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Rugby League's new era dawns on April 30 as News Limited sets departure date
Phil Rothfield From: The Sunday Telegraph February 13, 2011
THE NRL's long-awaited independent commission will officially be up and running within 10 weeks.
In a historic move, News Limited, publisher of The Sunday Telegraph, has placed an April 30 deadline on exiting the game it has half-owned since the Super League war in 1990s.
The new commission - and NRL CEO David Gallop - will have total control over the next television contract, scuttling reports in the Fairfax media that News was delaying its departure to play a role in the most crucial commercial deal in the game's history.
Four of rugby league's most powerful figures have been chosen by News Ltd and the ARL to choose the eight commissioners charged with driving the code's biggest administrative shake-up.
The four men - ARL chairman John Chalk, News Limited chief operating officer Peter Macourt, QRL director Terry Mackenroth and Rabbitohs chairman Nick Pappas - will meet this week.
Pappas was invited on to the four-man panel by News to represent the 16 NRL clubs.
The panel will decide on the inaugural commissioners - the independent governing body to take over the game at all levels and make the crucial decisions on expansion and a potential $1 billion TV deal.
The television talks will involve the country's most powerful businessmen, with indications Channel 10 part-owners James Packer and Lachlan Murdoch will be entering a bidding war to win the rights from Channel 9.
The Sunday Telegraph can today reveal the inaugural chairman of the commission is likely to be a Queenslander.
Former World Cup winger John Grant, an old teammate of supercoach Wayne Bennett at Brisbane Souths, is being pitched for the job by influential figures.
Grant is a widely respected CEO in the information and technology business and has been nominated for the commission by the Queensland Rugby League.
"He's probably the one person certain to get a start," one source said. "There's no baggage at all - everyone speaks highly of him."
The other near-certain commissioner is highly regarded former TAB boss Warren Wilson. He is a former player and narrowly missed out on the Broncos chief executive job to replace Bruno Cullen.
Wilson's expertise in the gambling industry is seen as a vital asset at a time when the game faces match-fixing issues and the right to charge the bookmaking industry for using its intellectual property, which is worth an estimated $25 million a year.
A possible role for former ARL boss John Quayle shapes as the biggest sticking point.
His name was not on the original list of 130 supplied by leading international recruitment firm Spencer Stuart, who were commissioned by the ARL and News to provide a framework for the selection process and identify a shortlist of potential candidates.
Quayle's name has since been added among extra nominations from the ARL, NSWRL, QRL and the 16 NRL clubs that will go to the four-man panel.
"John is respected and admired for his contribution to the game," said one insider, "but it was a long time ago.
"The whole focus is on independence and not taking any baggage into the future, so it's very unlikely that any former officials of the game will get a start.
"The emphasis will be very much on looking forward and not looking back. Independence will be a matter of perception as well as fact."
Gallop last night welcomed news that the formation of a commission was getting closer.
"News has been committed to exiting the game for some time," Gallop said. "Everyone needs to get the detailed work in that done properly. That's normal business practice.
"In the meantime, it's important that we focus on what should be one of the most outstanding battles for the premiership the game has seen. Fans at all clubs are champing at the bit for it to start."
Under the historic agreement, News is transferring its half-share of the game to the ARL, which is being restructured under a new constitution as the ARL Commission, bringing in the eight commissioners, the NSWRL, the QRL and the 16 NRL clubs as new members.
Once the panel of Macourt, Chalk, Pappas and Mackenroth determine the final eight names, approaches will be made to sound out interest and availability.
Many on the Spencer Stuart list represent some of the biggest names in Australian and New Zealand business.
The ARL and News Limited agree that the commission must be reflective of diversity in gender, culture and also geography.
This weekend, the four panel members are assessing the original list of 130 names, plus another list of 20. The agreed targets will then be approached to ascertain their interest and suitability.
Once selected, the new commissioners will be given thorough briefings on the state of the game and its challenges.
In the meantime, the constitution for the new commission is close to finalisation.
Work is also underway on two other important documents - a deed of dissolution for the existing NRL body and a members agreement, formalising the commission's relationship with the respective leagues; allowing continued funding for grassroots and bringing sponsorship, marketing and business plans under the control of one body.
Work is also about to start on the transfer of contracts, including those involving broadcasters and sponsors, from the existing NRL board to the new commission.
