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Did always wonder why we had to give up something valuable to get our bail out when none of the other franchises have ever had to do that (as far as I know). We should have smelt a rat then!
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Hope we can get it back though (before 2020)
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Plenty smelled a rat, and that may well include elements of RugbyWA. But there has alwaus been this illusion that the ARU somehow has our back, endless evidence to the contrary. There was only ever one reason for them to go down the ownership path and I hope that, should the Force somehow survive all this, it never forgets that it has to always do what is best for WA and itself. Those are the real rules of the game.
Rebels gave up their IP rights a few years ago.
Got them back with the private ownership deal.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
I don't see how this could happen.
Firstly, there will always be one Bledisloe played in Sydney, except when the Homebush Stadium is unavailable between 2019 and 2022 - and even then, I wonder why the ARU don't take it on the chin, ramp up the seat prices to compensate for the seating limitation of 45,500 at SFS and play the 2019-2022 Bledisloe matches at Moore Park.
Secondly, Brisbane think that they have dibs on the second Bledisloe in Australia which is played in alternate years, because they have Lang Park (capacity 52,500), and if they don't get it, then you'd expect either Sydney or Melbourne (Etihad, capacity 53,000) to squabble over getting it.
Thirdly, if the Force is culled in 2018, then the WA Government (and taxpayers) probably won't want to hand over $5 million each second year to the ARU for the privilege of having the Bledisloe played in Perth, after having been conned out of $100 million plus for NIB, new Rugby HQ premises and other support.
Fourthly, the sense of resentment in WA over any culling of the Force may lead to a boycott of future international rugby matches by Perth based people - a "Boycott the Bledisloe" campaign?
I might be naive but, prior to the current ARU admin, I don't think this kind of duplicitous behaviour would have been contemplated. There has been the belief that ARU funding was almost a God given right to NSW and Qld clubs. But demanding the terms of this "alliance" and how it's being used is a new level of bastardry that lots of the ES "establishment" are having trouble copping. Maybe part o the cause of the Big turn around in support for us surviving?
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
My understanding is that the Alliance Agreement was drawn up by our legals and not the ARU, so I hope they did a good job with the details.
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I agree, if that is offered to WA Government it is pretty worthless compensation. I doubt we will be charged for the games, rather given them as 'compensation' that the ARU thought was a bargaining chip for them to use.
Like I said, not sure how much weight that information had, but if it is true it shows how little time they have actually spent understanding the state.
It is not really compensation. The proceeds from test matches played in Perth go to the ARU coffers. The ARU has no obligation to reinvest these proceeds into WA rugby. The ARU would just take the money and run. Thats assuming enough disenfranchised supporters bother to buy tickets to fill the ARU coffers, which i highly doubt. Losing the Force will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of many in WA.
The reason why State Governments want to buy events such as the Bledisloe Cup is all about the ancilliary spending for accomodation/food for any interstate fans/kiwi fans that may travel over for the matches.
I agree that the offer is stupid, its just this guy keeps ribbing me for us to accept this deal so I was putting it out there to see if these are the sorts of games from the ARU. Where even the supposed compensation is inadequate.
The ARU was flagging the Rebels Bid as superior because the Victorian Govt was going to PAY the ARU $8million if they got a Bled and Lions Test.