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Raiders penalised $150,000 for shifting NRL game to Wagga

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:10 pm
by greeneyed
Wagga to host Canberra Raiders National Rugby League game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Wagga City Council has partnered with the Canberra Raiders to bring NRL games to the city in 2019 and 2020.

Read more: https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/stor ... -and-2020/

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 5004m.html

@WaggaCouncil on Twitter
BREAKING NEWS:
Wagga Wagga City Council and Canberra Raiders partner to bring NRL to city in 2019 and 2020
The City of Good Sports will host an NRL premiership game in 2019 and 2020 following a partnership with the Canberra Raiders.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:12 pm
by Dusty
Thoughts Canberra locals???

I’m an inter state fan so it has very little impact on me.

I like the idea


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Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:20 pm
by Green eyed Mick
As long as they reduce the price of season tickets to compensate for one less game, I won't care too much.

If they put the game on a Sunday arvo at 2pm, before a Monday public holiday, I might even make the trip.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:26 pm
by -TW-
I don't care tbh, Saturday 3pm would a perfect time for it

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:28 pm
by Jake
Makes this Wagga local happy. Last time they played it was a trial against the Dogs. Reece lightning scored on the hooter to win it. Was very enjoyable from the hill.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:30 pm
by -GD-
Strange, my season ticket next year is the same price and no mention in the brochure of only 11 games at home.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:30 pm
by greeneyed
Extremely disappointed that the Raiders are taking one of our home games away from Canberra. Canberra is already smack bang in the middle of country NSW. We are already taking the game "to the bush". It's the bush capital.

I'm supportive of taking trials to country towns, but not NRL premiership matches. The ground at Wagga, IMO, is not of a standard to host a NRL premiership match. Media, sponsor facilities poor... I hope members are offered grandstand seats... but they have had to take their chances when trials have been staged in country venues. I fail to see how taking grounds to smaller venues builds crowds. It is a mentality I do not understand, taking NRL games to inferior venues, denying supporters decent facilities. If it is a question of some games being insufficiently profitable at Canberra Stadium... the solution is to renegotiate the stadium deal with the ACT government.

Will have to wait for more details... and surprised that this is the way we're finding out. No communication with members about the move, no communication about what it means for our automatic rollover of members tickets, as far as I'm aware.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:39 pm
by edwahu
I feel we are such a line ball team we should never ever willingly give up home ground advantage.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:43 pm
by Velda
Last time they had one less game at Bruce they offered “free” tickets to an away game, used it to go to Shark Park and was basically sitting in the Raiders bench (Michael Robertson scored in the last seconds to win, was a very good night)

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 8:58 pm
by greeneyed
Wagga Wagga City Council and Canberra Raiders partner to bring NRL to city in 2019 and 2020

The City of Good Sports will host an NRL premiership game in 2019 and 2020 following a partnership with the Canberra Raiders. At the Monday 27 Council Meeting, it was resolved to enter into a two-year agreement with the Raiders and the NRL, with the option for a third year.

Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner said the club was looking forward to rewarding their many Riverina supporters with an NRL game in their backyard.

"The Raiders are excited about taking a premiership fixture to Wagga for the next two seasons as we have always felt we are the club that represents NSW Country in the NRL," Mr Furner said.

"Eleven home games will remain in Canberra during season 2019 and 2020 to maintain our strong presence and commitment to our home city. In addition, we get to play a match in the large region of NSW which we represent.

"We will be encouraging all of our Canberra-based members to travel out to Wagga, support the Raiders and make a weekend of it."

Read more: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2018/08 ... -and-2020/

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:00 pm
by greeneyed
So there it is confirmed... but no advice to members about what this means for their memberships that are about to automatically rollover. Nor what will be done for members in terms of facilities at Wagga and in particular what seats they have access to.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:27 pm
by Timbo
I’m a fan. I’d imagine not a lot of people get to all twelve games at home anyway (queue GE telling me he does).

I think it’s positive for the club and the game. I dare say it’ll be a match against the Titans or someone similar who are unlikely to draw much of a crowd at Bruce.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:44 pm
by Bay53
Will be interested in what the ACT govt has to say. They have obviously agreed to this.

Would be perfectly reasonable that they reduce their contribution to the club.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm
by greeneyed
And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm
by Schifty
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:00 pm So there it is confirmed... but no advice to members about what this means for their memberships that are about to automatically rollover. Nor what will be done for members in terms of facilities at Wagga and in particular what seats they have access to.
You might not even get a seat!

I'd imagine x amount will be set aside for locals..

Would have been nice to know about it, but yeah membership brochure definitely just talks about "Home games at GIO stadium"

IMO those who can't make it to Wagga should be invited for a bbq and Furner's place for the game.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:55 pm
by Bay53
I am disappointed because as I told a Jason Mathie and Angela Denton the other day, I honestly think we could have had our cake and eaten it too on this.

The truth is many Sydney clubs don’t want to play home games against us, hence the reason we have played Sydney teams in Cairns, Mudgee, Bathurst (twice), Darwin and Gosford over the past few years. Barring issues with the stadium we would have even played an away game against a Sydney team in Christchurch.

