With his retirement after four studious years of screening phone calls from News Corp, the last 24 hours have seen the tributes for outgoing CEO David Smith flowing deservedly from rugby league – and when I say rugby league, I mean some of rugby league. Definitely not all of it.
For a man who’d never had the pleasure of being party to the unique migraine of rugby league administration, I’ve got to say that Smith handled the bumps and bruises of the job rather astutely. Of rugby league’s rich history of bumbling CEOs, he’s definitely not the worst.
New standards at head office have been set on his watch. From all reports, he was always punctual and hygienic, and ultimately, he didn’t blow anything up that wouldn’t require council approval to repair. So it’s a pass mark for mine.
In a working-class game, Smith brought some much needed European class and cachet to the job. He wore designer glasses, used flashy business jargon and flooded the organisation with luxury car use, all the while maintaining a safe distance from the people.
In the end, despite the occasional monthly faux pas, the Welshman’s commercial nous and influence left the game enriched. And I mean literally, because the thing is totally flush nowadays and would probably wear a grill if it were a person.
Yes, this will be the former banker’s legacy in league; his unparalleled pecuniary tekkers. It was of such shrewd brilliance that it allowed him to create new and meaningless executive roles at the NRL while also ensuring the majority of the insolvent clubs were not as insolvent as they used to be.
However, his time does not go with spotless approval.
Pockets of the public wildly celebrated his decision to hand over the keys, and while nobody burned effigies in the street, most did take to social media to attribute blame on Smith for everything from rule changes to the referees crisis and slow internet speeds.
Whatever side of the ledger you sit, you can’t deny the Smith regime had its fair share of memorable monetary moments. However, besides other admirable achievements, there were also stacks of stuff-ups. Which was your favourite of the era?
The TV deal
Smith secured another mass injection of funds with his recent TV deal, signing off on an agreement with Channel Nine to allow them to continue kicking off games whenever they bloody well please at the rate of $925 million.
It was a bloody good deal, bar the fact it pissed off Rupert Murdoch, paled in comparison to the AFL’s astronomical agreement, and was eventually left to remain half-finished upon the CEO’s retirement.
Besides that, bloody good deal.
Name dropping
Upon his appointment in 2012, the new CEO laid his cards on the table – when it came to the grand game of rugby league and its past, he knew nothing. Not a thing about Joey, nor anything about State of Origin or toey humans or Schlossy’s shoe. Absolute squat. (Poor choice of word.)
However, citing our unshakeable belief in the ability of rugby league’s global appeal to ferret-out even the most ardent ignoramuses, we didn’t believe him for a second. After all, this is rugby league, the game of planetary superstars like Mark ‘Mr Worldwide’ O’Neill and international Corey Pearson.
But when he was unable to recognise Cameron Smith, but did know of a bloke called Benji Barba, we believed him.
Fining Paul Gallen
What happened to the good old days when you could call your boss a c*** in front of millions of people? Not only was Smith’s $50,000 fine of Gallen a sign of a man out of touch with the everyday Bali-going bourbon-drinker, it was a hammerblow to free speech. Plain and simple.
Perhaps the dictatorship of a people’s republic would be more up your alley next time, Mr Smith?
E-Squared
In the early stages of his stint, Smith showed his unwavering belief in rugby league as a viable stand-alone product by proposing every game be enhanced by live music and jumping castles. While this ‘Entertainment Squared’ plan was roundly mocked, funnily enough the CEO did eventually get his proposed circus at all live games, but unfortunately it was in the video referees box.
Sanitisation of the game
Smith had a morbid obsession with player safety and eliminating violence. Firstly, he outlawed punching after Paul Gallen repeatedly pounded the acreage atop Nate Myles’ shoulders on live TV in Australia’s highest rating broadcast for the year. Following this, he flicked the shoulder charge when retired footballers came forth with small problems relating to remembering their own names.
His disinfection of the game’s thuggish neanderthal qualities in an attempt to drag its image up to 21st century standards was a complete buzzkill. He’s so out of touch, it’s like player welfare is actually a thing to him?
The drugs scandal
Instead of spending his time on more important things like sourcing a ferris wheel that could fit into ANZ Stadium, Smith was lumped with navigating the unchartered minefield of a government-bumbled drug saga that assimilated the game with shady critters like Steven Dank and ASADA.
However, this godforsaken two-year episode wasn’t a complete catastrophe.
Despite the tragedy of an irreversible black eye for the game, not to mention the health hazards the players were exposed to and the anguish it caused everyone in rugby league, it was eventually deemed a winner when all agreed that Smith handled the imbroglio better than the AFL.
john neeson
Guest
Allowing ch9 to rig the 2013 Grand Final without punishment
pjm
Roar Rookie
And you must adjust for TV size and picture quality and every game at the tip of your fingers.
NamerTamer
Guest
Mate, the regular season average is 15,074. To keep comparisions valid u must remove the finals. http://afltables.com/rl/crowds/summary.html And you must adjust for population growth.
turbodewd
Guest
Mate, your figures ignore population growth. Ergo are half the story. The crowds are poor and awful at GC and Canb.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Ironically the gaffe is this article.
P Air
Guest
Good points Mike - the only downside is that we are still stuck with Channel 9.
Birdy
Guest
I can't believe that people can't see through the news BS. Smith was the best thing that happened to RL ever. Unless his replacement is a news plant , his best and first plan of attack should be to identify all news plants inside RL and get rid of them once and for all . I for one am getting rid of foxtel today .
