Toowoomba’s hosting of NRL match the end of a long journey, but start of a new one
As the city prepares to witness the Roosters and the Dragons on Sunday afternoon, I can’t help but feel a strong sense of satisfaction of what The Chronicle has helped to achieve.
Opinion
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It started as a simple question — what is stopping the NRL from playing a game in Toowoomba?
As the city prepares to witness just that on Sunday afternoon, when the Roosters and the Dragons clash for the first time outside New South Wales, I can’t help but feel a strong sense of satisfaction of what The Chronicle has helped to achieve.
While there was obviously a strong chance the game’s governing body would consider regional games while it had relocated the competition to Queensland, the enormity of this achievement should not be overlooked.
By many accounts, Toowoomba was not at the top of the NRL’s list.
Mackay, Redcliffe and Rockhampton all had games announced well before Toowoomba was even in the frame.
It took a concerted and universal effort, spearheaded by The Chronicle publicly, to ensure this possibility became a reality.
It should be noted those councils put up significantly more money to secure matches, something the Toowoomba Regional Council did not do.
Instead, we’ve turned a $21,500 investment, all made up of in-kind services like traffic management, into at least a $220,000 profit for the region.
Estimates put the 2018 game’s value to our economy at closer to $1m, largely because there was a greater lead-in time and more opportunities for extra promotion.
So it clearly shows how valuable these games can be if they’re marketed well.
The Chronicle has been doing its part to help sell this game out, so we hope residents follow suit and showcase how much this city loves its rugby league and deserves more opportunities.
See you all on Sunday at the top-level NRL match and don’t forget to bring your mask!
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