“They’ve got it completely about-face by focusing on developing players, rather than developing clubs and teams.”
Let that sink in. Because it’s a bloody good observation that neatly condenses most of rugby league’s current ills from the ground up.
Usually, stories that stoke your anger are the quickest and easiest to write, spewing from the keyboard like frothing, molten lava. But this one has so many facets to it that it’s hard to know where to start.
The above quote from an old footy mate is as good a place as any to begin.
I rang my friend this week to talk about something topical in rugby league: largesse at the top and the distribution of funding throughout the game.
It’s not often I find myself genuinely riled by the reportage of the Daily Tittle-Tattle, but the accusation that NRL independent commissioners and their partners incurred $35,000 worth of expenses for State of Origin Game 1 certainly raised the hackles.
It did so, primarily because I believe – if business-class flights, five-star accommodation, and top-notch food and trappings are accounted for – it’s a figure that is probably close to the mark.
Why this claws so deeply at the soul is because it’s not only believable and indicative of detachment at the game’s pointy end, but it evokes the thought of what $35,000 could do for a battling club or two at the grassroots level.
That’s enough for more than 23 sets of uniforms at the inflated prices that officially licensed suppliers set our junior clubs.
That’s enough to be a godsend for two modestly-sized clubs who field between ten and 12 different age teams per year.
But here’s the real kicker. It’d be enough for almost 50 sets of uniforms if the game’s administration was not already creating a false and inflated economy for the players and volunteers who nurture the game.
[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby-league” name=”Rugby-League”]
Let me explain.
At present, the various localised league authorities – the NSWRL, QRL, CRL etc – have a list of licensed suppliers who are the only manufacturers who can put their logo on a playing garment. You need the logo of NSWRL, QRL, CRL or someone else on your playing equipment to enter in those competitions, so it’s therefore mandatory you purchase your kit from one of the chosen companies.
In orchestrating this, league administrators slap a royalty fee on each garment sold, which though not outlandish, is above ten per cent – a fair whack of which must be paid up front by the supplier.
We’re talking advances in the tens of thousands of dollars by each supplier, which they then set about aggressively recouping.
So, right now, you’re thinking: “That doesn’t sound so bad. The game has to make money in as many ways it can.”
If, for example, a supplier was wholesaling a jersey for $25 and adding another $3 to cover royalties which then get reinvested in the grassroots, you wouldn’t complain so much.
Except well, instead of being sold jerseys for the completely achievable total of $28, a lot of junior clubs are having their jerseys sold to them for $50 each by a select cabal of operators who now have the power to set the pricing floor.
That’s even before junior clubs themselves face the difficult decision of whether to add a margin of their own to cover their operating expenses and the thousands of jerseys each year that go missing.
Effectively, the families we want to entice into the game are being pillaged from the get-go, especially those with two or three children now paying twice the uniform fee they should be. That makes it tougher on grassroots clubs for reasons twofold; firstly because it dissuades new players; secondly because the volunteers themselves often have to work relentlessly to stump up the over-inflated costs in advance before collecting payments from families.
As someone who has spent 25 years in community rugby league environments, I can assure you that chasing players and families for jersey money does not become more enjoyable or successful as time goes on – no matter their age.
The added costs of shorts and socks have not even been touched upon.
At this point, I’ll defer to the words of my footy mate, who has an even greater wealth of experience working at the coalface with junior and senior players. This is a guy who is a successful manager away from football in a very competitive industry, and someone who has seen the game as a player, then coach, then administrator – and always as a fan.
“What we’ve seen, for the past decade especially, is systems being put in place that are focused on developing individuals,” he said down the line.
“Competitions are being changed, rules are being altered, teams are being ripped apart purely with the thought of creating better NRL and State of Origin players.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
“They’ve become obsessed by it, and are so hell-bent on it that we’re forgetting about clubs and teams – the ones who sustain it all.
“The market manipulation happening with uniforms is just one aspect, and gee, wouldn’t you love to know where all that money is being allocated?
“Paid administrators have a great leverage point in that there are people in the community who will do their groundwork for free.
“But I say to you, if you rely on volunteers your business model is intrinsically wrong.
“If a private organisation was run like rugby league, it would have gone into administration 70 years ago.”
My mate then proceeded to talk about a solitary junior age group in Brisbane where ten teams, equivalent to 250 players, disappeared in the space of a single year.
We diverted and started talking about the days where more than three or four teams could realistically win the state schoolboy competition – and the widespread excitement that created for kids who weren’t necessarily top-tier.
Honestly, when I read about NRL players and officials bickering over the sport’s budgetary allocations, I can see it from both sides.
Name me the last league chief who was widely praised? It’s a job when you’re on a hiding to nothing and most people won’t see half the issues you deal with on a daily basis.
Similarly, for players, it’s an unforgiving game where participants deserve to be recompensed fairly. Rugby league athletes are still a fair way behind other sports when it comes to salary.
Yet I can’t help but think that whenever we talk about where money should go in rugby league, the very first image that should come to mind is of a mother or father checking their bank account, deciding whether to register their child for the first time.
“We’ve created a funnel for the sport that’s the wrong way up,” was my mate’s parting thought.