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Total crowd figure of 3,247,234 was the lowest since 2006, not 1998 Average per game of 16,155, lowest since 2004 If you want to go on a rant at least get your facts right.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
The game is better now than when Smith took over. The digital rights stuff will get sorted and I believe that it will be world's best when a seal is brokered. I hate the way the Murdoch press plays their power games and tries to treat me like a bunny. It's demeaning and rude.
Big T
Guest
Who exactly is judging Smith on a half completed TV deal? And what authority do they speak from? I suggest most of the criticism has come from the hacks of newscorp including Bulldog, Hooper, Kent and Buzz.... What a band of financial geniuses those clowns are! Buzz couldn't string 3 numbers together, let alone read a PnL. It just shows how weak as p!ss the power to be at Rugby League HQ are.... I, for one, would like a CEO with no league background, and a true A class elite head kicker to run these "faceless men" out of the game they think they own.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure that the 10 and Foxtel joint offer was rejected due to A: was a rather poor deal, and B: was under investigation due to Foxtel being a part owner of 10. 7 weren't interested, ABC and SBS have no money. All signs point to 925 mil from 9.
DMW
Guest
Couldn't agree more with you Mike. Regarding new platforms / players / telecast mediums my fear is nobody at the NRL is working on exactly what the terms of this arrangement will be. The NRL owns the product and they have the ability to dictate the exact nature of the televised product, the terms and conditions. If suitors don't like the terms then don't bid for it. It's simple. What I don't want to see is rights holders skewing and using the product to their own advantage to the detriment of the game. Let's get the i's dotted and t's crossed here and now and ensure the product that is sold is the product that is broadcast.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
"he only talked to Channel 9 seriously and completely ignored Foxsports" 100% incorrect. "I also find that you cannot listen to the Radio broadcast as Ch 9 is not live as stated but 10seconds delayed." Been happening since TV was invented.
Geoff Evans
Guest
I cannot see how anyone can say that David Smith got a good deal with the new broadcasting rights as he di not give any other broadcaster any chance to make an offer, he only talked to Channel 9 seriously and completely ignored Foxsports and i think got the AFL a bigger deal. I for one do not like watching Nrl on ch 9 as the commentaters are totally crap and spend too much time advertising coming tv shows on their channel. I also find that you cannot listen to the Radio broadcast as Ch 9 is not live as stated but 10seconds delayed. Ray Warren was once a great caller but now gets too many players names wrong and Ray Hadley in totally crap as a TV caller. I also think that all their support staff ( Johns, Fittler and Finch to name a few ) must have had to pass a dumb test before being employeed Ch 9.Smith also seemed to have no say what so ever about the rule changes every other week or did not have the guts to do anything about them.
Mike
Guest
Super League and Rupert were/are a disaster for RL. Hundreds of millions of dollars was wasted due to Rupert trying to take over the game for his own monetary advantage. When half owned by Fox RL was again massively underfunded but Rupert still took more money out of the game every year for his own pockets. In this time the AFL got value for money deals and threw hundreds of millions of dollars at RL heartlands. Then Rupert proclaims AFL his sport and promises to throw more money at it!!! Bottom line: Rupert has disrespected the game of RL, the people who play it, the people who administer it and most importantly the fans. I for one applaud Dave Smith for giving Rupert the middle finger - never has it been more deserved. My hope is that some other platform comes along and buys the rights to the rest of the games and Rupert and his sadly compliant hacks at the Telegraph can bleat and cry like squealing pigs all they like.
turbodewd
Guest
I agree the individual has to take responsibility...and not blame being raised by a single parent and not blame ADHD and not blame depression and not blame this and that. No matter how you spin it, league players have a shocking rep. It doesn't have to be that way!
Arnold Krewanty
Guest
Criticism of the referee decisions; over bearing use of the video referee, and its poor decision making, and the "sanitisation" of the game that includes rubbing players out for weeks over misdemeanors = RL that is the NRL today, has done a very good job in fobbing off a lot of long term supporters and players alike. Dave Smith was the Tony Abbott of RL - A Wrecker.
Rossco
Guest
Careful on the El Masri one - that is only an allegation at this stage. And what about other sports, especially AFL with regular rape and drug issues? And Union with vicious murderer from its ranks? OK, that was a few years ago but so was Monaghan. It's not the game but the individual who has to take responsibility.
Rossco
Guest
Super League and its train wreck have not gone away. It is only News Ltd and its journos who have got stuck into Smith. They can't forgive him (or whoever was in his place) for the departure of Gallop (who is doing a very poor job for the SFA - the pay deal anyone?). Smith has done a good job in freeing the NRL from Murdoch but Rupert's henchmen will not give up. Pity if the public pay attention to them.
turbodewd
Guest
Ginger, do you realize that the 2015 regular season crowds were the worst since about 1998? Some things with league are healthy, but crowds are crook. We also have some broke/dysfunctional clubs - Titans, Knights and Tigers. Raiders crowds are at their worst ever. And yet the NSW govt wants to invest in stadiums? NRL games only sometimes get a big crowd. The problem is over supply in my opinion - too many games! Origin proves quality trumps quantity. And crowds have been going south for 3 yrs in a row. Rugby league culture also is seemingly getting worse. The amount of bad player behaviour in the past 5 yrs has gone off the scale. Violence, gross behaviour, its painful. Carney, Fifita, Monaghan, Myles, El Masri, Lodge, Im losing count. I feel league is going sideways.