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Greed.....
Players want cut of TV deal
By Brent Read and Stuart Honeysett
May 20, 2005
THE players' union will push for the salary cap to be increased to $4.5million if the NRL accepts a reported $40m a year offer from Channel Nine for the game's commercial television rights.
Rugby League Professionals Association (RLPA) president Tony Butterfield yesterday revealed his body would call for a significant increase to the existing $3.3m limit if estimates of the game's television worth are right.
The Australian Financial Review reported on Wednesday that Channel Nine had offered the NRL $40m for the commercial rights to the game, a significant increase on the existing $13m a season deal.
The current contract with Nine comes to a close at the end of the 2007 season.
The pay-TV rights, now worth $35m a season, are up at the end of next season and it is believed they could be worth as much as $50m. The two deals combined could provide the game with a $90m windfall - and the players want their cut.
"The bare bones cap at the moment is $3.3 (million)," Butterfield said. "You would argue it is easily justifiable the cap should move up to somewhere between $4.3 and $4.5 (million).
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"But you can't just have all the money go to the players. The most important thing in my mind is that the junior development programs receive a fairly substantial increase in their funding." The RLPA has commissioned an independent body to investigate what the television rights are worth and Butterfield confirmed the $40m figure was on the mark.
Clubs bosses had mixed reactions yesterday when told of the latest developments in the television rights.
South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson mooted that figure for free-to-air rights in February but was happy to stay out of the latest development.
"The actual deal itself will be done a level above the clubs, but (NRL chief executive David Gallop) certainly knows the mandate from the club about what we require," Richardson said.
Cronulla general manager Steve Rogers warned NRL officials against accepting the Channel Nine offer.
"Why would you accept that?" Rogers said. "I would want to go into the marketplace. I certainly wouldn't be taking the first offer to come across the table."
In other news, Canberra lock Jason Croker suffered a knock to the throat against Cronulla last round and is in doubt for Sunday's match against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.
Warriors second-rower Awen Guttenbeil is battling a calf injury and could miss tomorrow night's match against Souths at Aussie Stadium. Evarn Tuimavave is on stand-by.
The Australian