World Cup must not cost NRL clubs, says Gallop
By David Beniuk, 12 Dec 2009 David Beniuk is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- AFL, David Gallop, football, NRL, Rugby League, World Cup football
NRL boss David Gallop says the league would need to operate “effectively” during a soccer World Cup in Australia or the financial future of its clubs would be at risk.
Gallop has emerged from his meeting with Football Federation Australia counterpart Ben Buckley emphasising the financial impact on the 16 NRL clubs should a World Cup bid be successful for 2018 or 2022.
“We are happy to try and work together but the price of that cooperation cannot be such that it puts the future of our clubs at risk,” Gallop said.
“We have to be able to operate effectively for our own clubs’ sake.
” … There is only so much disruption our clubs can endure and still remain viable in the years that follow.”
NRL clubs and could be shut out of the nation’s biggest venues for around two months during a World Cup, affecting memberships and gate takings, while the cash cow State of Origin series would also be affected.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has said the AFL season would be unviable if a World Cup used both the MCG and Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.
“The No.1 concern is simply the disruption to the cashflow of our business,” Gallop said.
“Our clubs rely on people coming regularly to footy … That would be something that we wouldn’t trifle with easily.”
Gallop said he was pleased FFA had offered full transparency on any bid issues affecting the NRL and that the timeframe was longer than previously thought, with the bid book not due until May.
He said FFA had presented a number of options for rescheduling but no compensation figure had been discussed.
Buckley described the discussions as “constructive” and said FFA would continue meeting with the NRL over the next few months.
“Our team will work with David’s team to address scheduling issues around club matches, around the State of Origin,” he said.
“We have to have our bid book in by May, we have to resolve some of this information by the end of February, early March.
“I think there’s a genuine spirit of cooperation and goodwill.”
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Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:13am | Report comment
I think the problems of AFL and NRL are just too big an obstacle.
Surely this will be too big a hurdle for those trying to take the World Cup to Aussie.
Punter said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:32am | Report comment
Good work Mr Cheese, stirring up the local tribes. keep it up.
Crosscoder said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:52am | Report comment
Gallop employed to ensure the viability of his sport/company.How unique for a CEO to do such a thing.
Mick from Giralang said | December 12th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Yep can’t blame him for standing up for his sport. I can’t believe there’s not some way of accommodating the World Cup and continuing the NRL as normal. Why can’t the WC be played October-November?
Punter said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
Same reason why the Rugby League World cup is not held in Jun-July.
Springs said | December 12th 2009 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
The 1957 Rugby League World Cup was held in June, as was 1968. Other Cups were held in the middle of the English/French seasons.
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
The domestic leagues are in full swing in October / November.
The Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, the Bundesliga in Deutschland etc. etc. etc.
Mick from Giralang said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:49am | Report comment
So okay to disrupt our domestic leagues, but not soccer domestic leagues? Remember it’s only for eight weeks…that shouldn’t worry them, should it?
Ken said | December 12th 2009 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
As per Mick, that’s a pretty weak argument. If the point is made that it’s not a big deal for the NRL and AFL to disrupt their seasons for a rival codes tournament that they have nothing to do with, surely having them disrupt their own seasons is even less of a problem.
Oh but how dare us heathens suggest something that makes so much sense.
Gatto Nero said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:55am | Report comment
Jeez, but didn’t Andrew cop a mouthful when he did the same thing earlier in the week.
etat said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment
It is a good ploy by Demetrious in support of victorian football. I think that Melbourne’s ausfooty establisment will eventually benefit from demetriou mouthing off about cancelling the League’s season. Cancellation of the season is of course entirely up to him / his organisation. FIFA and the FFA can’t make AFL cancel their season.
What interests me is whether, in decade or so between now and a possible world cup here, the AFL can get its act together and see this as a great marketing opportunity and not a chance for a quick buck. At the moment they don’t seem to have much of a plan except of some kind of compo for not having an proper national or international footprint. What are they doing about that? These guys can’t even get the irish to play us in an Aus Rules international match. Inept. How much support do they put into international development of the game in the US, UK, south africa, pacific islands and asia etc? What’s the dollar figure? Maybe whatever $$$ compo they receive for being inconvenienced by competition from another sport can go toward international development of Australian Rules Football.
Beast-A-Tron said | December 13th 2009 @ 6:39pm | Report comment
“What interests me is whether, in decade or so between now and a possible world cup here, the AFL can get its act together and see this as a great marketing opportunity and not a chance for a quick buck.”
Kind of hard to realise the marketing opportunity when FIFA has such unique anti-competitive stipulations in place for hosting the WC.
“Maybe whatever $$$ compo they receive for being inconvenienced by competition from another sport can go toward international development of Australian Rules Football.”
It is not competition when FIFA demands other sports to shut down whilst it is in town. This would be the complete opposite to the definition of competition. Buckley has indicated he is lobbying for an exemption of this clause, I’m not making it up. Any “compo” would be associated with the lending of fixed assets by the NRL & AFL, and the disruptions to revenue streams resulting therein. It has nothing to do with “national or international footprint”. If the FFA had their own stadia, there wouldn’t be an issue.
Ben Buckley: “They [AFL, NRL] just want to ensure their stakeholders aren’t disadvantaged dramatically”.
