If they band together they get cheaper subscriptions to the Australian?
NRL players harden stance on revenue share
Chief executive Ian Prendergast is confident the RLPA is on the right track in its bid for a new pay deal. Picture: Dylan Robinson
- The Australian
- 12:00AM April 20, 2017
-
The gulf between the NRL and the players union shows few signs of closing after Rugby League Players Association boss Ian Prendergast returned from a meeting with some of the most powerful player associations in the world emboldened in his organisation’s pursuit of a fixed share of revenue.
Prendergast recently attended the world players union conference in Paris, where he rubbed shoulders and exchanged ideas with his counterparts from powerful organisations such as the National Hockey League and the National Football League.
In a move that has the potential to reinforce the gaping chasm between the RLPA and the NRL, Prendergast walked away from the conference confident that they were on the right track as they pursued a fixed percentage of the game’s overall revenue as part of a future pay deal for players.
The parties resumed talks this week and the union is due to table a comprehensive offer to the NRL within the next fortnight, including a position on the salary cap. That figure will be linked to a fixed percentage of the game’s total revenue — forecast to be upwards of $590 million for next season.
“For a lot of sports overseas, in terms of salary cap the only way they would agree to it is if it is properly linked to a guaranteed share of revenue so it is properly benchmarked,” Prendergast said. “It has given me a lot of context, a lot of perspective and a lot of confidence going into this next phase because I have been able to test what we are proposing with leaders across the world in relation to athletes and arrangements they have in place. It satisfied me that what we are proposing is more than reasonable.”
The RLPA response to the NRL’s initial proposal is expected to be wide-ranging and comprehensive. Aside from the salary cap, the document is likely to cover some of the more contentious issues that are currently on the table including third-party agreements and integrity issues.
The RLPA is expected to pursue a loosening of the rules around TPAs as well as greater consultation over scheduling and key contractual arrangements such as drug testing.
The union has also been hesitant to agree to a push by the NRL to gain greater access to players’ personal financial records such as bank accounts and tax returns. The tipping point is likely to remain the salary cap given the NRL’s initial offer was far below what the players union had hoped. The NRL’s initial offer was a base salary cap of $8.3m with a further $140,000 allowance for cars and $400,000 for long-serving players — putting the total cap at $8.84m.
The RLPA counter-offer is expected to be sizeably more, a move that is likely to engender support from a host of clubs who were banking on having more money to spend next season.
It is understood the clubs will have the ultimate say with at least 75 per cent of them required to support the final collective bargaining agreement before it is finally ratified.
That puts the RLPA in a position of power as it attempts to strike a deal that is more palatable to the players. The parties have agreed to have a deal in place by June 30, but they have a mountain of work to do given the current impasse over most of the major issues.
Prendergast also revealed the RLPA had been in contact with Wests Tigers five-eighth Mitchell Moses after he was denied a release by the club to join Parramatta with immediate effect.
Moses has agreed to join the Eels next season and formally requested a release from Tigers coach Ivan Cleary on Tuesday. The club opted to stand their ground rather than make a move that would have been viewed in some quarters as giving up on their season.
“We have been there in terms of support and making sure that he continues to act professionally given it is a difficult situation,” Prendergast said.
“Whist he might become frustrated — and I am not saying he is at the moment — he has responsibilities under his contract. It is a tough situation. That was the basis of the conversation we have had with him.
“We just thought it was appropriate to reach out and support the player from that point of view.”
Moses was named in the Tigers side to take on Canterbury this Sunday, a game that has taken on added intrigue given the speculation that Aaron Woods is about to join the Bulldogs next season.
