gemba appointed by NRL to develop long term Stadia strategy

The National Rugby League chief executives have this week reviewed a strategy for growing crowds and club revenues at major venues.

Over the next three months the NRL will research the needs of clubs and fans in determining the most effective stadium strategy in the years ahead.

The research looks to bring all Sydney NRL clubs together to find the best long-term mix of local ground and major stadium usage.

Included in the approach will be research to determine what fans most want from being at matches and the ways in which clubs can work with members and stadiums to drive long-term growth.

The project, in association with independent researchers gemba, will be widened to other cities and regions in the months ahead.

Included in the strategy is a long-term view to the scheduling of matches in non-traditional areas and regional areas.

NRL interim Chief Executive Shane Mattiske explained "we have committed to a strategic target of averaging 20,000 fans a game by 2017 and to do so we need to look at the capacity we have and the experience we are offering.

"We are going to have to look at every aspect of our match day and matching games to the appropriate stadiums is at heart of that.

"This isn't about moving every match to a major venue but it is about ensuring we have the strategies in place to play matches in the most appropriate location for that match.

"It is a case of all the clubs working together with us to grow the game in the years ahead.

"In 2012 we have already seen matches scheduled for Perth, Darwin, Mackay and Coffs Harbour and we want to take a longer term view of the value of clubs moving matches.

"Certainly we believe there is an opportunity to grow the reach of the game through a strategic approach and the clubs are supportive of what we are trying to achieve."

All NRL clubs have committed to the 2013 Community Carnival which will see player travel to regional areas across Australia to promote rugby league participation and 'One Community' health and lifestyle messages.

"The Community Carnival is an integral part of the season kick off and has an enormous impact on regional communities.

"Again this year it will be coordinated around club trials across February and will reach tens of thousands of fans in regional Australia from Normanton and Doomadgee in the Gulf to Geelong in Victoria."

Today's meeting also addressed details of a new broadcasting opportunity that will see clubs market memberships, ticketing and merchandise through a programming agreement with network Nine's Channel 94 Extra.

This provides the NRL and its clubs with access to 16 hours of free to air television programming, eight hours of which will be during weekday prime time and eight hours during morning weekends.

NRL General Manager of Marketing and Commercial Paul Kind added "it is a new way to market sport in a commercial sense and will involve information based programing and retail opportunities.

"In meeting with Channel Nine ... it became clear that this is an opportunity to engage people on a daily basis about our clubs, our community and our participants."

Extra will introduce rugby league programing for the first time from March next year.

For more information go to http://thegembagroup.com/news/3861/gemba-appointed-by-nrl-to-develop-long-term-stadia-strategy

Image shows Brookvale Oval in the Sydney suburb of Manly.

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