insert.pause
First Grade
- Messages
- 6,461
NRL boss Dave Smith thinking big after 2014 growth
NRL chief executive Dave Smith believes the game is in a strong position to begin making decisions about its long-term future after a record-breaking season in which television ratings, membership figures and social media activity all increased significantly.
With officials set to adopt a blank canvas approach as they consider what the game should look like after the next television rights deal in four years, Smith said the NRL was open to any option for building the game.
He said the NRL was able to think far ahead because of the growth achieved this season, which is expected to lead to an even bigger broadcast deal from 2018 than the present $230 million a year agreement with Channel Nine, Fox Sports and Telstra.
"My strong belief is that we are creating enormous value for this game like it has never had before," Smith said. "What that means is that the game is building a secure future, and that gives you the luxury of being able to sit down and plan out what you want in Australia, what you want in New Zealand, and what you might want to do internationally."
Advertisement
Ahead of next week's announcement of the 2015 premiership draw featuring more blockbusters and major events than previous seasons, Smith outlined a series of indicators that demonstrate the success of the NRL this year, including: having the three most watched television programs of the year (Origin II, Origin I and the grand final), as well as four of the five highest rating sporting events; having already exceeded the 2017 target for social media engagement with 7.125 million followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; growing overall membership by 11 per cent from 229,000 in 2013 to 254,000 this season; and setting 22 new attendance records as crowds increased across the game from 3.653 million to 3.805 million, including representative matches.
"We have done exceptionally well at bringing very large audiences together, and as well as doing that we have broken our own records," Smith said in reference to Origin II being the highest-rating rugby league game in history and South Sydney's premiership triumph over Canterbury being the most watched grand final.
"We own for the first time the top three programs in the country. It is a really, really significant achievement. That is creating real long-term value for this game because ultimately it goes to rights, and there are lots of things that we might do differently, but fundamentally that is creating real long-term value for the game.
"Across the world, premium sports like ours are growing between 10 and 15 per cent a year. The reason for that is because we have the ability to aggregate big audiences like nothing else. And the thing with premium sports is that you can't time-shift, you can't watch it tomorrow, you want to watch it now. That is why sport is so valuable to media companies."
Since leaving Lloyds International to take on the role of NRL chief executive at the start of last season, Smith has been determined not to let issues such as the ASADA investigation and player behaviour problems distract him from his task of expanding the game's wealth, and $80 million has this year been invested in a future fund.
He has also overseen the NRL's merger with touch football, which has 630,000 participants including a large number of female players and the introduction of the NRL Nines tournament in Auckland.
Smith and his staff have also been developing a stadium strategy, in conjunction with governments, as the game focuses more on the big events that attract a wider range of fans as evidenced by the 9 million unique users who accessed official NRL content via FaceBook during grand final week.
"Ultimately, more people aren't watching broadcasts, they are using digital devices. So 10 years down the track, the fact that we have built strength in this area is very, very significant," he said.
After backing the NSW government's three stadium policy, the NRL has invested $750,000 in a feasibility study on the re-development of Allianz Stadium and the adjoining Moore Park precinct, which will be repaid by the SCG Trust if the project goes ahead.
"One of the most significant things I think we have seen this year is the government's announcement to invest a minimum of $600 million into stadiums in Sydney, and I think the historic lack of investment has meant that our long-suffering fans haven't had the experience they deserve, so I am thrilled by that," Smith said.
"The next step is how does the government invest that money and there is a range of options that are being considered. The SCG Trust was well advanced in their planning and we had an opportunity to be involved in that, so we chose to fund half of the initial planning phase on the agreement that if the investment comes we get all of that back.
"We want to be part of that because ultimately we are a major provider of content in this country, so we want to do that on behalf of our fans to ensure that they get a better experience and when they go to watch a game of rugby league it is in a world-class stadium, it is easy to get there, when they get there they can go for a nice meal or whatever and be entertained."
The NRL is also supporting a major stadium in western Sydney.
"We have a vision of a stadium network because we know that a vast majority of our fans are in western Sydney, so the question is: where does the government want to invest? But wherever the government wants to invest, we will be active partners, because we are active contributors and we want to have a voice in the way our fans are going to experience the game of rugby league," Smith said.
http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-leag...ng-big-after-2014-growth-20141212-125wn3.html
Defiant NRL chief Dave Smith to give radical changes serious thought
A defiant NRL boss Dave Smith has vowed to take criticism on the chin as his pushes ahead with his aggressive agenda to win over millions of new fans in Australia and overseas.
Im always going to run my own race, Smith told The Saturday Telegraph in an end-of-year interview.
