Sparc & NZRL

[Skinner]

This piece scares the bejasus out of me. I whole heartedly agree that it is
imperative that a review to this extent takes place (sooner rather than
later), the Sparc "holding to ransome" approach does not auger well for
a fantastic outcome for our game.

That particular organisation now has the power to make or break entire
sporting codes in this country, and that frightens me.

I also question why the letter was leaked to only one newspaper.

From our mate killer79 - Steve Killgallon Sunday Star Times :

http://stuff.co.nz/sundaystartimes/4509433a6444.html


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sparc orders league to shape up [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]GOVERNMENT SPORT funding agency Sparc is poised to effectively take control of rugby league and will cut off its major source of funding if it doesn't agree to an extensive and immediate review of the entire sport.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The serious move comes after a slew of high-profile and highly damaging off-field scandals rocked a sport which has, at times, threatened to implode.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Highly respected Sparc chairman John Wells wrote to the sport on Thursday saying Sparc had no confidence in the NZRL's operations, demanding it be allowed to conduct a full inquiry and that the league be bound to accept its findings.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Increasing the pressure on league to comply, Sparc said it had the full support of four leading poker machine trusts a key source of league funding.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The NZRL fears Sparc's move could deeply damage talks with the Australian Rugby League for a huge funding injection as part of a long-term agreement, the Sunday Star-Times can reveal.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Australians would invest more heavily than the $250,000 grant they already give the NZRL to ensure the future supply of Kiwi juniors into the NRL and the continuing competitiveness of the Kiwis.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But Sparc is unapologetic and chief executive Peter Miskimmin said: "It would be fair to say that for some time we have been concerned about the position rugby league is in ... . it is an important sport to New Zealanders ... [they need] to put their sport on a proper footing going forwards."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Wells went further. In his letter to NZRL chairman Ray Haffenden, released exclusively to the Sunday Star-Times, he says former Sparc chief executive Nick Hill wrote to the NZRL in December, when he "questioned the ability of NZRL to lead the sport and noted the lack of a common vision for the sport and competing factions within rugby league administration".[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The letter requests a full review of board governance, the sport's constitution, voting rights, the relationship between the league and its members, its management, policy development, grassroots structure, planning, communication, stakeholder relations and financial sustainability and management. Sparc wants the NZRL to commit to accept every finding.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The letter says Sparc has the backing of Lion Foundation, Southern Trust, NZ Community Trust and Perry Foundation, and effectively threatens league with losing out on gaming cash, noting: "As you know, competition for grants from gaming trusts is becoming tougher."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]NZRL general manager Peter Cordtz wrote to Sparc on April 15 saying the league was reluctant to co-operate as it had undergone eight different reviews since 2003, including expensive work by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and lawyers Chapman Tripp. Miskimmin said the issue was that key recommendations had been consistently ignored or watered down.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Haffenden argued the league "got good people to carry out what the previous reports have said".[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The league is about to appoint three new independent directors and a new chief executive, and Cordtz feared negative publicity could drive those people away from the sport. "Anything that Sparc is saying as part of your piece that causes those folk to reassess their interest in being involved in the organisation is a real problem for us. That's why we would rather sit down and have a discussion," said Cordtz. "The timing is not great."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Miskimmin said the review wouldn't stop the league running its business but would help it move forward by identifying key issues. But Cordtz feared the sport would "go on hold", adding: "We can't afford to be sitting around on our hands."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Miskimmin said Sparc weren't "dictating" or "intervening" in the sport, but admitted: "If they say no, then clearly Sparc would need to consider how justified continuing investment going forward would be."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]League has always struggled to receive as much government funding as other sports, but Miskimmin hinted that could change if they co-operated: "We give them about $200,000 a year, which is not a large amount for the sport that is a reflection of our lack of confidence in their ability to manage, and going forward we need a degree of confidence."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He said the NZRL's decision two years ago to commission a report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers had been encouraging but Sparc was disappointed not all recommendations of that report were implemented.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We aren't trying to intervene, we are providing an offer to the sport to which they can say yes or no ... every sport now and then gets into difficulties and one of the roles of Sparc is to help sports get on a footing again."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Haffenden says he will listen to Sparc "with the utmost respect ... they are too powerful to ignore" and will invite them to address the board on May 21.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But he was concerned about the mention of the trusts, worried that the letter had been released to this paper and concerned Sparc might be acting under "direction from a higher source".[/FONT]


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[ozbash]

The serious move comes after a slew of high-profile and highly damaging off-field scandals rocked a sport which has, at times, threatened to implode.

