Independent Commission

Tiger_Watto

New member
Guys, just read this on the ROAR Site. I have the same concerns about the IC and while I have no problem in the IC running the NRL Competition, I do not want to see the IC running Rugby League in this country…

Posted: 08 Oct 2010 12:20 PM PDT
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The NRL clubs proposing the Independent Commission have attempted to gain traction for almost two years. However, it doesn’t have the backing of all the game’s stakeholders. Let’s analyse the basics of the proposal to see why.

The NRL clubs suggest that there is currently no “independence” in the structure because News Ltd controls 50 per cent of the national competition (the ARL hold the other 50 per cent).

This may be true for the nThe board of an NRL club is elected by its club membership (or appointed by the club owners) to look after the interests of that club. They are not appointed to look after the interests of the Central Coast, Ipswich, Coffs Harbour, Redcliffe, Orange or Dubbo.

That is the job of the ARL, the NSWRL, the CRLNSW and the QRL.
ational “NRL” competition, which is jointly managed by the ARL and News Ltd as a result of the Super League reunification agreement. But it is not true for the “ARL,” which is responsible for the game of Rugby League throughout Australia.

The ARL is the umbrella organisation that distributes funding throughout the regions, manages representative football, and controls the structure of Rugby League competitions. The NSWRL and QRL must both agree to any structural changes, and as these bodies are elected by the rugby league community, they are independent of corporation interference (or should be by definition).

The 16 current NRL clubs (many of which are actually companies, not clubs) currently do not have a vote in the distribution of proceeds or the structure of rugby league – and nor should they.

The Independent Commission is a proposal created by the 16 current NRL clubs and seeks to replace not just the management of the national NRL competition, but also replace the ARL, and therefore control the distribution of all proceeds, and control the team membership of the national NRL competition.

So the group of 16 current NRL clubs – who currently have no vote in the structure of rugby league in Australia – are proposing an Independent Commission whereby they are suddenly given control of Australia-wide funding and the membership of the national competition.

To assist this, the current NSWRL board (who are the same persons holding positions on the ARL board) has agreed to vote itself out of existence – which effectively removes all representation of NSW regions and clubs that are not currently in the NRL competition.

The QRL are resisting the proposed Independent Commission.

The QRL are elected to look out for Queensland regional rugby league and that is what they are doing. They question how a national body can be “independent” if it is controlled by 16 clubs rather than non-aligned elected officials.

They question why the NSWRL would vote themselves out of existence to the detriment of regional NSW. And they question why the current NSWRL officials who are voting themselves out of existence are being offered high-paying positions on the Independent Commission board.

As Roy Masters says, you may want a republic, you may want carbon trading, and you may want an Independent Commission, but you should always reject a bad model.

And this is a bad model.

At the heart of the issue is just one question: should the funding and structure of rugby league throughout all of Australia be controlled by the 16 current NRL clubs/companies at all?

Of course, the current proposal is a total joke as it gives overall control to the clubs.

But should they have a vote in all rugby league matters at all. Or maybe just the national NRL competition? Or should they simply be the invited guests of the ARL’s competition?

What do you think?
 
Understand your concerns watto….I too am similar, would be far to easy for country/junior/amateur/non NRL RL's to get left behind

Its a massive propsal, and I think many see anything to get one C Loves fingers out of all the pies as a good thing, however the saying 'better the devil you know' could apply.

I think its too big for anyone to get their head around
 
I think it would be for the benefit of the clubs to encourage junior league whatever they can. More juniors in league, means a larger playing pool and potential. Plus it means more ticket sales and viewership.

Plus, I hardly think the cost to run junior league development would be anything substantial to warrant cutting back. Families usually pay most of the costs. I know I always paid a game day fee and we had a local sponsor for the jerseys. If anything, the less executives, the more money overall that can be funneled into junior or regional development.
 
@hammertime said:
**I think it would be for the benefit of the clubs to encourage junior league whatever they can. More juniors in league, means a larger playing pool and potential.** Plus it means more ticket sales and viewership.

Plus, I hardly think the cost to run junior league development would be anything substantial to warrant cutting back. Families usually pay most of the costs. I know I always paid a game day fee and we had a local sponsor for the jerseys. If anything, the less executives, the more money overall that can be funneled into junior or regional development.