The banker-turned-football boss has endured a tough end to his second season in charge, alienating some powerful club bosses who claim his executive team lacks league experience, moves too slowly and communicates poorly.
But Smith refuses to blink, saying he will not be deterred from making the big game bigger and shoring up its financial future.
If I was looking to take a job for popularity, I would not have taken this job, he said.
The custodianship of this game is so important it touches the hearts and minds of millions of Australians that theres always going to be criticism.
You have to take it on the chin, either agree with it or not but always listen, and then keep moving ahead.
Not only is Smith determined to plough on he intends to give serious consideration to some of the most radical changes in league history.
The Daily Telegraph revealed this week the NRLs rules and competition committee had floated the idea of breaking the game into 25 minute quarters, meaning games would run for two hours, taking breaks into account.
With player burnout a critical issue, the interchange bench would increase from four to eight to handle the longer playing time.
The committee also has discussed broadening the competition from 16 to 18 teams, enabling a slightly shorter premiership season and creating an opportunity to stage State of Origin games over three weekends.
Mr Smith added considerable weight to the innovative proposals, describing them as great ideas that need to be properly thought through.
Next year is the year for us to think about that, he said. If you can get to the point where you create more value for the game and the fans, then it all works.
Under Smith, the game is growing well beyond the premiership, morphing into a 10-month entertainment package.
The 2015 season kicks off in January with the Auckland Nines, before running into the World Club Challenge and the All Stars match.
If two extra NRL teams were added to the premiership, an extra game would be played each weekend across a bigger territory, leading to a richer broadcast deal.
No doubt advertising-minded TV executives like Nines David Gyngell would also jump at the idea of quarter-time and three-quarter time breaks.
Some NRL insiders speculate a five-year media deal could almost double to $2 billion in the years ahead.
Asked if it was possible the NRL would begin negotiations as soon as next year for a new media deal, Smith said, Media rights are always on my mind.
Smith indicated consideration would be given to introducing a second new team in New Zealand, Brisbane or Melbourne or introducing a new franchise in a new territory like Perth.
Whatever we have to do to bring the game to more people, we will do, he said, while warning any changes needed to be carefully thought through.
We wont be inviting bids (for new teams) anytime soon but ultimately, we are about growth.
NRL fan engagement research shows that the game already touches as many as 6.3 million people, whether they have a fleeting experience through Facebook or are passionate season ticket holders. Smith talks of growing the pool to beyond eight million in the years ahead.
Looking back at 2014, the CEO highlighted the games achievement in attracting the three biggest TV audiences of the year with the first and second Origins and the grand final; an 11 per cent rise in club memberships and a 66 per cent explosion in social media users.
The NRL has also appointed independent directors to Wests Tigers to end years of infighting, stabilised the Newcastle Knights in the wake of Nathan Tinklers doomed ownership, invested $80 million into a future fund and lobbied hard for a game-changing $600 million in state stadium funding.
Not everything is perfect and you can never be complacent this is a highly competitive world but we have created strong momentum and big things are happening, Smith said.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-serious-thought/story-fni0cx12-1227154300114
NRL kicks in extras for the juniors
PACKING up the family and taking them to a game of footy isnt always a run in the park but the NRL has just made it a whole lot easier, kicking goals for parents and kiddies alike.
Their junior pass program, which takes in youngsters who have registered to play with junior rugby league clubs, is about to be re-launched online, removing the worry of misplacing passes, with the added bonus of each child being entitled to a free ticket per round giving youngsters 26 games free of charge in 2015.
An NRL spokesman said their aim was to encourage junior players to attend games, watch their heroes play and get behind their team.
We also want to reward the many volunteers, coaches and officials who put in so much time and hard work to make our junior club and school competitions a success, the spokesman said.
The main improvement is that the program is moving online, with plastic passes no longer used to gain access to the stadium.
Parramatta Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh said he thought the changes were a huge incentive for families to get out there and watch the games music to the ears of his sons Rowdie, Buster and Archie, as well as their friend Mia, the daughter of fellow NRL legend Nathan Cayless.
As a family with three boys packing up kids to get them out to the footy it takes a lot of time and energy the new program looks like it will be quick and easy and we can access tickets to the footy almost as soon as we register the kids for their junior clubs, Hindmarsh said.
Families can purchase tickets for other friends at the same time as redeeming the free tickets for the kids - it will be great.
We know that the boys will get to sit with their friends at the game, which is a massive bonus. The program will be offered to all registered club and school players aged 4-15 when it is launched in February.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-for-the-juniors/story-fni0cx12-1227154291132