The NZRL are obviously doing the normal (sweeping everything under the carpet) so you have to wonder if SPARC's overseeing the management of the outfit is right or wrong.

Something has to be done and heads should roll but with a govt funded agency leading the way, it seems to be going from one extreme to the other.

Still, they are dishing out the dollars, guess they have every right to have a say how its squandered.

 

[Skinner]

The NZRL are obviously doing the normal (sweeping everything under the carpet) so you have to wonder if SPARC's overseeing the management of the outfit is right or wrong.

Something has to be done and heads should roll but with a govt funded agency leading the way, it seems to be going from one extreme to the other.

Still, they are dishing out the dollars, guess they have every right to have a say how its squandered.

Yes, but it's the heavy handed way they are going about it that concerns me.

 

[ozbash]

Yes, but it's the heavy handed way they are going about it that concerns me.

agree, although the time for reason and niceties has long gone.

If an outfit with an attitude like SPARC's had been running the show 5-10 yrs ago, we'd probably have the World Cup sitting in the cabinet.

 

[mean]

If I was sending my car continuously to a mechanic to get repaired, but it was breaking down all the time, I'd be wanting to know what he was doing and ask him what I was spending my money on. If he wasn't able to give me a good explanation or was talking in circles, I'd tell him I'd want my money back, he wasn't getting my custom and I'd tell everyone I knew that he was useless.

That's my analogy. You've got someone who always talks in circles and a seeds salesman trying to be a mechanics job.

 

[Rich102]

Only good can come out of it in my opinion!
For too long the NZRL has only been accountable to itself, even the districts have to go to the AGM to try to find out what is happening. Why should this review affect the NRL funding - unless there is something going on that the NZRL don't want the NRL to find out?
Only sad thing is that SPARC's review won't be made public.

 

[Rich102]

Just as an adjunct.
Why has the NZRL got a press officer? Nothing ever comes out of them.

 

[mean]

What about the Marketing and Communications person? Although their website is alot more up to date than previous years. Looks like Dain Guttenbeil is earning his salary by implementing structures and informing through the website. But why will they have a CEO and a general manager? Surely NZRL is not that big to have both these roles?

 

[Micistm]

SPARC doing it all is a worry, as a Govt dept generally do all they can to justify their own existance while forgetting what they supposed to be doing. You see it in so many areas.
It's a concern, may be good, may be a disaster. Best to watch closely IMO

 

[Micistm]

Peter from Sparc was on B Sport this morning, and it doesn't sound as bad as first thought. He said that funding would NOT be cut, if anything he reckoned they'd been underfunding League considerably for a while based on it's popularity- But hadn't been increased for some time due to the fact they were worried about the running of the game, the people running it and the decisions taken. A review may well see that funding increased.
They are working with the current NZRL very amicably by the sounds of it.

Good on Dean Lonergan on B Sports, who was not subtle at all- He just came out point blank and covered/asked what everyone was worried about.

 

[ozbash]

But hadn't been increased for some time due to the fact they were worried about the running of the game, the people running it and the decisions taken.

says it all really.

 

[kier]

I think it's great news - if SPARC can get the NZRL to do its job properly then I'm all for it. From everything that I've heard/experienced over the past few years I think at best the NZRL are incompetent.......

A sport as popular as RL should have achieved so much more.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Wow, media grossly exaggerating a story and giving people the wrong idea, who would've thought it !!!

 

[mean]

I wonder why Cordtz doesn't think he's a failure. The NZRL has gone backwards during his tenure. They've got rid of everyone else, surely they've gotta cut out ALL the deadwood!

Eight expensive reviews in the last 5 years, yet no one with any common sense was able to understand the recommendations and implement them. Sparc write to the NZRL wanting information and Cordtz takes fours months to reply. And in doing so questions and challenges their stance. = not very good business practice or sense.

This is where those in charge should take responsibility and ownership of their actions or inaction as the case may be.