If I was the commissioner of the NRL, I would...

[wain]

seriously, who on these boards hasn't sat back and thought what they would do if they were appointed head of the NRL Commision.

Add your thoughts, dreams, problem solving strategies.
A lot of my thoughts have been said before, but this is how I see it.
Here's mine:

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If I was the commissioner of the NRL, I would...

go public with a 7-point strategy of future goals. I think its important to get it out there, 1) because the fans want to know the plan and; 2) to publicly show a change in leadership from where we are now and the negative stigma attached to the brand.

I randomly picked 7 as the number, but would try to match it with the amount of members on the commission. I would envisage each member focussing on one area with a team around them to support them - but all acountable to the rest of the commission. Each member to endeavour to fulfil these goals.


7-points:

THE FANS.
the most important part of the puzzle. no fans, no NRL.
re-brand the NRL as a safe, affordable family game.
reduce ticket prices (U16's - $5 etc) short term $ loss for long term gains.
push for increases in membership - min. 10,000 per club within 3 years.

THE PLAYERS.
as with the fans - no players, no NRL.
with increased TV rights, increased salary cap and then yearly increases at least in line with inflation rates.
higher payments for rep games to stop the switching of codes for $.
international player development - 1 player with no competition experience in Australia, England, NZ or France leagues to be exluded from the salary cap.

THE JUNIORS.
as with the fans and the players - no juniors, no NRL.
increase of development officers across Australia.
re-branding of rugby league as a 'safe' option for kids.
work in partnership with Touch Football to promote RL as a viable pathway.
schools are the key, very influential. (Im a primary teacher in Adelaide who has introduced touch football at the school and now has a 7 team lunch time comp - its our schools main sport now) Port Power may be struggling for crowds now, but Id say 50% of kids support the Power - thats a lot of next generation fans!

THE BUSH.
more funding to the non-city leagues.
research viability of each club taking home game away from their region.
clear pathways for players to the big competitions.
more visits (games/training sessions) by NRL teams.

THE EXPANSION. (a touchy subject on these boards ;-))
expansion, but not at the cost of the heartlands.
must have capital city presence - the whole 'there's more population in NSW/QLD than rest of Australia' argument isnt enough. the perception is, is that AFL is national...it doesnt matter if we know it isnt - its what the media says therefore what the public believes.
2nd NZ team - depth of talent as well as 1 game evey week in NZ.
explore the PNG option - go to the bid website (http://www.pngnrlbid.com/) and watch the video and tell me you wouldnt love a team there.

THE RIGHTS.
split the TV rights. (eg NFL)
added bonus - more positive media spin in the attempt to promote their own coverage.
national (not negotiable) restrictions on when games are screened, either lived or at decent times.
investigate opportunities for more advertising in-game (egs. stoppage for scrum/text across bottom of screen) but not at expense of slowing the game.
more 'magazine' style NRL shows mid-week chatting league.

THE IMAGE.
hardline stance against off-field player behaviour. neutral panel to officiate suspension/fines.
re-brand the image as a 'safe' option.
season promotions to cover specific demographics. not some old guy reading poetry - but a main promo, plus a campaign aimed at kids/teens (think hiphop/edgy) and women(think Tina Turner).
check these out, some of my favourites from the NFL, with a great actor, Don Cheadle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMpG3jPlwec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w40wqvdKCc&feature=related


I've completely left out the International game, because that should be run independently...and thats for me to discuss in an entirely different forum.

Im done.
what would you do?

peace.
wain.

 

[Loudstrat]

Fist I'd get a commission so my job wo0uld have meaning.

Second, I'd remind myself that the NRL has abs**tely nothing to do with rep games at all.

Then I'd:
3) Pass a law stating clubs away jumpers must be predominently the club colours

4) Reinstate the Bears for 2012, and throw open the gates for a bid from either Wellington, SEQ or Perth

5) Change the Monday Night game to Sunday 3pm.

6) Find a station willing to broadcast the game nationally on Friday Night no later than 8.30

7) Ban Ben Ikin and Gary Freeman from commentating.

8) Hire a hot young personal assistant.

 

[adamkungl]

-I'd restructure the RLIF, remove the excess power that Australia seems to wield, and most importantly, ensure that the entire Rugby League world is playing under the same set of rules.

-Add concessions to the salary cap that reward long term club loyalty and junior development, in the hope of making the NRL capable of paying players enough to stop them going to Union or the ESL.

