RL independence day arrives - NRL Independent Commission announced for November 1

[East Coast Tiger]

I like Searle, but you have to wonder what's going on when this whole plan has been done between him and News Ltd reps while leaving the real stakeholders in the game out of the dicussions. It makes no sense that they could be kept in the dark and then told to back a deal that has no detail and strips them of any say. And even after they get to see the deal and raise concerns Searle still seems reluctant to consider any proper compromise. Or is that News Ltd's line and he's following it?

 

[m0nty]

So why won't News Ltd accept the QRL compromise? Until anyone can answer that question there can be no other conclusion to draw. They only ever do what's best for them so by demanding the RLs fall into line with their proposal there has to be serious questions asked about this plan. If they were really keen to leave the game they'd accept the compromise. Once they leave the game what do they care who owns the game? Unless getting rid of the ARL and positioning the clubs with all the power is advantageuous for News. When the owners of the game are money hungry clubs and you have a lot of money I can see why News would want them running things instead of a non-profit organisation like the ARL.

The QRL position is not a compromise at all. They want veto power over every single commissioner. That is ridiculous. A situation where three competing factions all have a veto is practically unworkable.

Now, you can say that the original club proposal to have 100% of the votes for everything was also ridiculous, but then the NSWRL came up with an actual real honest-to-goodness compromise, which was to allow the NSWRL and QRL to have a joint veto on changing the constitution. That seems perfectly reasonable to me.

I'm labeling your position as paranoia, but I admit that my point of view could just as equally be labeled as Pollyannaism. We're both waiting for the clubs to release the draft constitution. Until that happens, we're both going around in circles without anything substantial to argue over.

 

[m0nty]

whats paranoid about it? Its clear from reports that Searle has consulted News but not the ARL. How can you be paranoid about something that is clearly happeneing?

Actually, the clubs consulted the NSWRL. It was probably a mistake to bring them in before the QRL, admittedly. What's done is done now, and the QRL were going to stonewall as soon as they were brought into the process anyway.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

We're both waiting for the clubs to release the draft constitution. Until that happens, we're both going around in circles without anything substantial to argue over.

Exactly what I've been saying for ages. Therefore the plan is not acceptable and anyone suggesting the RLs should accept it now is an idiot.

 

[m0nty]

Exactly what I've been saying for ages. Therefore the plan is not acceptable and anyone suggesting the RLs should accept it now is an idiot.

I agree with that to the extent that the RLs shouldn't sign anything before the constitution is made public and gone over with a fine-toothed comb. But there would be no harm to agreeing in principle, subject to scrutiny of the constitution.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I don't think anyone has rejected the idea of an independent commission in principle. Everyone agrees there should be one. The problem is some factions decided to draw up a plan unilaterally which they then tried to force feed to the rest of the sport. The first thing that needs to happen is that any constitution writing process is far more fair and equitable. Even that is not gauranteed. So in the absence of any clear plan, or even a clear plan for the formation of a clear plan, the current proposal, whatever it is, can't be accepted.

 

[m0nty]

I don't think anyone has rejected the idea of an independent commission in principle. Everyone agrees there should be one. The problem is some factions decided to draw up a plan unilaterally which they then tried to force feed to the rest of the sport. The first thing that needs to happen is that any constitution writing process is far more fair and equitable. Even that is not gauranteed. So in the absence of any clear plan, or even a clear plan for the formation of a clear plan, the current proposal, whatever it is, can't be accepted.

In the interests of getting something done, I think the workable plan is to let the clubs write a first draft, then bring in the RLs to debate bits they disagree with. Writing a first draft by committee would be glacially slow.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I don't care how they do it but at the moment it seems to be four blokes, two of which are club bosses, one a lawyer and one is News Ltd. So it's going to need a lot of revision from the RLs I'd say.

 

[babyg]

50% clubs, 25% NSWRL 25% QRL
75% majority needed. How can the QRL veto anything on their lonesome.

 

[bartman]

The QRL veto thing is just a News Ltd scare tactic. It's not meant to make any sense after minimal scrutiny...

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...f-afl-commission/story-e6frg7mf-1225833199005

Queensland Rugby League interested in structure of AFL Commission

* Stuart Honeysett
* From: The Australian
* February 23, 2010 12:00AM

THE QRL has not ruled out approaching the AFL to advise on the role that state bodies can play in running an independent commission.

The Australian was told yesterday a QRL representative was scheduled to meet AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, but that was denied by QRL managing director Ross Livermore.

However, Livermore did not rule out Melbourne-based QRL director John Ribot seeking a meeting with Demetriou.

"John might have spoken to Andrew already, I don't know. He'd know him pretty well from Victorian events," Livermore said yesterday. "It's something we might look at in the future. They've got a commission and obviously it's working well.

"They're getting terrific television monies and so forth and they've got a war chest of money there, so they're obviously doing something right."

Livermore said he had spoken to Queensland Sports Federation executive director Peter Cummiskey, a former Queensland AFL director, about the rival code's set-up.

The AFL has had an independent commission in place for some time.

Commissioners are nominated and elected by the 16 AFL clubs.

The NRL is trying to move towards an independent commission under the control of the 16 clubs, that would take over from owners the ARL and News Limited (publisher of The Australian).

The QRL has been painted as the villain in the march towards independence and there have been reports that the ARL is poised to go ahead without it.

