OT- Fox Sports set to follow Nine and pull the pin on NRL payment

[giboz71]

My understanding is that the NRL are in breach of the Broadcast deals as they are not providing the product. So Nine and Foxtel are within their rights to void the current contracts (hence they are not paying).

But both I believe want to renegotiate the deals, likely at vastly reduced rates.

They could even prop some cash now to keep the game afloat during this crisis, gives them more bargaining power when terms are redone.

Bottom line is, those fat contracts for a lot of the players won’t be around any more.

 

[18to87]

I wonder if this will spur NRL players to start working on their personal brands during the year like what is happening with some US athletes where they are constantly being replaced by younger players (i.e. NFL). Maybe it is time that NRL players start to provide value through social media, encourage healthy lifestyles, develop products and training programs, advocate for good causes etc.

 

[Crush]

I wonder if this will spur NRL players to start working on their personal brands during the year like what is happening with some US athletes where they are constantly being replaced by younger players (i.e. NFL). Maybe it is time that NRL players start to provide value through social media, encourage healthy lifestyles, develop products and training programs, advocate for good causes etc.

Only one problem with this, NRL players are mostly immature meatheads that like to spend their time playing computer games, drinking and gambling. I know its a stereotype and not true of all players but they don't seem to live very healthy lifestyles.
Most of the social media content I see from players is boys linking arms in nightclubs, pubs or beaches drinking cocktails with fresh tattoos.

 

[giboz71]

I posted this article in JA.

Don’t necessarily agree with all of it but gives us some idea of what the game may look like next year.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/sport-...gain-just-not-with-money-20200326-p54ect.html

 

[Old Timer]

I wonder if this will spur NRL players to start working on their personal brands during the year like what is happening with some US athletes where they are constantly being replaced by younger players (i.e. NFL). Maybe it is time that NRL players start to provide value through social media, encourage healthy lifestyles, develop products and training programs, advocate for good causes etc.

Start a schools programme lol

 

[blacksafake]

I wonder if this will spur NRL players to start working on their personal brands during the year like what is happening with some US athletes where they are constantly being replaced by younger players (i.e. NFL). Maybe it is time that NRL players start to provide value through social media, encourage healthy lifestyles, develop products and training programs, advocate for good causes etc.

Good idea but I reckon there’s probably a very small percentage of players who are intelligent, mature & motivated enough to do this. They have grown up being treated as rock stars most of them. Just maybe the next generation will be more inclined to do this.

 

[Crush]

Good idea but I reckon there’s probably a very small percentage of players who are intelligent, mature & motivated enough to do this. They have grown up being treated as rock stars most of them. Just maybe the next generation will be more inclined to do this.

Just for fun I decided to go to Instagram and search for 4 elite sportspeople who are at the top of their game in their codes.
Kalyn Ponga
Marnus Lambushagne
Daniel Ricardo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Notice the difference in the vibe of their Instagram accounts.

 

[BLM01]

My understanding is that the NRL are in breach of the Broadcast deals as they are not providing the product. So Nine and Foxtel are within their rights to void the current contracts (hence they are not paying).

But both I believe want to renegotiate the deals, likely at vastly reduced rates.

They could even prop some cash now to keep the game afloat during this crisis, gives them more bargaining power when terms are redone.

Bottom line is, those fat contracts for a lot of the players won’t be around any more.

And player managers..and over staffed 1st grade football departments and executive / board room posiitons, NRL, NSWRL, QRL and CRL senior staff posiitons + throwing cash at external consultants for stuff they can do themselves, some media commentators / so called experts and anyone else getting paid big money just riding on the coat tails of $! billion broadcast deal. This does not include the meekly paid (relative and out of proportion to the exec's) back office NRL / club staff
It may have slipped under the radar with some but did you the know the NRL appointed a paid 7 panel staff (of ex players / referees just to work out who refs each game each week)?. NRL was spending 500K a day on running the game.

