Here's part an interview with David Gallop from today's Telegraph ( the entire article is in a separate thread ):
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...or-a-rosy-future/story-e6frexnr-1225998330287
RE it is, the state of the game, in David Gallop's own words. Are we being left behind by the AFL? Will the game expand in 2013? What's going on with the independent commission and the upcoming TV deal? And what about the use of prescription drugs in sport in the wake of the St Kilda scandal? Paul Crawley sat down with the NRL boss for this revealing interview***
Tell the fans, when will the independent commission be up and running?
I'm not involved in the process at this stage. I'm hopeful that the first eight commissioners will be appointed in the next month or so. The difficulty at the moment is managing the weight of expectation. People need to be reminded that the effects of the restructuring of the administration of the game will involve short term, medium term and long term [decisions].
What impact does the delay have on any talk of expansion for 2013?
What I have said for some time is that by the middle of 2011 we will be ready to look at expansion, whether we decide to postpone it or put a date on it.
Michael Searle said the other day it wouldn't happen for at least five years - can you see any new teams entering the competition in 2013?
I certainly think the impact on the existing 16 clubs and the game's development programs are paramount to the question. If there was to be a new team, as I've said to the various bid teams, they need to have a sustainable model not just for their own district but they need to be bringing something to the table that everyone can benefit from. Be it increasing the game's national profile which will help with broadcasting and sponsorship, or it's shoring up a strategic area the game has to be conscious of, they are the types of things that need to be considered.
I come from the Central Coast, they first talked about taking a team to the Central Coast in 1983, it is now 2011. We don't count the Northern Eagles. Has the NRL turned its back on the Coast? Do the fans up there have a right to feel frustrated?
I think the whole demise of the North Sydney Bears, the fact that they were going to move to the Central Coast, that is a frustrating episode in the game's history. The merit of a team at Gosford is obvious, you've got a ready-made stadium, you've got a population that loves the game, you've got potential to reconnect to the traditional North Sydney fans, the corporate support of the North Shore. But to be fair, they are still working on their financial model, I think they would say it is not quite ready to present. I have met with them since Christmas and they would say they are still fine-tuning their financial model.
I interviewed Billy Slater the other day and, living in Melbourne, he says sometimes it feels like rugby league is being left in the AFL's wake in respect to planning for the future. What do you say to Billy?
The games are in different phases, we expanded to the Gold Coast relatively recently. Even Melbourne Storm are relatively new.
Does the game now need to expand?
The game needs to have a quality competition. Every game needs to be high quality, and that's the thing that our broadcasters and sponsors recognise ... having said that, financially we haven't got our existing clubs to a point where they are necessarily flush with money and that is a concern if you're considering expansion.
Where are negotiations at for a new TV deal?
No TV negotiations have started and they won't start until the commission is in place. There has been some mischievous reporting about that. It is in everyone's interest, including the current partners, to do the best by the game. Naturally, we are talking to the networks and reminding them what the game brings in terms of ratings and interest. And the reply back is great. They have all shown interest and indicated that when you are ready to talk, we are ready to talk.
Will you demand more control of the scheduling so that the TV bosses don't always dictate what day games will be played?
A fixed schedule is a goal of ours and we need to access the dollar impact of that.
They will always push for total control?
The clubs and fans would like to know with certainty what day their teams are playing, we recognise that. On the other hand, the current scheduling arrangement does give us the opportunity to have the big games on TV and that's worth money, to the broadcasters and to us. I envisage we will talk to the broadcasters about how they value a fixed schedule and how they value a rolling schedule that we use. And then the commission will have to make a decision about which one of them to go for.
Does the fact the commission is not up and running jeopardise the NRL's bargaining power?
Not necessarily, they still recognise our game's power. They know we are coming up - and they have all indicated they are interested.
