I’ve been a Rugby League supporter since 1991, and now I’m devastated and prepared to walk away from a game I have enjoyed so much over these 19 years. I don’t support the Melbourne Storm, but I believed in what they were doing, that it was possible to get rid of top-line players, replace them with lesser-known players, and build them up to quality first-grade players who would help them stay dominant.
It’s two days since I wrote the opening paragraph on the day it was announced the Melbourne Storm had cheated the salary cap by at least $1.7 million over 5 years, were stripped of their two premierships, their three minor premierships and will play for zero points this year. Also, I will stay with Rugby League; it’s too good a sport to walk away from. I’ve also read and heard various views and opinions for two days. For one, Rugby League must exist in Melbourne, the NRL wants to be a national game and attract big dollars for television and sponsorship, then the competition needs to be played in every state and territory of the country.
I’ve just listened to an interview on the Dead Set Legends between Ray Warren and David Gallop. The one criticism I’ve had of the David Gallop administration is the instance that there must be fairness across the clubs, so saying that I don’t think my idea would work, but one way to get Melbourne back on track for this season would be to make all contracts null and void, sign new agreements to make them fit under the salary cap, those players cut by Melbourne would be placed into a draft with last season’s wooden spoon winning team pick first and so forth down the ladder until all the players are picked, those players contracts are paid by News Limited for this year, and they are free agents from next year.
There have been calls by so-called media experts for concessions to be added to the salary cap to help players stay at the club. However, the other clubs disagree. Clubs say they would rather see the grant raised or the salary cap increase as concessions add to the costs of players, which places the increased financial burden on the clubs. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (which ends on the 31st of October 2010), each NRL club is allowed to pay one veteran player (8 years minimum) $100,000, which is not included in the salary cap. There have been calls to eliminate the Salary Cap, but as Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith stated on Monday night, “”We are a little sport in a little country” it would be impossible to keep all the stars that have left to either switch codes or go overseas. Elite athletes in Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Golf, go overseas to earn top dollar because the money isn’t here, and so do our top actors, scientists and artists.
Since a lot has been written about how much players can earn or clubs can pay players, I thought I’d write the Collective Bargaining Agreement rules. The Collective Bargaining Agreement is the result of a process between the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL regarding player payments and other conditions of employment. Highlights of the CBA include:
• The salary cap for each club’s 25 is $4.2 million
• NRL guarantees $1.28m in a retirement account each season covering all top 25 players, half of which is suspended if the player leaves the NRL.
• Each club is allowed a Marquee player allowance:
• Veteran Player Concession: 30% of any further revenue allocations (above-budgeted amounts) to Clubs will be directed to players via the Salary Cap or the Player Retirement Fund Account
• Future Revenue: 30% of any further revenue allocations (above-budgeted amounts) to Clubs will be directed to players via the Salary Cap or the Player Retirement Fund Account
• Representative Payments:
• Third-Party Sponsorship: If the Salary Cap Auditor rules to include any Agreement in the Salary Cap, the player can now appeal to Salary Cap Review Committee (SCR), comprising the CEO of NRL and RLPA and a mutually agreed third person for final determination
• Minimum Wage:
• Access to Player Financial Records: The auditor is required to outline the case to the Salary Cap Review Committee (SCR), and SCR must approve before access requested
• Welfare and Education: Education, employment, and welfare support extended into the first two years of retirement
• Agent Accreditation: Compulsory Agent Accreditation
• Death and Significant Disability: Insurance 24/7 coverage for Players in the top 25 at each club, with any other Player covered from midnight on the day they play in the NRL.
• Official and Club Licensed Memorabilia: $10 per team item, $20 per dual signatory $30 per individual. Club merchandise payments determined in consultation with Players
All CBA info courtesy of the Rugby League Players Association website: (http://www.myfooty.com.au/content.asp?page_id=62)
Note: Third Party Sponsorships are only limited to club sponsors. Outside of that, players are allowed to earn however much they can.
Late last week, it emerged that NRL players including Benji Marshall, Brett Kimmorley, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Jarryd Hayne had also called for representative payments to increase as the salary cap so they may earn more money. Several fans disagree with the proposed changes, saying the players are greedy. The only reason the players are complaining is that people are talking about the salary cap regarding the Melbourne Storm, so they want to offer their own opinion. The players have spoken about leaving the game. If any player wants to go, I say let that player go. People say that Rugby League hasn’t produced another Sonny Bill Williams or Mark Gasnier since 2008, but the fact remains that the fans don’t care. Crowd figures and television ratings are on par with before they left. Yes, they may not have been able to develop the quality of those players, but the clubs did better; with Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Mason leaving the club, the Bulldogs signed: Greg Eastwood, David Stagg, Michael Ennis and Brett Kimmorley. The Dragons signed Mickey Paea, Darius Boyd, Neville Costigan, Luke Priddis, Jeremy Smith, Michael Weyman and Nathan Fiend after Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles left the Dragons.
The NRL has stated that the players earned 24% of NRL revenue compared to the 19% of the AFL. Still, the NRL makes less money, partially due to the ownership structure of the game, partially to where teams are located and partly because numerous player discretions over the years have led sponsors to leave the game. Why the NRL doesn’t have revenue compared to the AFL because of ownership structure has been explained previously. However, a commission will bring the game more money by the end of the year. Sponsors emerging on the market and wanting to sponsor either the AFL or NRL to get national sponsorship is more likely to generate to the AFL because their product would be seen in 5 capital cities, compared to 3 of the NRL (live and on television). Several clubs have lost sponsorships over the recent years to player discretion, including the Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, and the Sydney Roosters, amongst others.
The players have talked about striking if their wages weren’t increased. The players were told in 2008, in the wake of Sonny Bill leaving, that the NRL did not have any extra funds to give the players for representative games. I believe that the players went the wrong way about threatening strike action. If players had thoughts of striking, they should have spoken to their club representative that reports to the RLPA, or if they still felt frustrated, they should have spoken to the RLPA chief executive David Garnsey. As Warriors captain Steve Price states: “When we individually go out and make statements about what should or shouldn’t happen, it’s only going to cause issues”. Petro Civoniceva has changed his views and has instead decided to support the players earning the minimum salary. The 1994/95 MLB strike was the last in professional sports; the 198/99 NBA season and the NHL season of 2004/2005 were lockouts. Currently, the NFL and NBA are facing their own lockouts for the 2011/12 season. A strike is when players are unhappy with how they are treated by the sport’s governing body. The lockout is the club’s version of a strike. The clubs prevent the players from working to gain a better position in the negotiations.
The NRL’s punishment was harsh, but it is the only fair punishment the league could hand out, and I believe the salary cap works; strike action should be the last resort, and the players should speak to the RLPA before airing their views in public.
Quote of the Week: Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce after his team defeated arch-rivals Burnley:”It’s my birthday tomorrow, so obviously that was an early Christmas present from the lads”‘
Till next time,
Cheese