RL independence day arrives - NRL Independent Commission announced

[Mr Saab]

Just get the IC up and running by Nov 1 and let them sort it out.

Is that date the new "april fools"? The IC looks like a 2013 thing...rather than a next week setup

 

[BunniesMan]

Is that date the new "april fools"? The IC looks like a 2013 thing...rather than a next week setup

I remember a thread from last year with an article about how Nov 1 2010 was d-day...it's not happening anytime soon if this shitfight is anything to go by.

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

My worry is that some of the named commissioners will get sick of prolonged bullshit in setting the IC up & stand down,to concentrate on their own successful businesses.
We finally have people with brains & business experience waiting to take over & they are getting f**ked around..

 

[undertaker]

What I'm more concerned about is how this bitchfight is going to affect NRL memberships. The licenses of each club expire on October 31 and since the ARL has stated that they won't sign on until the clubs get increases in their club grants, I don't know if this will deter fans from buying memberships as the volatility continues

 

[Goddo]

I think News will say "f*** it" and cave on this issue.

 

[adamkungl]

Interesting developments...

 

[Red&BlackBear]

What I'm more concerned about is how this bitchfight is going to affect NRL memberships. The licenses of each club expire on October 31 and since the ARL has stated that they won't sign on until the clubs get increases in their club grants, I don't know if this will deter fans from buying memberships as the volatility continues

Clubs will have to sign to keep their businesses going. You can't run a business/club if there's no league to run it in. Opportunity has presented a perfect time to segregate the weak from the strong. The NRL can really build towards the future if they play it right.

 

[Billythekid]

I just hope that this doesn't discourage people from joining the IC and that we get it resolved in time to ensure we get a good deal for our tv rights.

What I'm more concerned about is how this bitchfight is going to affect NRL memberships. The licenses of each club expire on October 31 and since the ARL has stated that they won't sign on until the clubs get increases in their club grants, I don't know if this will deter fans from buying memberships as the volatility continues

I don't think most people know or more importantly understand what is going on. Quite frankly if i didn't read this forum i probably wouldn't either.

I don't think this will have any impact on memberships.

 

[parraparraparra]

Good riddance and good on quayle. Clubs deserve more funding but dont tolerate being held to ransom. I think this was their plan all along. Next itll be a stand over about intellectual property...

 

[meltiger]

I think News will say "f*** it" and cave on this issue.

Very possible. Imagine what they would lose were there no season.


This is a mess of their own making. Sold the rights to themselves way under value, and now act surprised when the clubs put their hands out.


The clubs are in the right here.


God it's frustrating. You know, The AFL have that much cash they can give clubs 100k per game to compensate for bad stadium agreements (that the clubs themselves signed). Yet we have News pissing and moaning about 500 per season for each club. *sigh*

 

[hineyrulz]

Good riddance and good on quayle. Clubs deserve more funding but dont tolerate being held to ransom. I think this was their plan all along. Next itll be a stand over about intellectual property...

And the game of RL hasn't been held to ransom by News the last 13 years?? They are only after a their fair share, News are the Merkins that have been lowballing RL for 13 years. Enough is enough.

 

[Perth Red]

Again nothing wrong with getting their "fair share" but where is the $8mill going to come from? If the ARL are so supportive are they willing to give up their grant to pay for it? Should the IC be saddled with a $8mill debt before it starts, very bad corporate governance and in reality will simply mean less money available in 2013 as the debt gets paid off by the new Tv deal leaving less in the pot.

One answer is to offer the clubs $6mill from 2013 and clubs can have an advance of up to $500k of their 2013 money now if they want it. NRL can either borrow the money, pay less out to News and ARL in 2012 or find savings elsewhere, clubs are only getting an advance not a hand out and those that don't really need it won;t take it if it affects their 2013 budget.

 

[Perth Red]

ps the only good thing in all of this mess is that the clubs are standing together rather than some signing the 2012 agreement and others fighting it. Helps to dispel some SL2 fears if news ever came knocking again.


pps even though AFL clubs get bigger $ value grants, as a % of their total income and in relation to their expenditure, it is actually smaller than the NRL grant. Seems clubs just want to trade the pokie teat for a TV teat rather than actually run as good businesses that maximise their incomes.

 

[Gippsy]

Clubs will have to sign to keep their businesses going. You can't run a business/club if there's no league to run it in. Opportunity has presented a perfect time to segregate the weak from the strong. The NRL can really build towards the future if they play it right.

The same can be said for the NRL/News. Without the clubs they don't have a comp, and can't fulfill their obligation to sponsors, media etc. I reckon NRL/News have more to lose.

 

[siv]

Isn't the $8 mil - just the money the game loses every year when News Ltd take their cut from the NRL partnership to pay for old Super League losses and run

 

[Perth Red]

News in effect have nothing to lose, Foxsports does and lets face it in the grand scheme fof the News empire the NRL isn;t that big. News are leaving anyway so they could walk tomorrow. As said before I can't believe the NRL didn't sign clubs up to agreements for the same length of the TV contracts, where is the sense in that decision? Who will blink first? Now the ARL has backed the clubs I expect News will, they have nothing to win or lose. Just get on with it and let the IC take over the game FFS!

 

[Gippsy]

Again nothing wrong with getting their "fair share" but where is the $8mill going to come from? If the ARL are so supportive are they willing to give up their grant to pay for it? Should the IC be saddled with a $8mill debt before it starts, very bad corporate governance and in reality will simply mean less money available in 2013 as the debt gets paid off by the new Tv deal leaving less in the pot.

One answer is to offer the clubs $6mill from 2013 and clubs can have an advance of up to $500k of their 2013 money now if they want it. NRL can either borrow the money, pay less out to News and ARL in 2012 or find savings elsewhere, clubs are only getting an advance not a hand out and those that don't really need it won;t take it if it affects their 2013 budget.

The NRL still has income coming in don't they? And don't forget the clubs are effectively asking for $2M each quarter, so it can come from cash flow. Didn't the NRL have large cash surpluses that they used to build their new headquarters, which is now looking like a pretty dumb decision? They have the ability to create surplus income from cash flow, so yes, they can pay what the clubs want.

 

[meltiger]

Don't be stupid PR. The NRL is hugely important for News in this country. They didn't near damn kill the game for tv control if it "wasn't that important". The clubs and other parties finally have a sniff of being able to stand up to this stain on RL and we should be backing them.

Where should the money come from? Let's start with the News Ltd dividend. Why are they taking money out of the sport of the clubs making the money are bleeding cash?

 

[Perth Red]

because weak kneed ARL signed up to that agreement? Don't like it, wish News would just frick off and let the IC run the game but wishes don't count for much in business. Again why have clubs decided to make the stand now? i know they were asked to sign up for the 2012 season and are using this as an opportune time to make demands but geez sometimes our game loses sight of the bigger picture. I don't believe for one minute $500k next year is going to make or break clubs. Let the IC get in then negotiate with them for 2013 and beyond.

Clubs knew what the 2012 NRL grant would be, if they haven't run their budgest to this figure than it is bad business from the clubs. What they are trying to do is minimise the investment needed by private owners or leagues clubs for next year. No club is going bust next year if they don't get $500k extra from the NRL, and if they are they should get a short term loan against the raised income from 2013.

 

[El Diablo]

f**k off PR

you are a news apologist