Besides, the aru should be putting their money towards the reds, who are in serious trouble in what should be a heartland area.

The ARU was forced to take over the NSW RU when it went bust, I don’t think Australian Rugby can stand another white elephant or more like a burning tyre.

We burnt 4m (I think) on the ARC and everyone is jumping up and down about starting that up again. Mr McCawber rules seem to apply to most of you or beer money and champagne tastes take your pick. I wish it was your dough you were putting at risk.

Where the hell is the money going to come from – D-heads

I get the impression that the ARU are deliberately mucking around to push through their own preferred arrangements – even though they are quoted as saying they do no want to run the cub – this is precisely where it’s heading.

the VicSuper15 team hold a more political image and argument than the others though, so we’ll see.

Dan Silkstone’s offering yesterday (as posted by rugbyfuture) seems to be the best take on things, with comments and quotes from the ACTUAL financial backers and the ARU too.

From here, this can either continue to be played out in the papers, or it’ll just get resolved overnight. As I said above, if we view this saga as if the Rebels are a star player, and the ARU are the club for which he plays, it’s Contract Negotiations 101.

My main question is why the TV revenue/grant issue wasn’t sorted out long ago. Indeed, it should have been the first question asked and answered!!!

Private equity is getting into this game to make money. No one gets into this game just for the love of the game, at least usually. People can point at football and blokes investing in A League clubs and making huge losses, but even that is because they are taking the long view. In 10 years time they are doubtless hoping that ACL and increased TV revenue will make their money back, and they can sell the club for a motza like has happened inj the EPL.

As such, when private equity was buying in, the first question would be “what is the income stream to support this apart from my own cash?” The answer – the grant/cut from the ARU, which is what supports the other state union run franchises. The ARU seems to be intent on making sure this is less than the others, to ensure they have more money to spend on the grassroots of rugby. However, private equity will then be asking why they aren’t getting the same income as the others.

I am not sure if the $4.2m or so is the TV revenue cut, or the overall grant. Keep in mind each state union uses the overall grant to do everything, as they tend to draw little revenue from other sources (and even those are usually S14 related, like gate takings, merchandise, etc).

Arguably, the Rebels should be getting the same TV cut as the others, but no more, as they aren’t running any grassroots. The remainder of the money will go to the VRU for grassroots. With the QRU, RWA and NSWRU etc, the ARU throws it all in the same bucket and hands it to them. However, the VRU and the Rebels will be likely incurring duplicate costs, which all others teams won’t have as they will be operating one combined office, not 2 like the Rebels and the VRU.

As usual, the information on what is going on isn’t clear enough to properly understand events, and the “rugby” media aren’t asking the right questions. Far easier to engage in lazy sensationalism. After all, how many papers do you sell with the headline “Vic Rugby negotiations with ARU ticking along as expected, with some posturing by Evans”?

The NRL has to get the Storm on TV at a decent time when kids can watch. If it’s 10am on a Sunday Morning so be it just get something sooner rather than later.
I can’t see the ARU getting the Rebels on free to air TV in Melbourne but at least a credible franchise that grows grass roots participation in Victoria would be a nice result.

If I am wrong about this that is fine also – because unlike many Melbourne people, I can see the skill and beauty in rugby(s). It may not be my code of choice, but a reasonable examination of the game(s) leads one to this conclusion. The dominance of the AFL here is what keeps this city small – and any code which can broaden the horizons of the Melbourne community is good news IMO.

The ARU have insisted key investors Kevin Maloney and Harold Mitchell are still committed to launching the side for the 2011 season. Maloney says Evans is out on his own.

The ARU say that negotiations continued right up until Christmas and they plan to pick them up in the New Year. They totally dismiss reports that Melbourne Super rugby team is in “disarray because of a dispute with the ARU”.

They also firmly rejected the notion that the ARU is going to run the franchise instead. they said it was never in their game plan and they’re confident of finding a solution to the current impasse around structuring the ownership issue.

corporate cowboys, the way they do business is absolutley disgraceful (i know this because I provide advice to PE funds personally)

If we view this saga as if the Rebels are a star player, and the ARU are the club for which he plays, it’s classic contract negotiations by media. At the end of the day, it’ll all come together.

At least, it better…