-Ensure that Rugby League is shown on FTA TV, within 2 hrs delay in all state capitals on Friday Night and Sunday afternoon.

-Decalre 2 spots open for the 2013 competition. To help out the bids, and get an idea of potential, I would send multiple games to each bid area, with financial benefits to the clubs involved.

-Stop the pathetic, apologetic pandering to the media over nothing incidents. When an incident involving a player occurs, deal with it quickly and fairly. Distance the incident from the sport of Rugby League. When crap like Mason pissing on a wall occurs, don't give the media the time of day, it isn't an incident. Encourage clubs to do the same. Newspapers make more money from the NRL than the NRl makes from newspapers. The media shouldn't expect to the NRL to be answerable to them.

 

[bobmar28]

Raise the salary cap.

Team in Perth/ Wellington/SEQ.

split the rights- accept bids from all networks.

Coaches to ditch business suits for team jackets at the game (some already have).

Refs to ditch the gay pastel shirts.

 

[Bulldog Force]

*Axe duel referee System
*Axe Golden point extra time
*Add two new teams in the comp for 2012 (Central Coast & Perth)
*Support the Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers club and not renew their merger contract so they can stand alone in the comp

 

[Teddyboy]

*Axe duel referee System
*Axe Golden point extra time
*Add two new teams in the comp for 2012 (Central Coast & Perth)
*Support the Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers club and not renew their merger contract so they can stand alone in the comp

Thats what i have said for the past couple of years i.e. that Sydney needs less clubs yet Western Suburbs and Balmain could both go it alone and would get anything between 15000-20000 for home games(as well as both teams don't play at the ANZ/SFS).
Also the NRL go for a v-neck jersey reach doesn't look like a Soccer top and isn't tight for the fat bastard former players.

 

[bartman]

5) Change the Monday Night game to Sunday 3pm.

Amen.

I'd also:

2. Refine the two-ref rule (unfortunately I think it's here to stay) into a senior ref-junior ref version.

3. Look at starting an Islander version of State of Origin (eg Kiwi Origin v Islanders, or North Island origin v South Island & Island Nations origin) series. It can be played around the same time as NSW v Qld origin, maybe starting with a one off game in the first year in NZ.

4. Move State of Origin games to weekends, introducing a bye for NRL and giving the opportunity to showcase a round of NSW Cup or Qld Cup or NZ Cup in the place of the other broadcasting slots. Also, the proposed Kiwi-Islander Origin could evolve to a full series when this happens - Friday night = NSW v Qld, Saturday night = North Island v South Island/Others, or Kiwi origin v Pacific Island origin.

Yeah, that'd do me for now.

 

[Perth Red]

1. Make the game truly National at all levels
2. Get it on FTA TV, whatever the cost
3. Cut overheads and beurocracy so more of the NRL income goes to clubs
4. Set the fixtures for the year and make most Sydney games Sunday afternoons
5. Introduce an NRL supporters club linked in with club membership with airline and hotel sponsorship to give supporters cheap flights and accomodation to follow their teams interstate
6. Introduce a Victoria v WA SOO pre game competition
7. Reintroduce the World 7's (or 9's) in Feb on the GC or in Brisbane

 

[Misanthrope]

I like a lot of the ideas. If I had my say...

a). Eliminate golden point. Replace it with draws in regular games and extra time (10 minute halves) in games that need a result.

b). Review all licenses in a similar way that the ESL did with criteria regarding junior development, crowds, and business plan. Expand the league to 20 teams - encouraging Adelaide, Perth, PNG, Wellington, Central Coast, SEQ, North Sydney, Balmain, Wests, Illawarra, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, South Africa etc to submit individual bids.

c). Institute a bye during State of Origin. Encourage (contractually) the network with NRL rights to air NYC, QLD Cup, and other domestic competitions on these weekends for Friday/Sunday.

d). Ditch the Monday night game. Put it on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.

e). Hard and fast representative eligibility rules. Allow players who are NZ and Australian eligible (such as Hunt/Mason) to play Origin without banning them from playing for NZ.

f). Raise the salary cap. All clubs must contract (as first team or NYC) a player from outside Australia and New Zealand. Tongan and Samoan players cannot be NZ representatives. This play would not count towards the salary cap.

g). Allow each club to exclude one player from the salary cap. This can be a loyalty player or a high profile poaching from England/RU/a rival.

