NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:05 am  

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... d=10828419 This finally opens up a whole new can on worms for RL in this country. An increase of over 140% on the deal will see massive increases in investment into the grassroots game and more or less a doubling of the salary cap at the elite level. The impact on us? A drastic reduction in the number of overseas imports but an increase in the number of leading UK players moving down under. More opportunities for home grown youngsters but a reduction in playing standards. Let's bear in mind this has come at a time of global world recession and when SL can't even find a title sponsor willing to pay for naming rights. The net result too will surely see an even bigger gap in the standard of international RL. Great news for the game, bad news for SL IMO.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... d=10828419 This finally opens up a whole new can on worms for RL in this country. An increase of over 140% on the deal will see massive increases in investment into the grassroots game and more or less a doubling of the salary cap at the elite level. The impact on us? A drastic reduction in the number of overseas imports but an increase in the number of leading UK players moving down under. More opportunities for home grown youngsters but a reduction in playing standards. Let's bear in mind this has come at a time of global world recession and when SL can't even find a title sponsor willing to pay for naming rights. The net result too will surely see an even bigger gap in the standard of international RL. Great news for the game, bad news for SL IMO.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:31 am  

The Chief wrote:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10828419

This finally opens up a whole new can on worms for RL in this country. An increase of over 140% on the deal will see massive increases in investment into the grassroots game and more or less a doubling of the salary cap at the elite level.

The impact on us? A drastic reduction in the number of overseas imports but an increase in the number of leading UK players moving down under. More opportunities for home grown youngsters but a reduction in playing standards.

Let's bear in mind this has come at a time of global world recession and when SL can't even find a title sponsor willing to pay for naming rights.

The net result too will surely see an even bigger gap in the standard of international RL.

Great news for the game, bad news for SL IMO.

Gives rugby league players in this country a honey pot to compete with the lure of Rugby Union.

Could actually improve out international side if the majority of the squad are playing in Aus. Fewer imports will also mean more oppotunities for british youngsters. You may even see Australian clubs scouting our youngsters for the next big thing.

SL Rugby League is a big draw in terms of sky veiwers, Sky will now be faced with the choice to re-invest or see their product quality decline. One would think they have deep enough pockets to improve on what they pay for superleague , given that the general opinion on here seemed to think the deal undervalued our sport. (I can't remember the exact figures)
Given

Sky have a virtual monopoly most of the time, given no-one can really compete with them up here. This will fuffle a few feathers, at least.
If the Rugby League Play it right, there is a possibilty that we could turn it into a positive, isn't there?

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:50 am  

The Chief wrote:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10828419

This finally opens up a whole new can on worms for RL in this country. An increase of over 140% on the deal will see massive increases in investment into the grassroots game and more or less a doubling of the salary cap at the elite level.

The impact on us? A drastic reduction in the number of overseas imports but an increase in the number of leading UK players moving down under. More opportunities for home grown youngsters but a reduction in playing standards.

Let's bear in mind this has come at a time of global world recession and when SL can't even find a title sponsor willing to pay for naming rights.

The net result too will surely see an even bigger gap in the standard of international RL.

Great news for the game, bad news for SL IMO.

You could flip this view over. A massive investment in the grassroots game should mean an increase in top quality players being developed. More players going into the same amount of squads, means a surplus of top players. Where will they go? Could be Super League. We havent seen any top level Aussies in this country for years. Lyon was the exception, because of his circumstance. The likes of Gidley came to boost their retirement pot. Second line players, like our overseas contingent now, will still come over. The game isn't dead and buried yet.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:16 am  

I agree with the concept that Sky has got a massive role to play in the future of our game. They are clearly in the business of getting the product they want at the lowest possible price in order to maximise profits but it wont be long until the quality of the product is devalued to the point where people wont want to pay to watch games on TV.

Look at it like this - is this Saints team as good as the one we had under DA? The simple answer is no, due to the fact that we dont have as many high quality players in the team. The game against Castleford last Friday was arguably the dullest game of rugby I have ever watched. We will get that kind of product regularly if we arent careful.

We are at a massive cross roads and if Sky arent prepared to fund a significant increase in TV rights to allow clubs to pay better salaries and the game to attract better quality athletes at junior level, we could fall into a downward spiral and I fear we will never recover.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:36 am  

Another nail in the coffin!

I just think RL in this country is 'dying' and we may one day see a return to semi-professional teams or the quality will drop off dramatically. Our top youngsters will have TWO comps to join now not just RU in this country but NRL will be offering money that will make it worth them going.

Sorry to be a doom and gloom merchant but the facts are their in front of us!

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:16 pm  

We're all Dooooomed Dooomed I tell ya!!!















Or maybe not!

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:49 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

We're all Dooooomed Dooomed I tell ya!!!

Or maybe not!

Doomed is perhaps a little exagerrated. However, it's going to be massively difficult for Super League to ever progress following this announcement, the strength of Union in this country and the weakness of our administration.

Given the financial performance of clubs in SL, the cap isn't going to go up. Which means the NRL sides having a cap roughly double ours, as Union also does. With Union being a different sport it's harder for them to steal players as it requires a gigantic effort in most cases to get the player up to the level requisite of the investment. That isn't the case in the NRL, where the player would require far less upskilling.

