CEOs meet to take NRL 'to another level'

[El Diablo]

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...take-nrl-to-another-level-20101129-18du6.html

CEOs meet to take NRL 'to another level'
Joe Barton
November 29, 2010 - 7:59PM

AAP

Expansion, a monster TV deal, a New Zealand-based Origin concept and the finalisation of the independent commission were the main topics designed to take rugby league to the next level at the annual NRL CEO conference on Thursday.

Representatives from all 16 clubs gathered on Monday for the annual chief executives' and chairmen's conference, where NRL boss David Gallop said the NRL commission could be confirmed this week with the formal adoption of a constitution.

The model, to unite all of the sport's management structures under a single body, is the biggest change in rugby league history and Gallop confirmed that only "drafting" issues needed to be resolved.

"The reports to the annual conference today suggest that the ground work is all but finalised and that in the weeks ahead the task will be for News Limited and the ARL to begin determining the Commissioners," Gallop said on Monday.

"This is a process that was born out of a chief executives strategic planning conference in May 2008 and (Gold Coast CEO) Michael Searle, who has headed the Game Restructure Committee since then, has today outlined the final steps in the process.

"It promises to be a significant move forward and one that will have benefits across the game."

With the independent commission resolved, the conference turned attention to growing rugby league in the next five years.

Among the topics discussed, the most pressing involved expansion, a two-conference system, the prospect of a New Zealand Origin concept and the importance of a new broadcast deal when current contracts expire at the end of the 2012 season.

"Absolutely there's a lot of discussion about the new broadcast deal and there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes getting ourselves ready and well positioned for it," Canterbury boss Todd Greenburg told AAP.

"I think the game is in very good shape to strike a very good deal when the rights are being renegotiated.

"I think first of all everyone is very much on the same page in that the game has grown significantly over the last five years.

"Everything is heading in the right direction and the key now is maximise that and take it to another level in the next five years."

The conference, which is being held in Byron Bay, will continue on Tuesday.

 

[El Diablo]

a two-conference system

i wonder exactly how that would work

 

[SoftSydney]

Whats the NZ kiwi origin thing about!

 

[Lockyer4President!]

i wonder exactly how that would work

Sydney clubs in one, non-Sydney clubs in the other I'd guess?

 

[El Diablo]

Whats the NZ kiwi origin thing about!

maybe North Island v South Island

 

[applesauce]

i wonder exactly how that would work

Already pretty much have it don't we? It's just hidden in the draw details.

Teams are pooled into 2 groups for the draw and teams in the same group only play each other once, anyone outside their group twice.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/leagues-five-year-blueprint/story-e6frexnr-1225962360268


Telegraph has similar story, couple of questions;

We have no 5 year plan at the moment ?

Why would you let the clubs CEO come up with it ?

How is this independent ?

If the IC is a month away why would we need the CEOs to do this ?

What would the CEO of NQ or NZ know about the threat of AFL in Western Sydney ?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Id say the conference thing would be a Sydney and Non Sydney thing but teams will still play everyone.

The NZ Origin thing would be either Auckland vs the rest or Maori's vs the rest.

It will be interesting to see what comes from this.

I am dying for the IC to start up.

 

[Eels Dude]

Already pretty much have it don't we? It's just hidden in the draw details.

Teams are pooled into 2 groups for the draw and teams in the same group only play each other once, anyone outside their group twice.

That was changed. And it was 3 pools based on finishing positions from the previous system. Currently teams nominnate 1 to 16 the clubs they'd like to play at home and the draw is done accordingly to maximise crowds.

 

[BunniesMan]

Sydney clubs in one, non-Sydney clubs in the other I'd guess?

If that does come true, it would be awesome.

 

[docbrown]

If Sydney sides played each other twice and non-Sydney sides played each other twice, I just don't think that amount of travel would be fair.

I really don't think we can get conferences to work. They work in the US because of a widespread population. In Australia we only have 5 cities over 1,000,000 and half the teams in only one of those.

I'd rather see a system where every team plays each other once (currently 15 games) and out of the other 9 games all major derbies are played again.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Searle obviously does have a good mind and a vision for the future of the game, but doesn't he have a conflict of interest with his stake in the Titans?

 

[Moffo]

it'll be the usual wankfest that turns in to little more then a fizzer

 

[chefman21]

Isn't there one of these every year? CEO's get together with big plans, everyone is happy when they leave with the outcomes and nothing changes for years.

 

[Moffo]

reason to get sh*t faced for a few days, little more

 

[westie]

it'll be the usual wankfest that turns in to little more then a fizzer

Like the 2008 one which lead to the IC and withdrawal of News? Less cynicism and more support!

 

[chefman21]

Like the 2008 one which lead to the IC and withdrawal of News? Less cynicism and more support!

I'll start supporting when things start happening. Too many times too little has happened. Or they are too stupid to promote what they did.

 

[BunniesMan]

If Sydney sides played each other twice and non-Sydney sides played each other twice, I just don't think that amount of travel would be fair.

I really don't think we can get conferences to work. They work in the US because of a widespread population. In Australia we only have 5 cities over 1,000,000 and half the teams in only one of those.

I'd rather see a system where every team plays each other once (currently 15 games) and out of the other 9 games all major derbies are played again.

That's more or less describing a Sydney/non Sydney conference system.

As for your concern over extra costs. More Sydney derbies, and derbies in general would mean more viewers more often, and the extra money could be given to the clubs to cover those expenses. And at the same time, giving fans more of what they want.

it'll be the usual wankfest that turns in to little more then a fizzer

Isn't there one of these every year? CEO's get together with big plans, everyone is happy when they leave with the outcomes and nothing changes for years.

While I hope you guys are wrong, I'm pessimistic and it's more likely than not to be a fizzer. Lots of talk, some good ideas, and then very little concrete happens down the road.

 

[Moffo]

Like the 2008 one which lead to the IC and withdrawal of News? Less cynicism and more support!

i'm sorry, where is the IC 2 years later?

 

[chefman21]

While I hope you guys are wrong, I'm pessimistic and it's more like than not to be a fizzer. Lots of talk, some good ideas, and then very little concrete happens down the road.

I hope I'm wrong too. It's about time this game started making bigger inroads and meaningful changes even without the IC. I know some people say that's what the IC is for, but why should it be? Everyone (clubs, supporters, players etc) should be looking for ways to improve and expand the game at all times, and they should be taking meaningful steps towards it. We don't need the IC to be the be all and end all for the code. And nor should it be. Why would you put all your faith in an unproven entity anyway? The IC has proven nothing, and thus far looks like it is buried under politics and agendas. If the CEO meeting produces outcomes which will drag this game kicking and screaming into the 21st century then put those outcomes into action. The IC be damned.

But it won't happen. They will talk a big game but produce very little. Sounds like league as a whole actually. 100 years for a code to still be struggling. I know I give league a hard time but I expect (and demand) results. More importantly I know how good this code could be because I love the game. It just sh*ts me that when we talk up how good the code is and how we are going to do something nothing actually happens. Then we are a laughing stock for those other codes.