IC tidbits after clubs' meeting.

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Clubs turn up heat for NRL independent commission

* By Josh Massoud
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* January 19, 2010 12:00AM

TRUE to rugby league's roots and its people, this was a no-fuss moment: a sheet of blue notepaper for a blue collar game.

When the 16 NRL clubs made a collective Declaration of Independence just after 11am yesterday, there was no lavish scroll or parchment to record the historic statement.

So South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas tore a page from his scrapbook, picked up his pen and scribbled three heads of agreement: a desire to create a truly Independent Commission (IC), for it to reflect the model presented yesterday, and for it to be set up by the start of this season. In other words, within just 53 days...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5820996209

Independent commission explained

* From: The Daily Telegraph
* January 19, 2010 12:00AM

WHAT will an independent commission do for rugby league and how will it change the game we love? Here are the answers to your questions

Q: Will the clubs own the game?

A: No, the fans will own the game as it will be owned and administered by a non-profit company so that all profits in the future are retained for rugby league.

Q: Will the clubs be influencing decisions by management or the day-to-day operations and can the clubs change a decision by the commission?

A: No, the clubs will have no say in the ongoing policy direction or the day-to-day management of the game - that will be done by the eight commissioners and the NRL management team, and the clubs will have no power to overturn a decision.

Q: Will the clubs ignore game development funding under this proposal?

A: The clubs currently spend an average of about $500,000 per club on development across the game plus the further money invested by the ARL and its affiliated states. If anything, this should make the game more efficient as we centralise development funding and control under the one body.

etc, etc...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5820991879

'We're giving the game back to the people'
January 19, 2010

Glenn Jackson and Brad Walter spoke with Gold Coast Titans chief Michael Searle, the driving force behind yesterday's summit.

Q What does this mean for rugby league?

''It's one of those opportunities that rarely comes up in the game of rugby league, where we have universal and unanimous support for changing a corporate structure. It means that we're going to hand the game over to independent people to administer and to create the policy and direction. But more importantly, we're giving the game back to the people through the creation of a non-profit entity. It was one of those moments that we will look back on, and hopefully think it was the time that rugby league started back on its journey to be the No.1 football code in the country.''

Q When will it happen?

''The clubs have asked for it to happen by season kick-off, or earlier if possible. That's a timeline that they felt was achievable given that corporate deals get done all the time, and we can enter into a heads of agreement around the process, and get it started. Hopefully it'll happen sooner rather than later, but we're relying on News Ltd and the Australian Rugby League to negotiate the settlement. We feel that's a long way down the path, but how long that takes them to finalise is really up to those partners.''

etc, etc...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -mgqk.html

QRL yet to support a strong move for an independent commission to run rugby league

* Stuart Honeysett and Dan Koch
* From: The Australian
* January 19, 2010 12:00AM

THE QRL is under enormous pressure to fall into line and pledge its full support for an independent commission after it emerged yesterday it was the only party blocking the historic move.

......

The ARL and its various umbrella organisations have been identified as the major obstacle in a move towards independence and revamping the game's unwieldy structure.

However, The Australian was told yesterday the ARL, NSWRL and CRL are now fully behind the IC after having a change of heart in the last week.

That leaves only the QRL as the final hurdle. It has pledged its support in principle, but wants a say on the make-up of the IC's board and to maintain a certain level of funding.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sp ... 5820997771

 

[Flutterby]

THE Queensland Rugby League today released to its supporters and volunteers the following letter and facts sheet regarding the Independent Commission.


Dear Parents, Guardians and Players,

The proposed establishment of an independent commission for rugby league has created a great deal of community interest and comment (mostly incorrect) and we would like to assist our rugby league community to understand the proposal and the Queensland Rugby League’s (QRL’s) position regarding the commission.

The QRL believes the current structure of the game could be improved to benefit rugby league’s long term development. Therefore, the QRL is committed in principle to the establishment of a single body to control the efficient administration of rugby league in Australia.

Any suggestion that the QRL is blocking the establishment of a new independent commission is incorrect.

What the QRL is doing is standing up for the Queensland rugby league community and its grass roots supporters to ensure the game’s long term future.

The changes proposed by the National Rugby League (NRL) clubs are far reaching and it is vital the implications of such a change, including protecting the game’s grassroots development programs and representative opportunities, are considered in detail.

Under the current proposal for the new structure, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and News Ltd would hand over control to a new independent commission. Under their agreement, News Ltd is proposing to deliver its 50 per cent share of the game to the NRL clubs when they exit. The ARL has a 50 per cent ownership position and we believe it would not be in rugby league’s best interests to eventually hand full control to the NRL clubs – who represent the game’s elite. In other words, why would the ARL as custodians of the game walk away and place the game’s future in the hands of the Clubs, a number of which are privately owned.

Whilst the NRL clubs play an important role in the promotion and funding, the game has many stakeholders including senior, junior and school players, parents and supporters, volunteers and referees – all of who need to be protected and represented under this new structure.

The QRL believes the best way of ensuring the independent commission serves the interests of all the game’s stakeholders is for the QRL and New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL), through the ARL, to jointly nominate four independent candidates to the proposed eight-member board of the commission with the NRL clubs doing the same. This structure proposed by the QRL, ensures equality and transparency.

The QRL has a proud tradition of fostering the game’s development for more than a century and we want to ensure the culture and heritage of rugby league remain intact.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the QRL ensures the game makes the necessary investment to maintain the revenue producing elite level of the sport such as State of Origin, while expanding the investment in the development of junior and amateur levels across the State. In 2010, QRL development officers will involve approximately 90,000 juniors (43,000 club players, 46,000 school players) in rugby league based physical activity in Queensland.

We appreciate that rugby league is a way of life for many Queensland people and we are indebted to the selfless contribution of the code’s estimated 18,000 volunteer workers each week, including coaches, managers, trainers, first aid officers, officials, canteen staff, groundsmen, registrars, jersey washers, timekeepers etc.

The QRL takes its role as the custodian of the game in Queensland seriously, which is why we will not compromise on our commitment to the grass roots of the game, nor are we prepared to gamble with its long term future.

Please find below a fact sheet containing some frequently asked questions regarding the proposed independent commission. Thank you for your continued support of the QRL and our great game.

If you have any views or further questions regarding the independent commission, please contact the QRL via email rugbyleague@qrl.com.au or phone (07) 3367 6000.

The FAQ section is at the end of the article http://www.qrl.com.au/display.php?pg_id=5160

Some valid points really - this is a major change to the structure of RL in Australia, which no-one denies is certainly needed. However certain parties are trying to rush it through. All parties need to be given adequate time to consider and discuss the proposed changes - which the QRL feels it has not had at this stage.

Whilst I think the NRL clubs need to have a bigger say, I also fear the clubs having 100% total control over the game completely - if junior and country RLs (ie grassroots development) feel they aren't getting adequate funding and support at the moment, it has the potential to become much worse if the clubs are given this control as they are businesses and operate at the elite level. That is where their profits are coming from and we already see that many clubs have a very short-term view of winning premierships now and let someone else worry about future development - if the clubs are it, there will be no-one to take care of the development.

Personally, I would like to see this process of forming the new structure and independent commission play out over the next 12 months with implementation for 2011 - not rushed through in a couple of months.