I agree with the CEO of FFA.
Michael C said | December 13th 2009 @ 7:09pm | Report comment
as Beast-A-Tron said,
at this point – there is stuff all reason to seriously believe that FIFA would permit the FIFA WC to be played in Australia exemptions for not just one, but two – bigger domestic football codes than soccer – - let alone, that the AFL and no doubt the NRL must ensure they have at least a couple of decent stadia to maintain cash flows and attendances etc.
The ‘marketing’ opportunity is okay to a degree so long as they (AFL and NRL, let’s not focus purely on the AFL here) are not swept under the carpet.
btw -
this weekend is the first Oceania junior championships footy carnival – held in Fiji. NZ, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru and Fiji (PNG were very late withdrawals…..sadly due to a flight cancellation and immigration issues!!!). At any rate, these matches are important for the formation of the first ‘World XVIII’ squad to play against Aust states in the under 16 nationals.
It’s small stuff – but, this is the first really co-ordinated move to establish an identifiable talent pathway for youngsters. 10 years down the track……it may well be that the AFL is in such a position that no one could concieve of why they would step aside for soccer!!!!
Mick from Giralang said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Look out, the tsunami is building…
AndyRoo said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
We have allready pledged not to play Football for the month of the AFL World Cup if they require the use of Suncorp and Homebush.
Mick from Giralang said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
AFL World Cup = American baseball’s World Series…
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
NRL = poor man’s NFL.
turfwars said | December 28th 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
You said it Redb and its getting worse.
the next set of rules will make it more NFL than ever before. The indig game at Skilled Park will see to that. I bet they mark the field out to some degree like the NFL
Afl is the main code played in this country in MOST states. NRL is only played in NSW/QLD and some northern parts of UK
Very poor showing in league world cup based on last result. You can’t even bet against the Aussies winning as its for gone conclusion. At least the union world cup is a bit more realistic.
its a once in a lifetime to get the soccer world cup. it will help all codes if they are smart enough
Col the Bear said | December 28th 2009 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
yes that might be so, but it’s strange how NRL outranked the AFL in the TV ratings this year..
chris said | December 18th 2009 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
yeah!!…and while we’re at it why don’t promote the international development of eating vegimite…
Etat – I’m guessing your a RL, Union or soccer fan and in your post you’re trying to pick on what you perceive to be AFL’s weakness… AFL is not international and doesn’t pretend to be….and in any event the vast majority of sports are not ‘international’ …whatever money goes into ‘international’ AFL is basically self-funded by amatuer competitions around the world with very minimal assistance from some AFL clubs and the AFL (mainly in the form of hosting an international cup which is a fun amatuer tournament)….
So etat don’t expect the AFL to “get its act together” and plough money into international development….it will never happen… they will plough money into NSW & QLD to develop local rivals for the Swans and Lions – this is a much smarter move…
Lazza said | December 18th 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
AFL is like vegemite. Those of us weened on it from birth like it but to everyone else it looks and tastes like axle grease.
chris said | December 18th 2009 @ 7:26pm | Report comment
probably you’re right… but can’t you say that of almost all sports… for example RL is big in NSW, QLD and Northern England and nowhere else….if you’re not weaned on RL from birth the continuous tackling patterns and lack of ball movement is mindnumbingly boring I’m sure….
anyway i think the whole point of etat’s post was to denigrate the AFL…the AFL isn’t even pretending to be international unlike some other sports I can think of….the AFL is focussed on being national which is still a huge task to pull off but it just may happen…4 teams in NSW/QLD from 2012 is a very good start….
John Ryan said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
International Development of AFL is an oxymoron
$1 Billion Compensation for AFL/NRL said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:58am | Report comment
They should be gunning for as much compensation as possible, anything other than that would be a serious dereliction of their duty as administrators of their sports.
Also – this May deadline – no, that is wrong, it is not an AFL/NRL deadline at all – why should they pay it any credence whatsoever?
Chook said | December 14th 2009 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
looks like good will, can be found in some ones pocket.
Rod said | December 18th 2009 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
I want the WC here but to say the Football in Europe will be disrupted is pathetic, won’t all the best players be playing for their nations anyway?
It’s a cop out full stop, play it after the winter codes out here have finished, heck start our comps 4 weeks earlier..
bever fever said | December 21st 2009 @ 7:25pm | Report comment
I have very little interest in soccer besides a highlights package of good goals but if it interupts to much with my footy season, then they can nick off.
Many posters on here have it right, why cant FIFA, FFA organise it around this countrys major codes if they want it here, if they cant/wont its no skin off my nose.
Midfielder said | December 21st 2009 @ 7:35pm | Report comment
BF
Did you enjoy the Olympics
bever fever said | December 21st 2009 @ 8:30pm | Report comment
Yep, most parts of it but generally yes, athletics, volleyball and basketball and of course the swimming, but lets face it most people only enjoy the swimming when the aussies are winning, some of the strokes are really quite ridiculous.
I see where you are going with your post.and to a degree i agree with the world cup coming here but not if the cost is to great.
Of course a big point is that the world cup is a competing football code to our main ones here and that is completely different to the olympics IMO.