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AS Australian Rugby League Chairman Peter Beattie hits the 100 day mark in the chair he sits down with Michael Carayannis.
Q: Approaching 100 days as chair what has surprised you?
We’ve got a very vibrant and active fan base and media that engages in the game on a day-to-day basis. That has its challenges that you need to respond to.
The level of engagement surprised me a little bit. No one in this game sits in the back seat. Everyone wants to have a say and that’s great long-term as long as we harness the energy in how we respond as a game the game will be better off. That makes it a tough job.
Q: What have you learnt about the game?
That the smallest slip can turn into a mountain. That’s part of the fun of the game. I’ve been in politics, that doesn’t worry me. The most important thing I’ve learnt is for the Commission to engage with the fans a lot more. We need to communicate a lot better … the Commission has been too aloof. The Commission needs to listen more that’s why I get out to games and don’t sit in the boxes.
Q: The public gaffes did they harm your credibility?
They did. I was doing too many jobs at the time.
I was tired. Gus (Phil Gould) asked me a question which I didn’t know. If you talk about the shire in Queensland, it’s the shire council. I thought he was talking about a second or third grade competition that I didn’t know anything about. If he said who are Cronulla? I would’ve said the Sharks. You make mistakes.
The morning after the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony I was on Today and Karl Stefanovic and he said ‘what about that kid’. I turned around, right into the sun and couldn’t see the kid and it looked like the Knights (jersey). People will take the mickey out of me for all the time I’m here. I’m not worried about. If it were me I’d do the same thing.
Q: Why are you satisfied the NRL management is doing a good job?
We have gone through every element of what they are doing. We go through every aspect from integrity. I spent a lot of time with Todd (Greenberg) and he is a good CEO. He is a young man trying to make a difference. I’ve assessed the strategic plan and there will be rebranding. It’s important to stay vibrant.
Q: You mention strategic rebranding what changes are we likely to see?
It’s not us trying to be smart and shift a logo. You have to keep moving with the times. It’s a lot of the symbols we use. If you don’t take into account what’s happening on social media, if you don’t get the best value for your sponsors they will go somewhere elsewhere. It’s not gimmicks. This has to be a long-term strategic branding. That will happen. It has to be finalised yet.
Q: When you first took the job you mentioned expansion. What is a detailed path for clubs who want to play in the NRL?
I wanted to put it on the agenda so people knew it was our intention. We’ve met with the mayor of Cairns, we’ve met with PNG. We will continue to talk to people. I spoke to people at Redcliffe. It was a signal for people to get ready.
I don’t want any club to feel insecure. This is a three- to four-year thing. People have to prove themselves in an existing competition but they have to prove their club is viable and they have the assets and skills to run a club.
Q: Where do you envisage the game will be in 10 years?
Fans will get direct communication from us and have say in your game. There will be a personal relationship between you and the game. If we don’t do that we’re dead. I hope in 10 years time we have 18 teams in the competition and be a much more national game. We want as many women as men playing the game and free-to-air broadcast as well as Fox of the women’s competition.
Q: In one of your first interviews you said grassroots was your biggest passion. The NRL has allocated $10 million to be invested but are you struggling with a plan on how to invest that money?
No, we are not. We have to make sure we have the right plan. We are not going to rush it. Those discussions have taken place. We have to get it right. I don’t want to see this money wasted. It’ll take longer than we want.
Q: The game has predicted a $40 million surplus this year but there are suggestions the game could lose $20 million in 2022.
No. We will end up in the black and we will stay in the black. The Commission won’t have it any other way.
Q: So you’re saying on the record you will be in the black each year.
Yes. This year we will be in the black and we will intend to stay there. We saved $17 million, which included getting rid of consultants. We sacked 30 people. We will cut our costs accordingly. I don’t like sacking anyone but we had to reduce the size of the organisation. We all fly economy unless it’s over two hours.
Q: What is the latest with constitutional reform?
I said we needed six months to settle it down. I have promised the major players in this — give it six months and then I’ll engage. I gave NSW and Queensland a seat on the finance committee and just having them in the room that makes a difference.
Q: Has it been a mistake of the game to have next to no assets?
Yes. We need to. It’s going to be hard because we’re giving almost all the money from sponsorship deals to the clubs, players and grassroots. That’s the game. That’s where the money should go. It is a fundamental weakness of the game that we do not have an investment portfolio.
Q: How do you fix it?
You get someone like (Commissioner) Gary Weiss to sit down and work out a strategy. He has started work. Any organisation like the NRL that does not have long-term assets, it puts it on shaky ground. It’s our biggest weakness. You can ask me this in a year and it will still be early stages.
Q: Football-wise, as a spectator, have you enjoyed the product this year given the amount of penalties and penalty goals?
It’s a national sport to blame referees. I’m no different to anyone else. Bagging referees is what we do. It’s a bugger of a job being a ref but you do need to make sure you open the game up. Fans want to see an open game. You don’t want the game slowed down. Look at what’s happened with the shoulder charge, shot clocks, extra-time in finals series. It will work.
Q: If it doesn’t?
The game is alive and it moves. This is a reactive and sensitive organisation who listens. The refs are doing what they are asked to do I’m just asking people for a little bit of patience. No one likes to see a lot of penalties. If it works — and I believe it will — people will love an open game.
Q: Free-to-air TV ratings are down. Is there a concern of the slight dip?
It’s shown because the Commonwealth Games rated its socks off. They were extraordinary ratings and of course they were going to impact. Outside of that the ratings are good.