I think if the Wagga Council had put the money up for a Sydney club, they would have taken it and would have been happy to play us as the away team. We then could have done all the promotion we have wanted to and not give up a home game.

I will say however that 11 home games is probably about the maximum for all clubs (except the Broncos). 8 teams are playing a home game in Brisbane as part of magic round to start with.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
by greeneyed
Timbo wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:27 pm I’m a fan. I’d imagine not a lot of people get to all twelve games at home anyway (queue GE telling me he does).

I think it’s positive for the club and the game. I dare say it’ll be a match against the Titans or someone similar who are unlikely to draw much of a crowd at Bruce.
For reasons I won’t go into, this has been a year where my attendances have been very disrupted in the second half of this season. Normally I attend all 12 home games religiously. Moreover, I have been attending all away games the last couple of years. The costs of doing that far exceed someone who, say, lives in Sydney and support a Sydney team. So thanks very much Raiders... I’m effectively paying more for membership (it seems) AND will have to bear the expense of travelling/accommodation for what is essentially another away game.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
by Bay53
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
by greeneyed
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games. The ACT Government will have had to agree to this... so they are complicit in taking events away from our city, when the rugby league public is hardly over serviced for NRL matches. It is not like Sydney where fans don’t need to leave town for the vast majority of their season... even when their club transfers home games to regional locations.

Let’s take the Rabbitohs this season, for example. They have “home” games this year in Perth, Gosford and Cairns. They still have 12 games at the Olympic Stadium (three as the “away” team), and play 15 games in Sydney... and 17 in their home region (including Hunter Stadium and Central Coast Stadium).

It is ridiculous that the Raiders think 12 home games is somehow too many.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:04 pm
by Rick
I think it’s a great idea.


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Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:14 pm
by Bay53
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games.
Not sure I agree with that. It costs what it costs to open the stadium. I don’t think the stadium managers (not the owners), the ACT govt charge the club any more than it costs.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:15 pm
by greeneyed
Rick wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:04 pm I think it’s a great idea.


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But you live in Darwin... don’t you?

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:20 pm
by greeneyed
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:14 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games.
Not sure I agree with that. It costs what it costs to open the stadium. I don’t think the stadium managers (not the owners), the ACT govt charge the club any more than it costs.
Wagga will be paying the Raiders just to turn up... and will bear the costs of staging the game. As I understand it, the ACT Government provides the Raiders with the least support of any code on a per match basis to have matches staged in Canberra. The ACT government could at least provide the same support they do the Brumbies. (This is of course what is underlying this decision... the ACT isn’t providing funding support anything like Wagga will be.)

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:32 pm
by Bay53
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:20 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:14 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games.
Not sure I agree with that. It costs what it costs to open the stadium. I don’t think the stadium managers (not the owners), the ACT govt charge the club any more than it costs.
Wagga will be paying the Raiders just to turn up... and will bear the costs of staging the game. As I understand it, the ACT Government provides the Raiders with the least support of any code on a per match basis to have matches staged in Canberra. The ACT government could at least provide the same support they do the Brumbies. (This is of course what is underlying this decision... the ACT isn’t providing funding support anything like Wagga will be.)
You are talking about two different things here. The ACT government manage the stadium and provide it to the Raiders. I am not too sure exactly how that works, but I get the feeling things like security services are actually acquired as part of a government tender. Ticketek as I understand have a deal with the Stadium rather than Raiders or Brumbies. I think the ACT govt just pass on the costs to the host clubs - there would be no difference between the Raiders and the Brumbies.

Then there is a separate deal all together where the Raiders get an ACT government grant. They also get things like payroll tax concessions.

Of course on top of that again is the deal for the new training centre in Braddon which is getting money from both ACT and NSW governments.

I said at the time that I assumed that part of the deal to get NSW government funding was that a game would be taken to those regions.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:33 pm
by edwahu
Jeez it's an even worse decision when half the teams have one less home game as well. Let's take what tiny advantages we can.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:34 pm
by Bay53
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:32 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:20 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:14 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm

Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games.
Not sure I agree with that. It costs what it costs to open the stadium. I don’t think the stadium managers (not the owners), the ACT govt charge the club any more than it costs.
Wagga will be paying the Raiders just to turn up... and will bear the costs of staging the game. As I understand it, the ACT Government provides the Raiders with the least support of any code on a per match basis to have matches staged in Canberra. The ACT government could at least provide the same support they do the Brumbies. (This is of course what is underlying this decision... the ACT isn’t providing funding support anything like Wagga will be.)
You are talking about two different things here. The ACT government manage the stadium and provide it to the Raiders. I am not too sure exactly how that works, but I get the feeling things like security services are actually acquired as part of a government tender. Ticketek as I understand have a deal with the Stadium rather than Raiders or Brumbies. I think the ACT govt just pass on the costs to the host clubs - there would be no difference between the Raiders and the Brumbies.

Then there is a separate deal all together where the Raiders get an ACT government grant. They also get things like payroll tax concessions. Yes the Brumbies and Giants also receive money under this program.

Of course on top of that again is the deal for the new training centre in Braddon which is getting money from both ACT and NSW governments.

