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<big>TV guru proposes Champions League-type tournament between Super League and NRL clubs</big>
By Dean Ritchie The Daily Telegraph January 10, 2012 10:09AMThe British television guru driving Super League has proposed a rugby league Champions League tournament between the top four NRL clubs and the best four clubs from England.
Neville Smith, Sky Sports’ rugby league executive producer for 25 years, outlined the case for an end-of-season club extravaganza with teams such as Manly, Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne Storm, Wigan, Leeds and St Helens going head-to-head.
Smith, who was behind the video referee concept, also called for a Papua New Guinea team to be introduced into the NRL.
The Sydney Northern Beaches-born executive, who has returned home for a holiday, is the brains behind Sky Sports’ coverage of all Super League games.
Despite competing with the Barclays Premier League and rugby union, Super League still attracts a average audience of 250,000 viewers each game.
Smith wants an end-of-season showdown in which three countries would be represented by sides from eight cities.
"It could run immediately after the season.
"It gives the teams an extra edge - like football teams fighting for a place in Europe.
"Probably to start with, it should be played in England - there would be more appetite for it over there.
"It could be played over a three-week period.
"Initially the interest would be built in the UK and maybe in year three, or year two, it could happen here in Australia.
"Teams would be against sides that have played together all year - not just thrown together at the end of the year.
“They would have to look for a window to do it without being at the expense of the international game.”
Super League attempted a rushed version of this concept in 1997, but the gap between the competitions was excessive and the experiment failed. But the top four English clubs are now robust and professional - ensuring a bumper contest.
Asked how many Super League teams could compete in the NRL on a week-to-week basis, Smith said: “Wigan, Warrington, St Helens, Leeds, and we’re expecting Catalans Dragons to come good this coming season and potentially make the grand final.”
An NRL spokesman said of the proposed Champions League tournament: “I’m sure the concept would prove popular with fans, but to add another event to the already demanding schedule is not a realistic option at this stage.”
Smith also proposed that PNG should be the next franchise granted entry into the NRL.
Some people may scoff at his idea, but rugby league would only strengthen by marching into a new country.
“Yes (to expansion) if they can tap into an area with an already deep interest, and a classic example of that is PNG,” Smith said.
"PNG would bring passion, entertainment, flair and TV revenue. The game is huge in PNG. It is a national sport.
“It would also strengthen their national side. Look what has happened to the New Zealand national side since the Warriors came in. They are reigning world champions. It would do the same for PNG.”
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I like the idea but it won’t happen, the players whinge enough about the length of the season as it is.
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Reduce season to 20 rounds
extra 6 weeks
3 for stand alone origin matches
3 for champions league
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@Captain Awesome:
Reduce season to 20 rounds
extra 6 weeks
3 for stand alone origin matches
3 for champions league
Disagree, NRL club football is the strength of the game, we do not want to weaken that.
Most years your club wont play in the champions league, and stand alone origin weekends only fill one time slot over the weekend. You dont want to give your clients (fans) an option to do something else.
I like the concept, but lets remember thye did something similar in the super league year, it was a farce!
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4 teams each is too many. Something like what Rusty was proposing would be better. 2 teams from each and play it somewhere outside the traditional league markets and promote the tripe out of it. Involve some of the smaller countries involved as warm-up games. The “semis” could be 20 minute halves to lighten the load.
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I like almost any idea that sees more Rugby League and less Off season.
Where do i sign?
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4 teams each is too many. Something like what Rusty was proposing would be better. 2 teams from each and play it somewhere outside the traditional league markets and promote the tripe out of it. Involve some of the smaller countries involved as warm-up games. The “semis” could be 20 minute halves to lighten the load.
like the idea and promotes the game somewhere in the middle like asia would be a perfect place to hold the concept and it should be the grand finalists after the grand final not before the season because they have different squads then it will show who the real championship teams are
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AHHHH Nev….
This is not your idea mate.
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I like almost any idea that sees more Rugby League and less Off season.
Where do i sign?
I’m with you Spartan Make the buggers play 48 weeks of the year and pay em millions that’ll shut em up
On a serious note the English Super league teams can maybe lift for one game against the NRL sides but if you asked them to play 3-4 they would be getting the tripe flogged out of them in the end of it
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I’d rather spend the time promoting international footy between nations, not clubs.
Maybe they could scrap Finals Footy like in the soccer. The team with the points becomes the Premiers and the following 6 weeks could be a Champions League?
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I get way more excited about the Tigers than the Aussie Team.
If the Money is as lucrative a carrot as it could be, Then I would love for the Tigers to go round for a few extra games.
I love this idea
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@Tiger Watto:
I’d rather spend the time promoting international footy between nations, not clubs.
Maybe they could scrap Finals Footy like in the soccer. The team with the points becomes the Premiers and the following 6 weeks could be a Champions League?
I agree with all of this Watto…the best team all year should be greater rewarded than they currently are. Too often the years best side doesnt win the title and thats a shame.
Premiership trophy to the minor premiers, champions trophy to be played between the top 4 of of both competitions and then rep footy takes centre stage. That way the rep sides will be chock full of the years best players and they will have earned the right to play.
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Don’t like it.
As soon as you start letting TV execs deciding on things and running the game you are in trouble. Once the ratings drop, they ditch their support and the hole thing falls over.
And really, I couln’t give a rats $%#@ if the Tigers are better than Wigan etc etc
PS. who in Sydney would be supporting Manly. Concept wouldn’t work as league in Sydney is too tribal
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@Tiger Watto:
I’d rather spend the time promoting international footy between nations, not clubs.
Maybe they could scrap Finals Footy like in the soccer. The team with the points becomes the Premiers and the following 6 weeks could be a Champions League?
finals footy is way too important to scrap.
I like the idea in theory, but not at the expense of the NRL.
I also dont think the players will extend the season another 3 or 4 weeks
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@Tiger Watto:
I’d rather spend the time promoting international footy between nations, not clubs.
Maybe they could scrap Finals Footy like in the soccer. The team with the points becomes the Premiers and the following 6 weeks could be a Champions League?
I also dont think the players will extend the season another 3 or 4 weeks
They should have no say mate. They are payed to play…they are employees and will do what they are told.
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