest.