Brown quits

[Perth Red]

was it? link to any media articles pre the "leaked" Payne letter?

 

[deal.with.it]

The issue Brown had was that after a successful upbeat announcement bringing positivity to the tournament, Payne/Penrith derailed the story in the media from being about the announcement of World Cup venues to western Sydney missing out. Payne gave the media ammunition to run with, thus the positivity of the announcement was gone. This is what upset Brown, Penrith had to have a whinge instead of shutting up and letting the game bask in the glow of positivity of the launch.

Exactly this!!

Payne knows why they didn't get a game. $500k to hire penrith stadium or $100k to hire SFS?!

 

[East Coast Tiger]

was it? link to any media articles pre the "leaked" Payne letter?

Why would the media NOT pick up on a rugby league tournament in which 2 games out of 28 were being played in the biggest rugby league market on the planet? If they hadn't it would be a massive problem because it would prove no one gives a f**k about the RLWC.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I understand the argument about why Sydney did or didn't get games.

My argument is against those attacking Payne for being unprofessional. His job is to look after Penrith's interests. I don't see how he's being attacked for a fairly harmless statement, even if there are valid reasons why Penrith was shot down. Every second fan and journalist was up in arms about the Sydney situation, Payne's letter wasn't even unique. To blame him for Brown's demise is ridiculous.

If you really believe the Panthers werent trying to run Brown out of town, then give a reasonable answer to this:

Who leaked to the media about the voicemail??

They just happen to accidentally leak information that trashes this guys reputation and we're meant to believe the Panthers were "just being professional".

In an organisation where ever second phonecall would be like this, the one that leaks just happens to destroy the reputation of the guy that just said not to Gus.

I honestly dont believe Brown was fired. I reckon he just said "these f*ckers are crazy and its not worth the damage to my reputation. F*ck it, i quit..."

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Why would the media NOT pick up on a rugby league tournament in which 2 games out of 28 were being played in the biggest rugby league market on the planet? If they hadn't it would be a massive problem because it would prove no one gives a f**k about the RLWC.

You mean the market saturated with RL content and where fans boast about half-filling suburban shitholes??

Yeh, Brown was a fool for not giving games to a shitty suburban ground for a fraction of what we could have made elsewhere.

 

[Perth Red]

Why would the media NOT pick up on a rugby league tournament in which 2 games out of 28 were being played in the biggest rugby league market on the planet? If they hadn't it would be a massive problem because it would prove no one gives a f**k about the RLWC.

Maybe because they understood how the RLWC venues were being decided on and that the problem lay not with the NRL, or the tournament but with the nsw govt? Like I said show me a Link criticising the tournament for lack of Sydney games before the Payne story broke. Sure people who don't understand economics and the reality of the rlif's desperate need for funding may feel snubbed but when it comes down to panthers hosting a kids gala day and ball or Darwin paying $500k there is only going to be one winner.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

You mean the market saturated with RL content and where fans boast about half-filling suburban shitholes??

Yeh, Brown was a fool for not giving games to a shitty suburban ground for a fraction of what we could have made elsewhere.

They won't even be half filling "suburban shitholes" they'll be half filling regional athletics facilities instead. And for double headers as well. And as for the "fraction" bit, you have no idea what the money offered is or was.

 

[franklin2323]

It's been in a couple of articles that the Panthers offered $200k less than what the asking price was for pool matches.

The last 2 WCs turned a profit. They were set up in a way that it was guaranteed to make a profit before a ball was kicked. This will be the same.

That might be so but did Penrith know what the asking price was? That part has never been confirmed yet

time will tell but the last 2 world Cups were set up in areas where costs were cheaper. Compare this to the 2008 one. It would be atleast double the costs

 

[franklin2323]

Exactly this!!

Payne knows why they didn't get a game. $500k to hire penrith stadium or $100k to hire SFS?!

Penrith paid for a $25m academy. I fail to see how they couldn't of matched the offer... Assuming they knew what the offer was that is.

 

[franklin2323]

They won't even be half filling "suburban shitholes" they'll be half filling regional athletics facilities instead. And for double headers as well. And as for the "fraction" bit, you have no idea what the money offered is or was.

People should look at Barlow Park and The ground in Darwin before bagging out Stydney grounds

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Maybe because they understood how the RLWC venues were being decided on and that the problem lay not with the NRL, or the tournament but with the nsw govt? Like I said show me a Link criticising the tournament for lack of Sydney games before the Payne story broke. Sure people who don't understand economics and the reality of the rlif's desperate need for funding may feel snubbed but when it comes down to panthers hosting a kids gala day and ball or Darwin paying $500k there is only going to be one winner.

When they fail to sell thousands of tickets because of double headers in small regional stadia and quarter finals in non-RL playing areas the economics of the situation might not seem like such a winner. Not to mention the bad PR in Sydney and NSW that has already put people off the tournament and IRL in general. The flow on effects of that to sponsorship, TV ratings and ticket sales to the two games in Sydney might make the economics of it seem rather poor indeed.

But in any case the genius who orchestrated it can wash his hands of it now that he's walked or got himself sacked for unprofessional behaviour.

 

[paulmac]

When they fail to sell thousands of tickets because of double headers in small regional stadia and quarter finals in non-RL playing areas the economics of the situation might not seem like such a winner. Not to mention the bad PR in Sydney and NSW that has already put people off the tournament and IRL in general. The flow on effects of that to sponsorship, TV ratings and ticket sales to the two games in Sydney might make the economics of it seem rather poor indeed.

But in any case the genius who orchestrated it can wash his hands of it now that he's walked or got himself sacked for unprofessional behaviour.

ECT is bang on.I also find it unlikely Penrith would charge $500k for ground hire.Ive heard they offered it a cost price,they just wouldn't pay to host a game.

 

[franklin2323]

ECT is bang on.I also find it unlikely Penrith would charge $500k for ground hire.Ive heard they offered it a cost price,they just wouldn't pay to host a game.

or was that 1st offer though. I am sure if they had months to get a bid together like the rest did they may of got sponsors onboard. No real winners from this despite what people say

 

[Perth Red]

Penrith offered:
" to host a Rugby League World Cup ball, host after-match functions, organise junior league gala days and school visits at our expense" as well as offering Pepper Stadium hire at cost price.

I am guessing this didn't stack up to what other States and cities were offering $ wise otherwise the NRL would have accepted the offer don't you think? 9,000 in Cairns plus $500k is a shed load better outcome for the RLIF than 13,000 at Penrith with no hosting income. Panther wouldn't put their hand in their pockets to pay hosting rights as there is no financial benefit to them to do so. They wanted the RLWC to give them a game and forgo on income from somewhere willing to pay hosting rights.

The only argument to be made in all this is - is it better to host double headers or could they have taken these secondary games to places unwilling or able to pay hosting rights? I am guessing from a game cost perspective and value add to the hosting rights it was a better financial outcome to bundle them and take the flak from unprofessional people like Payne.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

If you really believe the Panthers werent trying to run Brown out of town, then give a reasonable answer to this:

Who leaked to the media about the voicemail??

No one??

Fair enough, i couldnt make anything up either...

 

[adamkungl]

No one??

Fair enough, i couldnt make anything up either...

Yeah ok the media wouldn't have gone digging for a reason the CEO vacated his post days after a big draw announcement.

But more importantly, who cares? If a CEO can't stand by his decisions, namely:
a) A highly controversial draw
b) Abusing people who dare question it
Then he shouldn't be CEO.

If he got fired he's an idiot, if he quit he's a coward. Which is it?

 

[paulmac]

My main problem with the draw is the double headers.I could cop Penrith,Newcastle & Wollongong missing out if there weren't matches tacked on to existing ones.Surely there is time to move the DH fixtures to these places,the goodwill this would generate would surely raise its profile & give the RLWC some positive press.

 

[franklin2323]

My main problem with the draw is the double headers.I could cop Penrith,Newcastle & Wollongong missing out if there weren't matches tacked on to existing ones.Surely there is time to move the DH fixtures to these places,the goodwill this would generate would surely raise its profile & give the RLWC some positive press.

Perth is a good move to host games. Northern Australia in Nov is too risky for a major tournament. Parra and Penrith etc hosted a few games last world Cup and that made a profit seems weird to me

 

[siv]

Only negative is that a SF is not hosted in Sydney

But what do exoect when a RLWC is spread throughout the rest of Australia and the Pacific

Profit was more important and growing the game in regional ateas

Sydney has shown time and time again its lack of interest for international RL

 

[Perth Red]

Again it is really simple. The RLWC now has a product it can sell as a premium sports event. We should be rejoicing at this. The days of giving it away and hoping we could turn a profit by RL fans turning up are gone thankfully. It is a great positive sign for our game that non NRL cities are falling over themselves to host games and putting cold hard cash on the table to do so.

Ideally the NSW govt would be responsive to its electorate and paid the money it said it would to host some of the premium games of the tournament. They are the ones to bag, not the NRL, Brown or RLWC who have done an amazing job getting money out of non NRL places. They could not discredit the hosting model by just giving games for free to Sydney because the NSW Govt refused to pay. How do you think the Govts that are throwing millions of $'s into hosting rights would have felt about that?

Would Ireland v Wales really have drawn many in Newcastle?

There was nothing controversial about the draw now you know the model for why venues where chosen. It is an amazing draw, 3 countries, over a dozen cities, many non traditional RL venues.
The only controversy is the NSW Govt refusing to support Sydney being a major part of it. Something you should take up with your local MP if your not happy about I'd suggest.