h). Split the TV rights. NRL can be on two separate networks. Origin on another. Finals on another. Internationals bundled with finals with strict conditions on when they must be shown.

i). Allow clubs to loan players such as in soccer and the ESL. Players on loan would be outside of the salary cap of the club, but would count towards the club they are on loan to.

j). Hard and fast discipline of players.

k). Consider allowing salary cap concessions or exemptions for poaching talent from RU. Encourage clubs to raid RU coffers.

i). Institute an NZ vs. Pacific Islands style origin. Perhaps also WA vs. Victoria.

k). Do away with City vs. Country

l). Bring back either the World 7s or introduce a club competition similar to the Challenge Cup - accepting invitations from clubs from all over Australia, New Zealand, and the pacific.

 

[Perth Red]

PS I'd tell the world what the frick the plan was!

 

[wain]

PS I'd tell the world what the frick the plan was!

exactly! it seems so obvious.

I also like your membership package idea perth red.

misanthrope - i've also thought about the superleague review. i think its a good way to keep clubs accountable and not taking their positoin for granted. good idea!

 

[wain]

8) Hire a hot young personal assistant.

:lol: make sure she's good at public speaking and get her to be the media liason...i dont think our off-field problems would seem as bad if she was delivering the company line instead of Mr. Gallop.

 

[innsaneink]

...have the entire season draw, days times etc from season start
...ditch the vid ref.
...limit broacasters to one replay of incidents during gametime and two (from different angles) of tries
...raise the u/20's to u/22's
...extend the current 5m rule from 13s -14s to 11s - 15s
...treat the game via radio seriously

 

[Shire Panther]

Most of my points have probably already been covered but ill give it a crack anyway.

1. Get rid of News Ltd and set up the independent commission. One body to run the game instead of NRL/NSWRL/QRL/CRL.

2. Play hardball with the tv deal seperate the regular season, Finals, SOO Tests and World cup, Games must be televised live all over the country.

3. All clubs must meet and maintain a certain standard and contribute to the growth of the game.

4. One Elite player per team contaracted to the NRL and not the club so the player is exempt from the salary cap.

5. Salary cap concessions for junior development / long term players.

6. Expansion 2 new teams in 2012 Perth first cab off the rank then either Central Coast/ Wellington/ SE QLD.

6. Stop ignoring the bush!!!! Play trials in the bush, run camps and classes.

7. Help the Pacific nations grow the game.

8. Free entry to children under 16 to all games unless the game is going to a sell out or close to a sell out.

9. Half price entry to any game for members of any team.

10. Ban Rebecca Wilson from anything to do with Rugby League and have the Booze bus follow her wherever she goes:crazy:

 

[Moffo]

have a crap on the carpet

 

[OVP]

Make it illegal for Moffo to post his pre-big match predictions (especially if the game involves the Roosters) on ANY message board throughout the entire world

 

[jc155776]

Kick Soufs out of the comp.

Again.

 

[Front-Rower]

* Push the ARL to play Australian games in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide. Ditch State of Origin games played anywhere outside of Sydney and Brisbane.

* Restructure under 20's to under 22's. Playing only 15 rounds in 30 minute halfs.

* Reintroduce reserve grade. The draw to mirror 1st Grade.

* Push the ARL for Kangaroo tours every 4 years to GB and GB invited to come to Australia every 4 years but 2 years after Australia have played in GB

* Push the ARL to play meaningful test series' against the kiwis every 2nd year at the end of the season.

* Remove one bye per team. Replace with a "on the road" week where teams play one game in rural or interstate areas at the NRL's disgrestion. This would also allow for a fair 12 - 12 split on home and away fixtures with the 25th game being played at a neutral venue.

* Remove "exculsive" radio rights.

* Push the ARL to include in broadcast rights that all Australian games must be live right around the country. NRL grand final would also be shown live right around Australia.







*

 

[bluey]

1-- Make the game under one banner
2--Invite potential new teams to show there wares
3-- Try and get the draw so every team plays each other once only on a home and away system each year.
4--Do away with golden point in nrl games
5--Most definatly get a far bigger slice of the pie from Fox and Fta
6--Do the best for any player or league families down on thier luck, that is possible.
7--Get rid of the do gooders out of the game and empoy some poeple who know what they are on about.No jobs for mates.

 

[Moffo]

Make it illegal for Moffo to post his pre-big match predictions (especially if the game involves the Roosters) on ANY message board throughout the entire world

pooooo