Rugby league enters new era with formation of the Australian Rugby League Commission taking control
- By staff writers
- FOX SPORTS
- February 10, 2012 12:04PM
Rugby league has finally entered its new era with the newly-formed Australian Rugby League Commission taking control of the sport.
The eight-person ARL Commission assumed governance of the sport on Friday morning with representatives from all 16 NRL clubs on hand to witness the historic moment.
Chairman John Grant, a member of the 1972 Kangaroos World Cup team, leads the commission which replaces the partnership between the ARL and News Limited.
NRL chief executive
David Gallop will continue in a similar role alongside Grant, with seven other commission members made up of heavyweights from the world of business, education and advertising.
Grant is joined by Catherine Harris, Ian Elliot, Peter Gregg, Wayne Pearce, Gary Pemberton, Jeremy Sutcliffe and Chris Sarra.
The commission will be based at Rugby League Central in Sydney's Moore Park and takes control of the game at a critical time, with television, internet and sponsorship deals all expiring at the end of the season.
Pemberton, the man widely credited with securing record broadcasting rights for the Sydney Olympics, is on the new board and likely to be entrusted with securing a new lucrative TV deal.
"The greatest change for recent times comes today with this new administrative structure," Gallop said.
"This is without doubt an historic day for the game," Grant said.
"Rugby league is in an incredibly strong position from which to move forward and the commission will provide an important framework in making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead."
Grant said the drawn-out process in establishing the commission was worth the wait.
"It may have taken a little while longer to get here than some expected but that in itself is testimony to the significance of what is taking place," Grant said.
"To be ready to bring the commission 'on-line' as Rugby League Central enjoys its official opening provides a nice synergy at a time when the whole of rugby league is looking to what we can achieve in the future.
"The commissioners will act as custodians for the game and are committed to acting in the best interests of rugby league in an environment that considers all parties but which is not aligned to any one area of the sport."
