Junior Rugby League participants will be able to attend up to 26 matches free of charge in 2015 as part of a new on-line junior pass system unveiled today.
NRL Head of Marketing, Lewis Pullen said the new system, now known as Play NRL Rewards, was the most generous of any sporting code in Australia.
The new program will be open to all registered school and club players aged four to 15 as well as registered officials, coaches and volunteers.
Participants who register to play will receive an email shortly after registration explaining how to log on to the new site and start redeeming tickets to the games they wish to attend.
Participants will also receive a Play NRL branded plastic card from their junior club which will provide clear instructions about the new program.
All tickets will be delivered via email and can printed at home.
Registered players and officials will be eligible for ground admission access to one game per round for all 26 rounds of the Telstra Premiership.
Mr Pullen said the old scheme relied on a manual delivery process to get the passes into the hands of volunteers and junior players.
“This process was sometimes problematic and unreliable,” he said.
“The new system will enable participants to go online soon after registering to start redeeming their tickets.
“Our aim is to encourage junior players to attend Premiership games and watch their heroes play.
“We also want to reward and recognise the many officials, coaches and volunteers who put in so much work to make our junior club and school competitions a success.
“So if we can make the rewards easier to access there is no doubt that more junior players and officials will attend games and this can only be good for the game.”
The new system will enable junior fans to attend up to 26 Premiership games free of charge and registered participants will be able to secure tickets on-line at least two rounds in advance.
The new approach follows consultation between the NRL, NRL clubs and many stakeholders from the junior rugby league community.
The NRL is hoping to launch the program at the beginning of February, well in time for the start of the Telstra Premiership in March, 2015.
