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Eels angry as NRL deletes its iPhone app

Messages
2,579
Eels angry as NRL deletes its iPhone app

DANIEL LANE AND DANIEL RAMUS

May 16, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...nrl-deletes-its-iphone-app-20100515-v5ex.html




Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne said the club would examine the nature of the NRL's licensing agreements as a result of the confusion surrounding a revolutionary iPhone application that resulted in the Eels wasting thousands of dollars.
Osborne revealed Parramatta had worked on developing an iPhone application - add-on ''new media'' programs that allow iPhone users to do anything from downloading a train timetable to buying a pizza - after being granted permission by the NRL to proceed with the project, only for it to be halted when the league feared the venture could conflict with their BigPond deal.
''There's a real area of concern about licensing and who owns what because we spent a lot of time and money towards the end of last year trying to develop our own iPhone app,'' Osborne said.
''We were told by the NRL we could do it and then told we couldn't. Then we were told to go ahead and then stopped before getting another green light. It sounds to me as if the NRL was wrongly advised by someone outside of the game that we were in breach of their BigPond agreement when our own due diligence said it definitely wasn't.
''I have no doubt this whole new media has thrown up a few issues for the league because I can't help but wonder if the iPhone application experience suggests they might have deals with corporations who try to enforce things they're not entitled to. We [Parramatta management] are having a good look at a lot of things because we're pushing ahead with the iPhone application and we also have a few other initiatives on the table.''
Osborne said he was ''frustrated'' because Parramatta must now start from scratch and seek tenders when the club should already be leading the NRL as pioneers of what he called the ''interactive supporter communication frontier''.
''It's part of giving our fans what they want - instant information straight from their club,'' he said of the app venture. ''Any parent or teacher will tell you that iPhones, the internet or any form of electronic communication is the best way to engage the younger generation.
''We've employed a full-time video journalist/producer here and she uploads television-quality news stories and features on our web site every few days. They're unique stories and provide viewers with a great insight into the club.''
Osborne also revealed the club was considering reverting next season to their old ''round'' Eels logo that adorned their 1981 grand final jersey, for the 30th anniversary of the club's first grand final victory.
It comes as Wayne Covell, a solicitor and registered Trade Marks Attorney, conducted, of his own accord, IP Australia trademark search reports of each of the 16 NRL clubs and found only the Melbourne Storm and the Gold Coast Titans own their current trademarks.
The Melbourne Storm's trademarks are owned by Valimanda Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of News Ltd which owns the Melbourne Storm, while the Titans are the property of Gold Coast NRL Investments Pty Ltd.
The other NRL clubs' trademarks are owned by either the NSWRL Ltd or jointly by the Australian Rugby Football League Ltd and NRL Investments Pty Ltd. Covell said it was beneficial for a club to own its own trademarks because it not only gave it complete control of its brand but it also generated royalties and a strong revenue stream from lucrative licensing and merchandising deals.
He explained there were two intellectual property models used to run a professional sports competition.
"The more common form in the international arena is that the sports club that fields its team owns their trademarks, logos and brands," Covell said. "That is the position with many professional sports competitions.
"The other model is that the central administrator of the sporting code owns all the trademarks that the teams play under.
"Each team is really a franchise and, as a franchisee or licensee, it is not in a position to directly control the logo or trademark that it plays under.
"The central administrator controls the trademarks and has direct access to the merchandise revenue rather than the club."
The AFL, however, owns all the trademarks its clubs play under. But unlike at the NRL, there's not one rule for some and a rule for others.
"The position with the NRL is unusual," Covell said.
"It appears that the NRL generally favours the AFL model but it has made exceptions for both the Storm and the Titans.
"Fans happily spend $160 on their latest team jersey.
''But I've found that fans are very surprised to hear that their team logo is not actually owned by their club.
"It also resonates with the fans because when they cheer for their team [that owns their own trademarks], they really are cheering for their club and not a franchise."
 
Messages
11,677
There's some interesting stuff here:

1) Full time journo/producer
2) Storm and Titans own their trademarks

I have always been under the impression that the NRL owns 100% of all logos, trademarks etc and teams are run as franchises. I find it very interesting that two teams are not in this situation as it opens a lot of possibilities for them that the other 14 do not receive.

As for the journo/producer...well, that could be very beneficial in terms of a few ideas I have that I have been planning to approach the Club about.
 

Stagger eel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
65,788
f**k the NRL can be wankers!..put a brilliant idea forward, get the green light from the them, spend the money and then they put a stop to it because of some crapola licensing aggrement.
 
Messages
11,677
f**k the NRL can be wankers!..put a brilliant idea forward, get the green light from the them, spend the money and then they put a stop to it because of some crapola licensing aggrement.

It's those licensing agreements that make us our money, Stags.

