http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...7/news-story/2d3093f9dec3c02cc0e8a86816483e78
GOING GLOBAL
Buzz: Other sports are taking games into other countries. Are we ever going to take a proper NRL club game overseas?
Todd: We’re already talking to interested parties. That’s club and destinations. We had an approach from Singapore last year.
We’ve also had approaches from the United States and the UK. The two big issues are player turnaround times with all the travel and getting time zones right for the broadcasters.
We’re very open to it in 2018 when we will have full control of the draw. There’s eventually going to be a World Cup in North America.
Buzz: That would be fantastic on the west coast. You could kick-off on a Saturday night with the TV coverage coming into Australia on the Sunday afternoon.
Todd: It could happen next year.
FRIDAY 6PM
Buzz: My initial thoughts are that this timeslot is going to be a disaster for crowds and TV ratings. Who’s home from work by 6 on Friday night?
Todd: We are working with clubs now to really differentiate the experience. Clearly there are some challenges, especially with Friday night traffic around Sydney.
In the past we’ve been rightfully criticised for late Friday night kick-offs and games that finished too late for kids. Also late kick-offs for Origin. We’ve now got a new timeslot every week and let’s look at the positives.
We’ll work closely with clubs to engage their communities, families and kids, to get to the footy early.
Look at the Big Bash. I know it’s different in the summer school holidays, but their early starts are very popular with young families.
SAVING THE BUSH
Buzz: This is all fantastic Todd but what are you going to do about bush footy? Clubs are dying.
Todd: We have big plans. This is the last year of City-Country. From 2018, you can expect to see more Telstra premiership matches in country towns.
Young footballers in the bush have aspirations to make it to the NRL. This is the best way to promote those aspirations by seeing our heroes in the flesh.
We’re very conscious about it.
Buzz: How many games?
Todd: We’re talking to the clubs now. I’d like to play at least five in country areas. I think it will have a much bigger material impact in the bush than one City v Country game.
Under the recent funding agreement with the clubs, there will be more money applied to the bush than ever before
THE MONEY
Buzz: Explain where all the TV money goes? Players? Clubs, junior development, promotion, digital, NRL administration?
Todd: That’s an important question and I should reiterate that the NRL is a not-for-profit business so we distribute all our funds to our key stakeholders. In a typical year we will have approximately $350 million in revenue from broadcast and non-broadcast.
We obviously have to account for fixed costs to run our football operations and competitions, team travel, servicing our sponsorship programs, marketing & promoting the game and establishing our new digital plan; say $90 million.
The majority of funds are distributed to the clubs and states through annual grants; $190 million.
A further $50 million goes to game development and grassroots as well as our community and welfare programs.
That leaves about $20 million on the league’s administration. And while I have substantially cut back my management team, we need to keep investing into areas like integrity which play such a crucial part in our game.
AFL THREAT
Buzz: GWS are on the rise in Sydney’s west. The Swans are strong. We’ve had a slide in junior participation numbers. What’s happening here?
Todd: Participation numbers are pretty stable Australia-wide but we want to do better. It will be a focus of work between the NRL and the states in 2017.
What I do know is that interest in rugby league has never been higher.
Our ratings, crowds and memberships all went up last year — and the product is better than ever.
So we have the opportunity to build participation and we are going to work hard to get more people playing the game and that includes the bush.
TITANS/KNIGHTS
Buzz: When are you going to sell these clubs?
Todd: That’s another target for 2017. The new funding deal for clubs will make them more viable than ever and I expect that to create more interest in buying the Knights and Titans.
But I stress we are not going to sell the clubs for the sake of it. If there is no strong offer on the table we simply won’t sell.
The fans of those clubs deserve strong management from people determined to make the Knights and Titans successful. And that is what we will be looking for in any sale process.