Unfortunately, this would be the case back in the days when Football Clubs owned Top Tier Teams. In 2010 we see North Queensland, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Manly, Souths, Melbourne & New Zealand (44% of the Competition) all privately/public owned. It is the responsibility of the Directors of these privately/public owned companies to ensure they return a Dividend to thier Shareholder/Stakeholders first…
 
Ummm..the NRL as is stands will no longer exsist ie 50/50 News/ARL….that is the reunification...

THE ARL will be replaced by the IC and all the other fossils NSWRL CRL and QRL will cease to exsist...If they are fair dinkum....The IC would be the responsable for the development of the 'National Rugby League'...Terratories will be carved up and each stake holder will be responsable for development through funds supplied by the IC ...It is all dependant on getting what it's worth in terms of the next TV deal anyway...

This is the AFL model...

You are right to be concerned Watto....

A hybrid mash of we currently have will be just as useless...
 
@Tiger Watto said:
@hammertime said:
**I think it would be for the benefit of the clubs to encourage junior league whatever they can. More juniors in league, means a larger playing pool and potential.** Plus it means more ticket sales and viewership.

Plus, I hardly think the cost to run junior league development would be anything substantial to warrant cutting back. Families usually pay most of the costs. I know I always paid a game day fee and we had a local sponsor for the jerseys. If anything, the less executives, the more money overall that can be funneled into junior or regional development.

Unfortunately, this would be the case back in the days when Football Clubs owned Top Tier Teams. In 2010 we see North Queensland, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Manly, Souths, Melbourne & New Zealand (44% of the Competition) all privately/public owned. It is the responsibility of the Directors of these privately/public owned companies to ensure they return a Dividend to thier Shareholder/Stakeholders first…

True. It depends if the directors are big picture thinkers or not. I have to agree, I'm a little concerned. But I think any directors can see how country wide junior investment benefits the bottom line. Taking an extreme example, if they cut all development, their 'asset' would be worthless in 10 or so years time.

I don't think an unbias business minded board like they are proposing will be that silly to have their blinkers on. Clubs wont have direct control, the board will and they will be smart people that want to see rugby league thrive.
 
@geo. said:
ummm..the nrl as is stands will no longer exsist ie 50/50 news/arl….that is the reunification...

The arl will be replaced by the ic and all the other fossils nswrl crl and qrl will cease to exsist...if they are fair dinkum....the ic would be the responsable for the development of the 'national rugby league'...terratories will be carved up and each stake holder will be responsable for development through funds supplied by the ic ...it is all dependant on getting what it's worth in terms of the next tv deal anyway...

This is the afl model...

You are right to be concerned watto....

A hybrid mash of we currently have will be just as useless...

providing country areas arent left behind and conversely looked after better i think it will be much better.perfect no,but much better than the current model.i agree each club should be given a equal amount of land example dubbo for parra young for manly wagga for wests etc etc.and they nust pump x amount of dollars that will come thru new tv rights via the ic.
 
The article is written from the point of view of critics to the proposed IC, it would provide a balance if the pros from the IC camp were enunciated so both sides can be understood and people make an informed view. The artricle may be 100% correct but without input from the other side it is difficult to know.
 
League edging closer to commission
Rugby league in Australia is edging closer to having an independent commission, but a final date for its implementation remains as hazy as ever.

Representatives from both the NSW and Queensland Rugby League boards met in Sydney on Monday to review amendments to the constitution that will eventually become the basis for the independent commission.

But ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said the boards would not rush into any concrete decisions on the commission, which are expected to be the biggest administrative change to rugby league since the formation of NRL was formed in 1998.

“It was a constructive meeting, we’re working through the constitution,” Carr told AAP.

“What we considered this morning in a 40 page document was the amendments from News Limited and those amendments were around making sure the words clearly clarified these negotiations.

“It’s working through to make sure that document is factually correct and had the words of the collective negotiation, so that’s what we continued to do (on Monday).”

Claims that the NSWRL was eager to push the QRL into making a decision during the Monday meeting was dismissed by Carr.

“Those (reports) were completely off the mark,” Carr said.

“There were never going to be any fireworks … It was very amicable, it was always going to be.”

Representatives from the two boards are expected to meet again before Christmas, with Carr adding that a final decision was not far off.

“We’ll continue to meet, we’re in a negotiation with News and the clubs about getting the constitution right and we’ll meet as many times as we need to keep making sure we get it done,” he said.

“(But) we’re not far away I wouldn’t think.”
 
If Alan Jones has any part in the Commission (as reported by the Telegraph today) then the entire exercise will have zero credibility!
 
