DecoyRunner
Juniors
- Messages
- 434
As we all know, the much vaunted "Independent Commission" is getting closer to being established as the NRL's governing body. This was brought about by the decision from NEWSLTD to relinquish it's part-ownership of the NRL. They decided to do this even though they were not contractually obligated to do so for another few years. This was, in their own words, "for the good of the game".
Is anyone buying that? Seems like a lot of you are.
They are a business. They have proven time and again that rugby league is nothing more to them than another revenue stream. Which is fine by me; we live in a capitalist society and the more money the competition makes, the better for all involved.
It's the timing that has me worried. A new deal for the broadcast rights of the NRL will be negotiated very soon, and there are at least six (Brisbane, PNG, Mackay, Ipswich, Central Coast and Perth) teams bidding for the rights to join the national comp.
How many current NRL teams do you think NEWS will need to bring over (as well as these teams) if they wanted to start a rival competition? Probably only six to begin with. That would make a twelve team comp, and I assume more new teams would be granted a licence as needed.
If this process has already begun, they would stand an excellent chance of seriously damaging the NRL when it comes to negotiating a new broadcast deal in 2013.
Think it'll never happen? They were defeated in '97/98. But they weren't destroyed. What if they've spent the last 12 years carefully planning for their next chance? I know I sound like some dude in the Rebel Alliance talking about the Sith building a new Death Star, but the two scenarios are equally scary to me.
The fact is I don't trust their intentions in pulling out of the game before they were contractually obligated to do so. If you think I'm way off; ask yourself why they are yet to sign a "no-compete" agreement, which would once and for all prevent them from doing what I've just described.
They want their own competition, people. And they're building it RIGHT NOW.
Is anyone buying that? Seems like a lot of you are.
They are a business. They have proven time and again that rugby league is nothing more to them than another revenue stream. Which is fine by me; we live in a capitalist society and the more money the competition makes, the better for all involved.
It's the timing that has me worried. A new deal for the broadcast rights of the NRL will be negotiated very soon, and there are at least six (Brisbane, PNG, Mackay, Ipswich, Central Coast and Perth) teams bidding for the rights to join the national comp.
How many current NRL teams do you think NEWS will need to bring over (as well as these teams) if they wanted to start a rival competition? Probably only six to begin with. That would make a twelve team comp, and I assume more new teams would be granted a licence as needed.
If this process has already begun, they would stand an excellent chance of seriously damaging the NRL when it comes to negotiating a new broadcast deal in 2013.
Think it'll never happen? They were defeated in '97/98. But they weren't destroyed. What if they've spent the last 12 years carefully planning for their next chance? I know I sound like some dude in the Rebel Alliance talking about the Sith building a new Death Star, but the two scenarios are equally scary to me.
The fact is I don't trust their intentions in pulling out of the game before they were contractually obligated to do so. If you think I'm way off; ask yourself why they are yet to sign a "no-compete" agreement, which would once and for all prevent them from doing what I've just described.
They want their own competition, people. And they're building it RIGHT NOW.
