NRL CEO Dave Smith says the Gold Coast Titans will not be moved to Suncorp Stadium

[DIEHARD]

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NRL chief executive David Smith has told the Titans not to worry about closure or relocation as the game sorts through its expansion options.

Senior figures at the Titans have privately expressed trepidation about the club’s ability to remain viable on the Gold Coast. They fear relocation, with Suncorp Stadium mentioned as an option which would retain three NRL teams in southeast Queensland.

Smith told The Courier-Mail the NRL had not been asked this year to advance grants to the Titans.

But he said “background’’ resources had been provided to the club, which ha to compete directly at the Gold Coast with a Suns outfit helped by $20 million a year of funding from the AFL.

Departing Titans founder Michael Searle said this week that he did not want the Gold Coast to lose its rugby league team, which he described as “a very real risk’’.

But Smith said: “It’s not a risk for me. I’ve never said that.

“I will give all the support required to the Titans and I am doing that in the background.

“There’s no trepidation from me. There’s no plan to move the Titans to Suncorp or do anything like that.

“The Titans need some support now and we will give them that support.

“Support can range from using the central resources in a slightly different way, through marketing or contra (advertising), or helping to negotiate stadiums (hiring deals), right through to additional funding support where clubs ask for it.

“(Chairwoman) Rebecca Frizelle and the board are doing the right things.

“The Gold Coast is strategically very important to the code. It’s a rugby league state and we are going to grow Queensland, we aren’t going to shrink it.’’

Uncertainty at the Titans is being compounded by an upcoming expansion review by the ARL Commission at a time when they have had a financially challenging season in which they will miss finals and have an average home crowd of 13,385.

Smith said he expected that within 12 months the Commission would have decided whether to change its 16-team competition with eight different bids being prepared, including at least four from Queensland.

“I hope this time next year we have through what we would want from the next rights deal (for broadcasting to 2017) and what we want the structure of the competition to be like, where we want the teams to be, how many teams we want, the shape of our season,’’ he said.

“It’s not (about) the difference between 16 NRL teams and 18 NRL teams.

“It is to increase growth, through participation, engagement of our fans, engagement of mums and families.

“I think the Queensland market could have more NRL content, not less.’’

The NRL made advances on grant payments available to the Dragons totalling more than $2 million because of the club’s budget problems, exacerbated by a reduction in funding from St George Leagues Club.

The NRL took what it saw as a temporary 80 per cent stake in the Knights this year when ownership changed hands.

“The plan for the game is to support where we need to support, but we only support with a view to creating with those clubs a long term, sustainable future,’’ Smith said.

“We need to invigorate the supporter base (of the Titans) and get them back on track.’’

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...-1227018291015

[Noddy1979]

Great to hear

[TITAN PETE]

Always nice to hear that we have the games boss giving us support as we would hope for

[ozynorts]

Hey David Smith, how about a 40.6% share in the Titans until another investor/s can be found..........

[lonegull]

Great news, hopefully nrl will give support in key areas where the titans lack

[Titan4Life]

Just got a reply to my plea (that I sent before Searle left) for NRL assistance.

Thanks for your email. We appreciate you taking the time to write into us.

The Gold Coast Titans are currently undertaking a full review of every aspect of the clubs operations, and the NRL support this review.

The NRL will await the outcome of the investigation before making further comment.

The NRL is well positioned to not only defend itself but to grow support within that environment, which is exactly what is happening in terms of crowds, sponsorship, membership, and general audience. We are also continuing to focus on growing participation, the strength of the NRL Clubs, and opportunities for players and there is clear evidence we are making ground in these areas.

We have also seen increasing recognition by the government of the importance of the code and the impact it can make in the community and events like the All Stars match and Indigenous programs related to it are just one example of this.

Again, we thank you for taking the time to write into us, and I will ensure your feedback is registered.

We thank you for your passionate support of the game.

Kind regards

Brett
Supporter liaison

[DIEHARD]

The increase in government support is welcome. Back when bloody News Ltd owned 50% of the game (Hard to believe when you think about it!) governments were shy and reluctant to give money to such an organisation.

[karnage]

I got the same letter.

[shamus]

As did I......

[JunctionBlock]

Hopefully the NRL can push through a contract renegotiation for CBus so we stop bleeding money.