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The NRL Should Restructure The Third Party Sponsorship Scheme

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
In my opinion, the current TPA scheme has played a significant part in undermining the original intention of the salary cap. I'd say it is time now for the NRL to make this a more evenly available scheme. My idea is as follows:

  1. Have the scheme be managed by the NRL in conjunction with player managers and the promotion of sponsors on a national basis; Sponsors to be national entities / companies.
  2. Make it so that there are 16 players available for sponsorship - one only, located at each club.
  3. Have each of these marquee players be directly contrated to the NRL on a one year basis.
  4. Each club can rent only one of these players from the NRL.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,095
The old notion of creating a level playing field was the cap.

In order not to see elite players take legal action as a result of potential earnings / restraint of trade , they introduced the TPA.

Neither system is perfect.

The one that is more open to abuse is the TPA.
 

George Sancti

Juniors
Messages
279
Dragon Dave posted a link not long ago to the NRL definition of a TPA. From memory a TPA only covers a player’s intellectual property such as marketing or other deliverable which is subject to copyright.

An agent of the club can therefore appoint a player on a services agreement which is not subject to copyright and the agent is not required to justify the payment. This would explain why the Roosters were reported in the media as paying relatively low TPAs compared to other clubs.

Strengthening the rules around TPAs will help keep the honest clubs in line, whilst the the more crafty clubs will exploit other avenues to remunerate players.
 

The calm one

Juniors
Messages
945
In my opinion, the current TPA scheme has played a significant part in undermining the original intention of the salary cap. I'd say it is time now for the NRL to make this a more evenly available scheme. My idea is as follows:

  1. Have the scheme be managed by the NRL in conjunction with player managers and the promotion of sponsors on a national basis; Sponsors to be national entities / companies.
  2. Make it so that there are 16 players available for sponsorship - one only, located at each club.
  3. Have each of these marquee players be directly contrated to the NRL on a one year basis.
  4. Each club can rent only one of these players from the NRL.
We have banged on about this for years. Just have a f@#ken draft. As Owen said before couldn't give a stuff if clubs, players, managers don't want it. Have you ever thought why these identies don't want it. Maybe it just might be to difficult to rort. Remember the largest code in relation to crowd numbers, sponsorship and television rights have had it for years. Ask them to go to the good old days. Yeah right. Stay calm.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
Agree T.c.One , a draft system is the way to go and as you have said the A.F.L. have had theirs in place ever since Noah was a boy . The poorest clubs have first choice and those that are more financially sound ( or have their own illicit means of securing top players ) will have the last choice .
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
Agree T.c.One , a draft system is the way to go and as you have said the A.F.L. have had theirs in place ever since Noah was a boy . The poorest clubs have first choice and those that are more financially sound ( or have their own illicit means of securing top players ) will have the last choice .
The draft rewards poor on field performance & provides no rewards for developing a proper junior system in your catchment area.

These are both areas that should not be encouraged for the long term health of a sport.
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,679
The NRL seem very reluctant to address or even tamper with the current TPA system. Call it what you wish; cap, hat or sombrero, it appears that benefactors who are 'willing' to promote and support a player, for whatever purpose, are more inclined to direct their interests to the better performing clubs and players. Don't be mistaken, there are plenty of other loopholes within the salary cap structure that 'clever' clubs can exploit, again with the right benefactor attached, unfortunately we aren't one of them, as our benefactor deems us to be no more than a hobby, nothing too serious.

Now would a draft or even a trade window (or both) fix these issues? Probably not.
TPA's and those other hidden benefits can be sourced even after a player has been drafted or traded (or even arranged beforehand, pending successful 'getting' of the player they want). There is also the issue of young players drafted to teams they really dont want to go to, only to leave immediately after their contract expires or even request releases due to 'homesickness'. There are teams within the AFL who can attest to this. In fact the drafting club seems to nurse them in readiness to go straight to the preferred club to shine there.
Even a trade agreed between 2 or more teams wouldn't prevent the addition of TPA's or other benefits (within the cap structure).

I fear the dreaded TPA is here to stay, unfortunately. The only way I could see a change is that a player cannot sign at a new club for 'significantly' less than his existing contract (significantly may apply to age or form of the player, Norman being an example here).

However you look at it, it's a situation that won't be going away soon.
 

gitano

Juniors
Messages
2,364
The draft rewards poor on field performance & provides no rewards for developing a proper junior system in your catchment area.

These are both areas that should not be encouraged for the long term health of a sport.
Exactly.

It also further dilutes tribalism and identity - the absolute pillars of the game for 112 years.

Average fan: We need a draft nowwww V'landys!

Average fan after draft is introduced: BuT oUr PlaYerS don't giVe a Shit abOut thE jersEy!!!1
 

SaintPauli

Juniors
Messages
1,179
its all about real estate now
Now!?I can say it goes back to players at Penrith in the 90s and a prominent player at the rorters in the 90s. How do i know?
Being at the right building company at the right time! This has been going a long long time.

Unfortunately removing tpas will do nothing. Only way to stop the rorts is to impose and publicly state extremely high fines and life ban de-registrations of players, club staff, and managers. There are plenty whistle blowers out there!
 
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latemail

Juniors
Messages
440
Have you heard of the “black economy” and brown paper bags?? Well let me tell you that is one thing you can never police. So the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
The game had gone to shit.
 

The calm one

Juniors
Messages
945
The draft rewards poor on field performance & provides no rewards for developing a proper junior system in your catchment area.

These are both areas that should not be encouraged for the long term health of a sport.
If a draft rewards poor on field performance can you explain to me how the Swans have had so many, one club players
 

SBD82

Coach
Messages
16,931
I think there is a false assumption that the NRL cares about an even comp.

For them, the most important part of the cap is that clubs no longer send themselves broke by spending too much on their rosters, when trying to compete with more affluent clubs.

Since TPAs are removed from clubs’ finances, and put money in the pockets of players without taking it from the clubs, the NRL has no incentive to get rid of them.

Also, our 2010 GF doesn’t happen with a draft system in place. There’s no way that group of Illawarra juniors would have been kept together.

We don’t need a new system, we need to be better within this one.
 
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