In the future this is likely to mean that the likes of Tomkins and Roby being in SL only for their introduction phase. Once they have shown a good level of talent, it's likely the NRL will come calling. I'd argue that in 5 or so years England at international level will be like New Zealand, i.e all but a handful of our senior international players playing in the NRL.

This announcement very much means a class system will become even more clear. The NRL will have the stars, Super League will get the run of the mill British players, the retirees who don't fancy another year in the NRL and also a few young/naughty Aussie/Kiwi youths who are looking to prove themselves. Those will become the players we NEED to prioritise and identify and the ones we NEED to be at the front of the queue for as it will be their quality that will ultimately decide where the trophies go. The Lyon's/Bird's/Dobson's of this world will still come over and we need to be in for them.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:16 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Doomed is perhaps a little exagerrated. However, it's going to be massively difficult for Super League to ever progress following this announcement, the strength of Union in this country and the weakness of our administration.

Given the financial performance of clubs in SL, the cap isn't going to go up. Which means the NRL sides having a cap roughly double ours, as Union also does. With Union being a different sport it's harder for them to steal players as it requires a gigantic effort in most cases to get the player up to the level requisite of the investment. That isn't the case in the NRL, where the player would require far less upskilling.

In the future this is likely to mean that the likes of Tomkins and Roby being in SL only for their introduction phase. Once they have shown a good level of talent, it's likely the NRL will come calling. I'd argue that in 5 or so years England at international level will be like New Zealand, i.e all but a handful of our senior international players playing in the NRL.

This announcement very much means a class system will become even more clear. The NRL will have the stars, Super League will get the run of the mill British players, the retirees who don't fancy another year in the NRL and also a few young/naughty Aussie/Kiwi youths who are looking to prove themselves. Those will become the players we NEED to prioritise and identify and the ones we NEED to be at the front of the queue for as it will be their quality that will ultimately decide where the trophies go. The Lyon's/Bird's/Dobson's of this world will still come over and we need to be in for them.

I don't see the doom as I don't buy into the player drain arguement. Some will argue that other leagues will be of better quality as they pay more, there is a sound arguement behind this and I'm not ignoring that. However even with that being the case I'm not going to buy a ticket to the next South sidney v St George Match because they have a line up with Robes, Tomkins, Graham, etc. It's too far away.

Neither am I going go watch Sale with a line up of ex SL players as the game does not interest me.

The market for RL fans is limited to go watch RL, or go do something else.

Some may fall away with great depression at the thought of this 'player drain' but the majority won't. Sport is not like shopping, one sport is not very much like another. A baseball fan is not going to suddenly watch cricket because cricket pays it's players £1billion each.

So there will be some impact around the fringes, but we also have to accept that if the NRL invests in the grassroots, there are going to be some decent quality players in Oz with no home to go to. Either they play RL in the UK or get another job.

I'm fair to old now to be doing a lemming at the sight of increased competition. Challenges come and go to the sport but in the end the reason anything exists is because people are willing to hand over cash for entertainment. Quality is subjective and only tested when one comes up against the other.

The NRL has been ahead for years, yet we grow our own base in crowds, TV etc. So it will take more than this to kill of RL in the UK.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:34 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I don't see the doom as I don't buy into the player drain arguement. Some will argue that other leagues will be of better quality as they pay more, there is a sound arguement behind this and I'm not ignoring that. However even with that being the case I'm not going to buy a ticket to the next South sidney v St George Match because they have a line up with Robes, Tomkins, Graham, etc. It's too far away.

Neither am I going go watch Sale with a line up of ex SL players as the game does not interest me.

The market for RL fans is limited to go watch RL, or go do something else.

Some may fall away with great depression at the thought of this 'player drain' but the majority won't. Sport is not like shopping, one sport is not very much like another. A baseball fan is not going to suddenly watch cricket because cricket pays it's players £1billion each.

So there will be some impact around the fringes, but we also have to accept that if the NRL invests in the grassroots, there are going to be some decent quality players in Oz with no home to go to. Either they play RL in the UK or get another job.

I'm fair to old now to be doing a lemming at the sight of increased competition. Challenges come and go to the sport but in the end the reason anything exists is because people are willing to hand over cash for entertainment. Quality is subjective and only tested when one comes up against the other.

The NRL has been ahead for years, yet we grow our own base in crowds, TV etc. So it will take more than this to kill of RL in the UK.

It's not about the fans leaving, it's about the star names leaving. if the quality of the rugby drops, the entertainment value drops. People don't want to see the brand of rugby we've put out in a few games recently and they won't keep buying season tickets to watch that. If the crowds drop, the ability of the clubs to pay players drops and the downwards spiral is set in motion. And it's not just senior players who will be leaving, the NRL clubs will come calling for our juniors soon, scouting them on international tours etc.

I can remember a time when Saints used to average around the 4,000 mark, some top level clubs far less than that. Those days aren't too far off if the quality of the product drops.

Re: NRL signs $1 billion broadcast deal : Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:08 pm  

Maybe someone will take lance, perry and Laffranchi back now they are cashed up