… but then the SMH says he would not be eligible:

Broadcaster Alan Jones would also be ineligible as he is a major shareholder in the Macquarie Radio Network - although there are doubts as to whether he would have the time for the role. Jones is understood to have been nominated as a commissioner by Canterbury officials.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/commission-candidates-closer-20101122-18451.html
 
Why do you want someone like him involved ? Don't you want someone who can make an educated and informed contribution to the game going forward. He would be the last person I would consider choosing.
 
Jones has political clout in NSW and with the probable change of government in NSW his influence in the right wing circles of influence could be invaluable to getting projects for the game pushed forward.
 
@Juro said:
… but then the SMH says he would not be eligible:

Broadcaster Alan Jones would also be ineligible as he is a major shareholder in the Macquarie Radio Network - although there are doubts as to whether he would have the time for the role. Jones is understood to have been nominated as a commissioner by Canterbury officials.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/commission-candidates-closer-20101122-18451.html

That cited SMH article also states:

"Deciding who is eligible to be one of the eight commissioners is the next step in the process after NSWRL and QRL directors on the ARL board yesterday accepted all but a handful of points agreed to by News Ltd and the clubs for the constitution of the Independent Commission. **It is understood the main issues to be resolved relate to the ineligibility of: anyone associated with a media organisation**, and; anyone who has held an official role with a club, league or News Ltd in the previous three years."

It appears that this is a sticking point and may be re-considered - enabling the Parrot to potentially take a role! I hope this is not the case - the bloke seriousls has nothing to offer - and talk about a loose cannon - Jones would be a serious liability to league going forward!

At this stage it is not just his part-ownership of a media organisation - but his job at 2GB is enough to rule him ineligible. That could change…
 
@smeghead said:
Jones has political clout in NSW and with the probable change of government in NSW his influence in the right wing circles of influence could be invaluable to getting projects for the game pushed forward.

He has more political baggage than clout!

Where was all that clout when he was at Balmain & Souths??? He did nothing for both clubs - in fact leaving them in a far worse state than when he arrived! He never attracted any money or assistance to the clubs from either politics or business!!!

His ego blinds him to reality! He delusionally claimed his tenure was a success at Balmain (despite a 36.4% win percentage & taking us from perennial finalists to wooden spooners) because he "kept some blokes out of jail"!!!??? What the …...???

Then he allowed those same toxic influences (Sinclair, Elias) to come to Souths and stuff-up under his watch!!

He is a clown!
 
invaluable to getting projects for the game pushed forward.

Can you name me three examples Smeg of projects where you consider his "influence" would be advantageous ?
 
@Knuckles said:
invaluable to getting projects for the game pushed forward.

Can you name me three examples Smeg of projects where you consider his "influence" would be advantageous ?

Three of his greatest personal projects were the Joh for PM campaign, the Bronwyn Bishop for PM campaign & keeping John Elias out of jail!

Great successes all round!
 
1\. Upgrades to some suburban grounds
2\. Implementation of a public transport strategy without enacting the Major Event plan. (something the NRL has not been able to acomplish)
3\. Increased lobbying for a staged exemption to Poker Machine taxes to be decided on based on community spending by the clubs

A non political one also

4\. Using his base of corporate support and trying to syphon some of those into sponsorship at all levels of the game.

Maybe he isn't the best candidate and I certainly wouldn't want him running the commission but as a commission member I would much rather have him there than the majority of ex players, Searle, Ribot and would much rather him there than any previous custodians of the NSWRL, QRL or ARL
 
@smeghead said:
1\. Upgrades to some suburban grounds
2\. Implementation of a public transport strategy without enacting the Major Event plan. (something the NRL has not been able to acomplish)
3\. Increased lobbying for a staged exemption to Poker Machine taxes to be decided on based on community spending by the clubs

A non political one also

4\. Using his base of corporate support and trying to syphon some of those into sponsorship at all levels of the game.

Maybe he isn't the best candidate and I certainly wouldn't want him running the commission but as a commission member I would much rather have him there than the majority of ex players, Searle, Ribot and would much rather him there than any previous custodians of the NSWRL, QRL or ARL

No upgrades to Leichhardt or Redfern when he was at those clubs!! No increase in sponsorship etc.

His history paints a true picture of his alleged clout!!!

All previous custodians of leagues and clubs (Searle, Ribot etc) are currently ineligible - so that point is moot!
 

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