It is believed the ARL has the numbers at board level to push on without the QRL's support, although chairman Colin Love is keen for consensus.

Livermore said he would be disappointed if it was cut out of the process.

The ARL board meeting on February 11 had only canvassed the issue of membership of the new company, he said.

The ARL board is not due to meet again until April, although that could be brought forward as all parties are keen to get an in-principle agreement in place before the season starts in March.

"I'd be disappointed if they tried to do that but I won't say anything further," Livermore said of speculation the QRL could be rolled on the issue at board level.

"Whenever we've spoken it has been we want to try to resolve it with News and make it satisfactory to all parties."

It is understood the QRL has been warned by the committee working on an independent commission that its stubborn behaviour could cause News Limited to go cold on the idea.

 

[bartman]

News Limited still calling all the shots in this, and flinging all the mud... :?

 

[taipan]

Ribot involved I smell a rat.He had his day,and the AFL got a leg up .
If the ARL have any nouse,they would arrange the meeting soonest,not in April.Rome is friggin well burning.
Sometimes you have to scare ,to get people off their backsides to get moving.And I have no time for News.I also want them out.
If the commission falls flat,everyone involved should be publicly flogged.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

You know what sets smart operators and astute business people apart? They have the ability to learn from the past and to identify and manage risk.

These losers from the NRL, ARL, NSWRL, CRL etc have had years to study different commissions and sports mangement here and overseas. yet, they still don't have the will or the competence to do what's right for the game.

Bringingback dinosaurs like Arko, Fulton etc won't help. In fact, they represent the area of club self-interest being above that of the game.

How hard is it to simply replicate the AFL model and get on with it?

 

[Goddo]

Exactly... Searle has been working on this for a while now. Where the f have the ARL et al been the last 10 years? Sitting on their thumbs obviously.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Exactly... Searle has been working on this for a while now. Where the f have the ARL et al been the last 10 years? Sitting on their thumbs obviously.

Thats why its wise not to shake hands with them. (no wonder business deals dont get done)

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Where have the clubs and News been the last 10 years? This is happening now because News can see an opportunity to offload the game but still get what it want. Now that the clubs have decided to act they've jumped into bed with News and left the real stakeholders out. So that's how competent they are. And we still have people trying to apply the AFL commission to a completely different game. The AFL commission is the one that dishes out more money to some clubs than others and spends millions stuffing new clubs down the throats of people who don't want them. Can anyone see NRL clubs allowing that? I can't. One one hand we have people bagging the AFL for their ridiculous GWS expansion and on the other they are saying "let's do what the AFL do". And they have no international element to deal with like organising World Cups and Four Nations and any number of other international events and tours. The fact is rugby league belongs to the traditional stakeholders and only they can ensure that the WHOLE game is looked after. Not News Ltd, not the elite clubs.

At the end of the day the people who have the vote have the power and it's their agenda that will prevail. If the clubs can come up with a proposal that absolutely gaurantees that grassroots, intrenationals and expansion can and will supercede their club interests if and when that is the best outcome for the game then they will have a more reasonable argument, but they have not done so. So on that basis the best way to ensure the system is balanced is to include representatives of the WHOLE game, not the just the elite professional level. That starts with the planning process and negotiations over a constitution right through to the day when the commission takes over. The clubs and News Ltd failed to do that too.

 

[Bluebags1908]

Where have the clubs and News been the last 10 years? This is happening now because News can see an opportunity to offload the game but still get what it want. Now that the clubs have decided to act they've jumped into bed with News and left the real stakeholders out. So that's how competent they are. And we still have people trying to apply the AFL commission to a completely different game. The AFL commission is the one that dishes out more money to some clubs than others and spends millions stuffing new clubs down the throats of people who don't want them. Can anyone see NRL clubs allowing that? I can't. One one hand we have people bagging the AFL for their ridiculous GWS expansion and on the other they are saying "let's do what the AFL do". And they have no international element to deal with like organising World Cups and Four Nations and any number of other international events and tours. The fact is rugby league belongs to the traditional stakeholders and only they can ensure that the WHOLE game is looked after. Not News Ltd, not the elite clubs.

At the end of the day the people who have the vote have the power and it's their agenda that will prevail. If the clubs can come up with a proposal that absolutely gaurantees that grassroots, intrenationals and expansion can and will supercede their club interests if and when that is the best outcome for the game then they will have a more reasonable argument, but they have not done so. So on that basis the best way to ensure the system is balanced is to include representatives of the WHOLE game, not the just the elite professional level. That starts with the planning process and negotiations over a constitution right through to the day when the commission takes over. The clubs and News Ltd failed to do that too.

Spot-on.

 

[Bluebags1908]

Since the World Cup 14-team expansion announcement yesterday, whilst newspapers all over Australia, UK, New Zealand and elsewhere have reported on it, the silence is deafening from New Limited-owned Daily Telegraph and The Australian.

I don't think it's a co-incidence that ARL and RLIF Chairman Colin Love was the one that made the annoucnement. It seems News is using their usual grubby tactics in order to not make Colin Love look good during these tense Independent Commission negotiations.

News Limited - where the News is very... Limited.

 

[Noa]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...f-afl-commission/story-e6frg7mf-1225833199005

Whole article reads like a stalling tactic.