The National Rugby League's expansion plans beyond '17 are "rapidly fading after club chairmen expressed concern at a recent meeting over whether the game could afford more teams," according to Stuart Honeysett of THE AUSTRALIAN. NRL CEO Dave Smith is "keeping an open mind on the issue of expansion but acknowledged the club's concerns were legitimate." The NRL is "already propping up four clubs who are battling financially." The league recently appointed former South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson to a "game strategy and development role." He is working on a number of projects including "the issue of expansion when the next broadcast rights deal is negotiated." The current A$1B ($760,000) TV contract expires at the end of the '17 season and "the next deal will be more lucrative on the back of its ratings success." It is believed free-to-air broadcaster Channel Nine is "keen for a second Brisbane team" but the NRL has to weigh up whether any additional revenue "can support up to two new franchises or would be better spent strengthening the existing 16 clubs." One club exec said, "We need all the current clubs to be sustainable and the only way you'd look at expansion is if you made the pie bigger -- not divide the same pie up between more teams. Unless it's really profitable for the game you wouldn't do it" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 4/14).
