NRL: Wellington NRL bid to capture interest of Kiwi league fans

The lure of a strong weekly television audience and capturing the interest of league fans outside Auckland are two of the main selling points of a consortium bid for a Wellington-based NRL team.

A four-man contingent out of Australia, fronted by Sydney lawyer Robert Picone, are working with a local party to extend the NRL in New Zealand with a Wellington-based team after 2017.

The two groups are working to strengthen their business plan and to secure the support of local councils as they begin the process of lobbying the NRL for inclusion in 2018.

Other bids are being prepared across Australia and Papua New Guinea, and although the Wellington bid is intent on establishing a new club to rival the Warriors' presence in Auckland, the NRL has some big decisions to make before 2018, when a new broadcasting deal is negotiated.

"They're looking at where they can grow the game and where they are taking the game," explained Wellington Rugby League general manager Jason Hemson.

"Should there be more teams or should there be teams in different areas? Out of that could come the possible relocation of a team.

"That's one of the scenarios and they are looking through all of those things, to decide where they should be taking the game and what it would look like post-2017.

"It's really just a matter of making the NRL aware that we're a viable option and the reasons why we think a second team would be good, not just for the New Zealand rugby league area but also for the other clubs and the game itself."

A second New Zealand team would allow the NRL to have a game on this side of the Tasman each week and increase opportunities around television scheduling.

The challenge in attracting Wellington's notoriously apathetic sporting audience to attend games week-in and week-out could be overcome by taking up to four games per year around the country.

"The reality is the Wellington district is 500,000 people but if we extend that to the rest of New Zealand, less Auckland, we've got one and a half million people," said Hemson.

"Long-term a team would struggle to get the sort of numbers that you need, if you're trying to hit the same punters for 12 home games a year.

"Christchurch is obviously one where we could take a couple of games, Dunedin's another where you could take at least one game, then you've got other areas in the North Island, the Taranakis, the Rotoruas as well."

A second New Zealand team would also increase the pathways for emerging homegrown talent and stem the tide of young Kiwis heading offshore, especially Australia, in search of a playing opportunity.

"It would also mean there would be even more players that are drawn to rugby league which means there would be even more talent available to all of the clubs. I think it would be a win-win for everybody.

"The game is growing at all levels but it would just take another great leap forward, not just in Wellington but the rest of New Zealand."