The real problem here is the fact that not all teams are on the same footing regarding ownership (and thus allowed usage) of trademarks.

In order to make the field level the NRL would either have to acquire the Titans and Storm trademarks (not gonna happen) or give/sell the other trademarks to the respective Clubs.

This probably won't happen until the new media rights deals come through. Such a move would reduce the ability of the NRL to generate revenue and thus most likely mean a reduced grant to Clubs in return. Interesting to say the least.

*****

Also, I found it interesting that we are "considering" reverting to the old logo for next season.

Don't you need to give 18 months notice in regards to making changes to jerseys, logos etc?
 

Suitman

Post Whore
Messages
56,060
As for the journo/producer...well, that could be very beneficial in terms of a few ideas I have that I have been planning to approach the Club about.

:thumb Cracking idea too.

Although, the more I think about it, the more I think there may be a copyright infringement problem, but I'm sure it could be resolved.

Suity
 

Stagger eel

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
65,788
It's those licensing agreements that make us our money, Stags.

The real problem here is the fact that not all teams are on the same footing regarding ownership (and thus allowed usage) of trademarks.

In order to make the field level the NRL would either have to acquire the Titans and Storm trademarks (not gonna happen) or give/sell the other trademarks to the respective Clubs.

This probably won't happen until the new media rights deals come through. Such a move would reduce the ability of the NRL to generate revenue and thus most likely mean a reduced grant to Clubs in return. Interesting to say the least.

*****

Also, I found it interesting that we are "considering" reverting to the old logo for next season.

Don't you need to give 18 months notice in regards to making changes to jerseys, logos etc?

yeah I understand that John, but surely the NRL can find a way to allow NRL clubs willing to try new things and create revenue, some dispensation, didn't the dogs have {had} a similar problem with a communications company??
 

Suitman

Post Whore
Messages
56,060
yeah I understand that John, but surely the NRL can find a way to allow NRL clubs willing to try new things and create revenue, some dispensation, didn't the dogs have {had} a similar problem with a communications company??

Yes, but that was a sponsorship issue. Strathfield Car Radios.

Suity
 

eels81236

Bench
Messages
3,643
As for the journo/producer...well, that could be very beneficial in terms of a few ideas I have that I have been planning to approach the Club about.

I've always wondered why the NRL only sells the TV rights?
Why would't they produce their own footage, including adverts and simply buy the air time from/sell the package to relevant media agencies? The NRL is then in total control of what is shown. It certainly works in other sports...MLB being just one example.
Singo has a production company doesn't he? Oh that's right, we f**ked him oround once too often with the Bears. :roll:
The NRL could then produce shows, alternate to actual game coverage, that are sold as part of said package and must be aired by the purchasing network. These shows could be thrown in for free yet the NRL reaps the advertising and marketing coverage benefits. Brand recognition alone should cover the cost of producing these shows. A couple of shows a week would be ample. Even if only shown on cable. The possibilities are endless....

It's poorly explained and I have notime to go further into it right now....just throwing the idea out there...
 

eels81236

Bench
Messages
3,643
Having said the above; why can't Parra produce our own shows and sell them to Fox? Once again even if the immediate financial return is negligable, brand recognition would be invaluable. I'm sure this wouldn't be possible under the current TV deal but it is just one of many things that must be considered going into the next....
 

Nikki

Coach
Messages
11,495
Also, I found it interesting that we are "considering" reverting to the old logo for next season.

Don't you need to give 18 months notice in regards to making changes to jerseys, logos etc?

Yeah, I thought it was a done deal, coming to light towards the end of last year so by next year the 18 months notice had been served. Thats supposedly why the Blue and Gold Army is sporting the old logo.. Meh, who knows.
 

planeteels

Juniors
Messages
1,173
It's those licensing agreements that make us our money, Stags.

The real problem here is the fact that not all teams are on the same footing regarding ownership (and thus allowed usage) of trademarks.

In order to make the field level the NRL would either have to acquire the Titans and Storm trademarks (not gonna happen) or give/sell the other trademarks to the respective Clubs.

This probably won't happen until the new media rights deals come through. Such a move would reduce the ability of the NRL to generate revenue and thus most likely mean a reduced grant to Clubs in return. Interesting to say the least.

*****

Also, I found it interesting that we are "considering" reverting to the old logo for next season.

Don't you need to give 18 months notice in regards to making changes to jerseys, logos etc?


J,

The request to change the logo was made a while ago and has been approved.

From what I have been told, the Logo change is due to become Official in November this year.

You only need to look as Ossy's emails and you will see the current logo followed by 4 other logos. All of the Eels branded logos i.e. Coporate Eels, Blue & Gold Heart etc all feature the 80's eels head rather than the current serving logo.

From what I have seen albeit unofficially, the Round Logo will feature '1947' on it - much the same as the Blue & Gold Army logo has the 2010.
 
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