[ad_1]
The NRL have unveiled the Dolphins as the eagerly awaited 17th team beating the Brisbane Firehawks and the Brisbane Jets to the 17th licence.
The Australian Rugby League Commission on Wednesday officially unveiled the northern-Brisbane consortium as the winning bid in the NRL’s expanded 17-team competition for 2023.
The NRL Telstra Premiership will expand to a 26-round competition as part of the Dolphins’ entry with every team continuing to play 24 games in the regular season.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
The total number of regular season games will increase from 192 to 204 with teams receiving two byes each.
Wayne Bennett is tipped to be the club’s inaugural coach although he has not put pen to paper on a deal at this stage.
“Today is an exciting moment in the history of our game,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said.
“The NRL Telstra Premiership will expand to 17 teams in 2023 and on behalf of the Commission I would like to congratulate The Dolphins on being granted the 17th licence.
“I would also like to acknowledge and thank the other bid teams for the work they put into their submissions. All three bids were of the highest calibre and highlight the strength of rugby league in Queensland.”
V’landys stressed that expanding the game in Queensland was vital to the long-term growth of the game in Australia with such a crowded market place.
“Rugby League is part of Queensland’s DNA and to have 4 teams based in Queensland will further strengthen our game as the No.1 sport in the State,’’ V’landys said.
“The key to long term success is growth. By growing the NRL Telstra Premiership we create more fans, encourage more participants and increase commercial investment in rugby league.
“Expansion is also a really important part of our participation strategy. It will be a condition of the licence that the Dolphins spend $2 million every year on participation and growing the women’s game in Southeast Queensland.
“Our focus over the next year is revitalising our participation strategy and The Dolphins will be an important part of that in Queensland.”
V’landys said the Commission approved the expanded competition because it added value to the Competition.
“Our priority as a Commission was firstly to ensure all 16 clubs came through the pandemic financially secure and we have achieved that.
“This decision adds substantial value to the game which will benefit all existing clubs. I would like to acknowledge our broadcast partner Fox Sports who have agreed to an enhanced broadcast agreement from 2023 to 2027.”
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the expanded competition would create more opportunities for the rugby league ecosystem.
“This is an exciting day for our game,” V’landys said.
“There will be more opportunities for our players in 2023, more games of rugby league to watch for our fans and more investment in pathways for our grassroots participants.
“It’s also an excellent outcome for our partners and sponsors who have additional exposure from 2023.
“The structure of the season means there will be 12 more games played every year and all clubs will receive 2 byes, which assists the workload management of our players.”
MORE NRL NEWS
EVERY CLUB’S BEST 17: Key recruits and returning stars turn NRL on its head
EELS WERE IN FREEFALL: 160 mins saved Arthur. Now real $4.2m headache begins
‘PERFECT FIT’: Bennett’s price tag revealed as move edges closer
The NRL released a statement on Wednesday morning confirming their decision with a press conference to follow.
“The NRL Telstra Premiership will expand to 17 teams from the 2023 season after the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) approved the grant of a new licence to “The Dolphins”, the NRL said in a statement.
“The Commission approved both the expansion of the competition and The Dolphins as the successful bid for the 17th licence after accepting the recommendation of the Expansion Bid Assessment Committee.
“Importantly this decision is part of the ARLC’s overall plan to grow the game in all parts of Queensland. Working with the Queensland Rugby League, the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, North Queensland Cowboys and now the Dolphins to ensure we have a presence across the State, investing in participation and pathways for men and women for the future.
“To encourage growth in participation and pathways across southeast Queensland, The Dolphins have agreed to invest $1 million per annum on grassroots rugby league and pathways as well as an additional $1 million per annum on women’s rugby league pathways and development.
“The club will be required to submit an annual budget for Commission approval which sets out how the $2 million in funding will be spent each year.
“The expanded 17-team competition will see the NRL Telstra Premiership become a 26-Round competition with every team continuing to play 24 games.
“All teams will receive 2 byes during the season with the total number of regular season games increasing from 192 to 204.”
Watch ‘Wild Wests: Tales from Tiger Town’ an exclusive Fox League behind-the-scenes production on demand on Kayo > Click here to watch
The NRL’s Expansion Assessment Committee met last week and the seven-person panel analysed the merits of three competing bids the Dolphins, Jets and Firehawks.
The Dolphins will be the NRL’s first expansion team in 14 years since the Titans were added to the competition in 2007.
The Dolphins were always the leading candidate given that they have $100 million worth of assets behind them which will give them the financial stability to thrive from day one.
The club hierarchy have always maintained that they would be up and running immediately if they were granted the NRL’s 17th licence.
Dolphins bid chief Terry Reader told News Corp the club had a strategic plan that could not be matched by the other two bids.
“The Dolphins persist in taking nothing for granted,” Reader said.
“We will continue to work in the background to be ready to enter the NRL competition as early as 2023 if our bid is successful.
“The Dolphins believe we are in a strong position to be awarded the new NRL licence. The Dolphins have the strongest financial backing of any bid. We also have the government support, infrastructure, elite-pathways plan, new fan base and an integrated strategy to grow the game in not only south-east Queensland but into central Queensland.
“The Dolphins have a detailed 100-day plan ready to initiate as soon as we are awarded an NRL licence to ensure we can be highly competitive from what could be our very first season in 2023.
“The Dolphins are NRL ready and can start tomorrow.”
[ad_2]
Source link