I have heard that one silver lining out of these bizarre times in regards to a new look rugby league that clubs may look at having the 3 grades or games on one day thing come back and money not all thrown at the top level and spent on logistics on running a similar scenario like this.
Not sure about costs for travelling interstate or NZ...who knows how it will look

 

[18to87]

Only one problem with this, NRL players are mostly immature meatheads that like to spend their time playing computer games, drinking and gambling. I know its a stereotype and not true of all players but they don't seem to live very healthy lifestyles.
Most of the social media content I see from players is boys linking arms in nightclubs, pubs or beaches drinking cocktails with fresh tattoos.

I agree. Maybe all of this will be a wake-up call for them.

 

[giboz71]

This crisis is exposing everyone (me included). Corporations and individuals alike. Everyone who spends irresponsibly.

End of the day, don’t assume that life is always going to be rosy, and make sure you save for a rainy day.

The rampant spending by the NRL over all these years, and the massive trouble they are now in should be a lesson for us all.

 

[TruSaint]

It was a good thing whilst it lasted.

Whilst "real" wages have stagnated, we have over the past decade or so become accustom to seven figure sums for footy players, with the argument being they are elite athletes and comparing them to other codes, i.e. football, NFL, NBA, tennis etc. These other codes play in a different stratosphere. They have a population and commercial base that has sustained such payments for decades.

Our minimum wage now for a footy player is close to the top taxable bracket. Players are signing 10 year deals, with clubs believing that its good value to spread the cost over long periods, never considering that a downturn.

" People in the very top income bracket (as measured by the census) earn at least $156,000 a year — or $3,000 a week — before tax.

At census time, there were about 596,531 people in Australia above that income level — or 3.8 per cent of income earners."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-21/income-calculator-comparison-australia/9301378

It took a terrible pandemic for the bubble to burst. Hopefully the game recalibrates, and clubs learn how to manage their affairs.

 

[TruSaint]

The NRL has reportedly been underpaying retirement fund.

The NRL has reportedly been underpaying the NRL players' retirement fund to the tune of $10 million over the last two years, according to Fox Sports league reporter James Hooper.

Speaking on Fox League Mornings, Hooper revealed that there should be $30 million in the fund, but that the NRL hasn't made the requisite payments over the past two-and-a-half years

Instead of $30 million, there is closer to $20 million in the fund, which has left many in clubland understandably furious.

"There's a big story brewing at the moment, it hasn't really hit the headlines yet about the NRL players' retirement fund," Hooper said.

"There's supposed to be $30 million dollars in that fund at the moment, but as it sits right here right now, there's only $20 million in there.

"And that's because the NRL hasn't put the money they were supposed to over the last two-and-a-half years into that fund.

"They've been using it for operational costs and for day-to-day capital.

"It is an issue and I know that it's angered a lot of people in the NRL clubland."

The bombshell claims come one day before the NRL and the Rugby League Players' Association meets to finalise a pay deal.

Reports suggest the NRL has asked its players to take a paycut of up to 87 percent before the next monthly pay check arrives on April 1.

Former player turned pundit Braith Anasta was left astounded by the development.

"Hoops, that's massive. That's a huge story," he said.

"That's one that would fracture the relationship between - I would think - the players and the game.


"They're in negotiations now and it went from 85 percent to 75 and we expect players to walk in the door and take that paycut, but also now thinking that the NRL hasn't even put their money where it should be.

"That's incredible."

Source" sporting news.com

 

[Dragonslayer]

The post COVID-19 NRL (or any other sport for that matter) will have such a digferent landscape to what we have known.
Contracts and salaries reduced, no more glamour million $$ contracts, 500k may he seen as top dollar. It will be a scramble, players and clubs renegotiating deals under lower caps, who to keep and at what costs. Clauses that propped up salaries in the past may no longer exist. Maybe even the dreaded TPA won't exist (given that a lot of businesses will he hit financially).
I see a lot of player movement and restructuring of rosters in the not too distant future.

 

[giboz71]

It was a good thing whilst it lasted.

