Quote: Starbug "I'd disagree on that one , in NZ , Auckland has always been the primary RL area , still not as strong as union , but a heartland without doubt'"
Agree with you bug.
Spent a week at a festival in Gisborne and there were a very large number of NRL jerseys on show...very few S14 ones. Most of the NRL wearers I spoke to were from the North of the north Island.
The social demographic of the Auckland area make it a RL heartland...the Waikato and Auckland regions which are the direct catchment area for the Warriors have 27% Maori/Pacifica populations...League is the sport of choice for these groups. Compare this with Wellington (18%) and Christchurch/Canterbury (10%) and you can see why the Warriors are based where they are.
Basketball is also a sport of choice for these social demographic groups....that's why the Breakers are based in Auckland while the European sport of soccer is based in the European dominated capital city.
The NRL should be looking at a second NZ team...maybe based in Wellington but one that plays games "on the road" in Canterbury and Bay of plenty (30%)...with some form of transport initiative in BoP......it is a bugger to get around up there as the NZ v PNG test showed.
As for the UK and expansion? London has worked on some levels (number of kids playing the game, producing more home grown players than many heatland teams etc..) but continues to puzzle many with regard to the lack of interest from the paying public......Wales ....? It is too early to judge Wales yet, but I suspect that crowds will be an issue there as well. The Midlands might be the next place to look at. Scotland and Ireland are worth looking at in maybe 10 years time........as with any form of expansion...it is better to get what you already have in good shape before trying to expand......there's no point in building an extension on your house if your house is in danger of falling down is there
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