NRL General Manager of Strategy Shane Mattiske will become the NRL’s new interim CEO after the shock resignation of former boss David Gallop today. Does he have the experience necessary to handle one of Australian sports most challenging positions?
Mattiske appears to have the qualifications to assume the mantle as NRL CEO.
It is understood Mattiske played a key role in the decision making process which allowed the Gold Coast Titans to become the NRL’s 16th team back in 2007.
Mattiske also played an important role securing the NRL media rights for internet and mobile phone technologies.
This experience will no doubt aid Mattiske as he aims to negotiate the NRL’s upcoming TV rights deal.
With Channel Nine, Ten and Fox Sports currently bidding for the 2013-17 NRL broadcast rights, Mattiske will be charged with delivering the $1 billion TV rights deal they are hoping to negotiate.
Gallop’s decision to resign from his post just months after signing a four year contract extension showcases the amount of pressure Mattiske will be under from the get go.
Gallop held the NRL CEO position for ten years and was contracted until 2016, but the impending negotiation of the NRL’s TV rights deal as well as a need for change demanded by the ARL Commission appears to have taken it’s toll.
The way Gallop handled the 2010 Melbourne Storm Salary Cap scandal also left a lot to be desired among journalists, fans and footballers alike.
With Mattiske now taking charge, the question on everyone’s lips revolves around whether or not he will succeed in his new post.
His credentials will certainly be put under the spotlight soon enough, and if he manages to secure a $1 billion NRL TV rights deal for next season, he will go a long way to establishing himself as the right man to assume mantle as the NRL’s next CEO.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
He is an interim CEO with an Accounting background,who has been more involved in the Tv negotiations I understand, than David Gallop.QED the influence Gallop had on the current TV right's t talks ,can be argued to be negligible. Grant has stated the head body will look everywhere for a suitable candidate,the feeling being an outsider. It has been argued from day one,that the Commission should be truly independent.On that basis with Gallop gone,the last vestiges of News/SL will be gone,with Pearce the only person with any reasonably current rl involvement. Fresh start,fresh approach and a new day.Let's get on with it.This sort of boning(sic) happens everywhere.In fact about 10,000 public servants in this state ,will be in the same boat down the line. I note ch10 are involved in securing a large amount of funding for programming -$84m already injected by the 4 major shareholders. Money for rugby league rights???????
amazonfan
Roar Guru
As they should be. Any organization attempting to market its product, should talk up the product, regardless of whether they end up getting as much for the product as they had hoped. If Gallop wasn't bullish in talking up the rights, that might have impacted how much they get for the rights. As such, he might not have had a job beyond the selling of the rights (if he hadn't resigned now).
Australian Rules
Guest
Oh...I looked at the heading and presumed the article was actually going to tell us something about Shane Mattiske.
Johnny boy
Guest
Give the broardcasting right to channel nine! Think about People who can't afford foxtel. If you want more people To like the wonderful sport of nrl give the rights to a free to air network!!! And it should stay with nine network!
Fccnfiasco
Guest
So he signs on for another 4 years and then quits a few months later. ftw. Tin foil hat conspirators unite!!
Patrick Angel
Roar Guru
They were pretty bullish in talking up the rights during the presser.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
I thought there was a clause in his contract when he took the job that he will get a pretty nice pay out.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Ryano, If thats true, it doesnt make sense either, as then you'd then be looking to sack his replacement as well.
Ryano
Guest
Was Gallop sacked because they realized they were not going to get anywhere near the AFL for TV rights?
Jaceman
Guest
Surely they will get someone outside RL??