I said at the time that I assumed that part of the deal to get NSW government funding was that a game would be taken to those regions.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:35 pm
by hrundi89
Great idea...

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:36 pm
by gerg
Is it generally the Canberra day long weekend which is a poor crowd? That could be the game to take away.

I don't mind the idea. You can't complain about the AFL trying to take over the region, while the NRL is ignoring the region, and then complain about doing something for the region. Sorry about the clumsy sentence structure GE.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:37 pm
by Timbo
I’m firmly of the opinion that all teams should have:

11 Home games
11 Away games
2 ‘good for the game’ games.

Those last two can be one of their home games they take away, what would have been an away game that another team has taken away or the magic weekend.

That way the love is shared around but nobody is put at a real disadvantage.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:38 pm
by Bay53
I expect there will also be a cash contribution fro the Wagga council in addition to underwriting the costs of the game. So it does mean that the Raiders are guaranteed a profit for a game they may otherwise make a loss on.

So from an economic sense it makes sense, but is not all about making money. The club already operates at a significant operating loss, which is covered by a group of community clubs in the region and the ACT government. Those organisations exist to serve the people of the ACT region, not Wagga.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:41 pm
by Bay53
gergreg wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:36 pm Is it generally the Canberra day long weekend which is a poor crowd? That could be the game to take away.

I don't mind the idea. You can't complain about the AFL trying to take over the region, while the NRL is ignoring the region, and then complain about doing something for the region. Sorry about the clumsy sentence structure GE.
You ever been to Wagga in March? Bloody hot. They had one of the games in Bathurst (not against us) early in the season and it was a disaster competing with the finals of local summer sports. They have been far more successful in having the games towards the middle of the year despite the fact it is pretty cold in Bathurst in winter.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:42 pm
by Bay53
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:32 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:20 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:14 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm

The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games.
Not sure I agree with that. It costs what it costs to open the stadium. I don’t think the stadium managers (not the owners), the ACT govt charge the club any more than it costs.
Wagga will be paying the Raiders just to turn up... and will bear the costs of staging the game. As I understand it, the ACT Government provides the Raiders with the least support of any code on a per match basis to have matches staged in Canberra. The ACT government could at least provide the same support they do the Brumbies. (This is of course what is underlying this decision... the ACT isn’t providing funding support anything like Wagga will be.)
You are talking about two different things here. The ACT government manage the stadium and provide it to the Raiders. I am not too sure exactly how that works, but I get the feeling things like security services are actually acquired as part of a government tender. Ticketek as I understand have a deal with the Stadium rather than Raiders or Brumbies. I think the ACT govt just pass on the costs to the host clubs - there would be no difference between the Raiders and the Brumbies.

Then there is a separate deal all together where the Raiders get an ACT government grant. They also get things like payroll tax concessions. Yes the Brumbies and Giants also receive money under this program.

Of course on top of that again is the deal for the new training centre in Braddon which is getting money from both ACT and NSW governments.

I said at the time that I assumed that part of the deal to get NSW government funding was that a game would be taken to those regions.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:43 pm
by greeneyed
The way it’s been described to me in the past is that the financial incentives are embodied in the Stadium deal (not a grant). But that could be wrong... happy to be corrected.

Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:44 pm
by -TW-
gergreg wrote:Is it generally the Canberra day long weekend which is a poor crowd? That could be the game to take away.

I don't mind the idea. You can't complain about the AFL trying to take over the region, while the NRL is ignoring the region, and then complain about doing something for the region. Sorry about the clumsy sentence structure GE.
We generally request that game to be on a Friday/Saturday night if it has to be played at home as it clashes with the races on the Sunday.



Re: Wagga to host Canberra Raiders NRL game in 2019 under Wagga City Council deal

Posted: August 27, 2018, 10:44 pm
by Bay53
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 10:01 pm
Bay53 wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:58 pm
greeneyed wrote: August 27, 2018, 9:50 pm And perfectly reasonable for the members to pay less, if they’re not getting an equivalent package to a home game at Canberra Stadium.
Agree. The club argues that there are home games where they make no money. I would be interested in how that is determined. If it was just match day sales less costs to run the game, I agree there would be losses.

But that doesn’t take into account 1/12th of the membership revenue or 1/12th of the ACT govt grant.
The solution to this is renegotiating the Stadium deal. Not taking away our home games. The ACT Government will have had to agree to this... so they are complicit in taking events away from our city, when the rugby league public is hardly over serviced for NRL matches. It is not like Sydney where fans don’t need to leave town for the vast majority of their season... even when their club transfers home games to regional locations.

Let’s take the Rabbitohs this season, for example. They have “home” games this year in Perth, Gosford and Cairns. They still have 12 games at the Olympic Stadium (three as the “away” team), and play 15 games in Sydney... and 17 in their home region (including Hunter Stadium and Central Coast Stadium).

It is ridiculous that the Raiders think 12 home games is somehow too many.
To be fair you can’t count Newcastle as in Souths home region. It probably takes less time to drive to Wagga from Canberra that to Newcastle from many parts of Sydney.