Whilst "real" wages have stagnated, we have over the past decade or so become accustom to seven figure sums for footy players, with the argument being they are elite athletes and comparing them to other codes, i.e. football, NFL, NBA, tennis etc. These other codes play in a different stratosphere. They have a population and commercial base that has sustained such payments for decades.

Our minimum wage now for a footy player is close to the top taxable bracket. Players are signing 10 year deals, with clubs believing that its good value to spread the cost over long periods, never considering that a downturn.

" People in the very top income bracket (as measured by the census) earn at least $156,000 a year — or $3,000 a week — before tax.

At census time, there were about 596,531 people in Australia above that income level — or 3.8 per cent of income earners."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-21/income-calculator-comparison-australia/9301378

It took a terrible pandemic for the bubble to burst. Hopefully the game recalibrates, and clubs learn how to manage their affairs.

Yep, spot on

Exorbitant player salaries are all well and good provided you have the fan base and sponsorship to support it. Like American sports and European soccer.

NRL was never in this league and poor player behaviour over the years has stagnated corporate sponsorship. Only the broadcast deals allowed the players to earn what they are now and provided that false notion that NRL was flush with funds.

Now that Fox and Nine have pulled out and want to renegotiate their deals, hopefully salaries are recalibrated to more sensible levels.

The players won’t like this, but it is what it is.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

players have to take the haircut here
clubs have to look at scaling back their businesses too

I would suggest talking to damian Irvine about how to run a place on the smell of a smell of an oily rag

 

[TruSaint]

NRL slashes costs by 70 per cent in bid to save rugby league
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
Adrian Proszenko
March 30, 2020 — 1.38pm

The NRL has told clubs it will slash its own costs by 70 per cent over the second half of the season to ensure it can fulfil the funding commitments it has made to clubs and players during the coronavirus crisis.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and ARLC chairmen Peter V’landys addressed key stakeholders - including the 16 clubs, the states and the Rugby League Players’ Association - via a phone hook up on Tuesday morning.

Sun-Herald revealed that head office was spending almost $500,000 a day to run its competition.

The administration and operating costs of the game have blown out to $181 million a year according to the NRL's latest financial report. That equates to about $493,000 every day to run a 25-round competition, a finals series and three State of Origin matches.

The model is unsustainable in the current environment, prompting the NRL to dramatically slash its costs for the remainder of the year.

full article

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...bid-to-save-rugby-league-20200330-p54f9c.html

 

[Father Ted]

I won't be surprised if the comp for a while is dominated by the Broncos as they are a very profitable concern and Easts ( I still call them that ) Because Nick loves his Roosters and has very deep pockets ...

 

[Wittenberg]

Until a vaccine is developed the fate of the NRL is not really high on the list of my priorities, but I would bet that not all clubs will survive to move into the next season, whenever that is. There is no certainty that all of the 16 clubs will survive. Melbourne, Brisbane - yes, the rest, a financial lottery.

 

[Hard Yards]

Until a vaccine is developed the fate of the NRL is not really high on the list of my priorities, but I would bet that not all clubs will survive to move into the next season, whenever that is. There is no certainty that all of the 16 clubs will survive. Melbourne, Brisbane - yes, the rest, a financial lottery.

clubs with a strong dependence on funding from licensed clubs such as Newcastle Canterbury Penrith etc. are said to be most vulnerable, and face critical funding shortages potentially. The NRL has said it wont sustain clubs. Those clubs who have part owners who are financially secure will be in a much better place going forward. They will in effect be benefactors. Russell Crowe admitted when buying Souths it was an act of financial folly as they are not profitable operations as a rule. Interesting days.

 

[Father Ted]

Until a vaccine is developed the fate of the NRL is not really high on the list of my priorities, but I would bet that not all clubs will survive to move into the next season, whenever that is. There is no certainty that all of the 16 clubs will survive. Melbourne, Brisbane - yes, the rest, a financial lottery.

Easts are a certainty and after all the money spent on their new stadium I'd bet North Queensland may also scrap in. That leaves eight spots in Andrew Johns brave new world..