Glenn Hillier
Guest
Absolutely SPOT ON! FINALLY someone is focusing on this ridiculous 'official supplier' program. All this money being collected and where is it going? NSWRL sold the program (even though there was no chance for discussion on its implementation anyway) to the Junior Rugby League Clubs by saying that a marketing company will take the licensing fee money from the suppliers, and a percentage of each kit sold will be distributed back to the Clubs. As yet (in last round of the competition) NSWRL have NOT advised how or when these funds will be distributed...even though the Clubs have been asking all season. It's paramount to corporate fraud! Where is the money? If this was any other corporate company they would be under investigation. NSWRL should be too!! Disgraceful and all the time the game continues to dwindle and shrink at grassroots level. If no kids are playing U8s, where will the NRL & State Of Origin players going to come from in the next 10years?? We need to address the woes of the game NOW before it is dead.
Bloody R Bull
Roar Rookie
The public is overloaded with league. We can watch every game live on TV. This is a lot better and heaps Cheaper (which is the biggest factor to all the league fans, a family of 4 it would cost around $200.00 for tickets,(food & drinks), with a beer. & a drink for mum and dad. WAY TOO MUCH !!! I don't live close to any games and I wouldn't be bothered going to any, which I used to do before FOXTEL. We know what every player is earning, what they do on their time off. Finding out how spoilt some of these players are, leaving the club that put them on the map, all to chase big money somewhere else. No wonder the club fans are angry with their clubs and their players, No Good. The 3 Origins needs to be played in a one month NRL comp break in the middle of the comp. This is when NSW and QLD Country and City teams, The rest of Australia, Tonga, PNG, Samoa, Cook Island, NZ country & Maoris etc all play a league round robin. All these teams can have at least 4 fringe NRL players in each team. These games played the month comp has off for origin. Origin is wrecking the NRL comp at the moment. NRL needs to fix ASAP. Also each team in the comp must play each other in the first round, then they can play who ever after that in a system, the system now that some teams play each other twice in a month or so is bad. Comp seems to be all wrong with current system. FIXTHIS!!
Big Daddy
Guest
One question also needs to be answered. In relation to gate money. Who gets it now - the NRL or the clubs. If NRL gets it and annual attendance of 3 million at $20 per head average amounts to $60 million- where does that go. If clubs get it the broncos are way ahead of everyone.
bearfax
Guest
You probably werent around Mundane back in the mid 90s but if you were you would know that Superleague destroyed the progress League was making over the early 90s, a progress Frank Hyde said in his memoirs at that time made league the growing power in football in Australia. The Perth Reds failed because of SuperLeague. They were a success under the old ARL getting crowds consistently over 13, 000 andu p to 25,000 at home. Brisbane Crushers were the same. Both had breakout years but settled to about 13,000 plus by 96. SuperLeague saw their crowds plummet over the entire game. SuperLeague damaged the game so much that only now are we beginning to get the crowds we had back then, despite a population increase of 25%. If SuperLeague had not appeared, we would have about 24 teams, a much larger support base and a much bigger TV revenue. There was nothing wrong with Perth and a second Brisbane side. The problem was the split in League that damaged all NRL sides, while financing big those selected for SuperLeague. And the crowds at those games were bolstered by officials handing out free tickets to their games, something well publicised back then.
Brett pieper
Guest
The game has changed in aĺl areas . When i played as a 8 year old 13 a side and the water sponge was the wonder drug . And the coach was a x player or next door neighbor. And you played the ball correctly. And you fed the ball in the middle Of the scrum. And your footy Guernsey whom you went for never changed.
Bloody R Bull
Roar Rookie
Being part of the common public lovers of the greatest game of all. All I ever want is to watch a good game of rugby league when ever I can. In the 80's and before no one knew what a player was payed, what the league made etc etc. And the game we loved was great, we even went to a fair few games just to see our club win. Now we know everything about everyone in the league, down to what undies they wear. All the fans want is a great competition played and run by great people. Aussie Rugby is as good as dead because it's got a shit product, over payed players and administrators. I worry that the NRL is going down the same path quickly !!!! Today we are overwhelmed by players and adminstrators that they are worth more then our great game. Get rid of this shit & let's start again. Remember NRL is suppose to be for all, from under 6's in country league right through to the top. STOP RUINING OUR GAME !!!!!!
bbt
Guest
Absolutely correct. I am the president of a not for profit club - not RL. I was discussing with Committee members the other day how much of all facets of society now depend on volunteers with a layer of fat cats sitting above us. We opined that a volunteer strike, in all areas, would basically bring the country to a halt. What sticks in a our craw, is the orders that come down from on high - do more with less!!! Yeah right. It is not just an RL issue.
Fix the scrums
Guest
They were certain of success some years ago with the Reds and Rams in Perth and Adelaide. But It was a money pit so they pulled out. The NRL just don't have the money and support to risk another go. They are still trying to keep the current clubs afloat. The last game in Perth only drew about 11,000 and that figure seemed inflated with plenty of freebies handed out. Grassroots is where it's at. The game is full of imports . They need more home grown players coming through.
Johnno
Guest
NRL players want a pay rise, but to much cream is stolen from the top already and not enough filters down to the bottom. RL in it's current model in OZ is unsustainable.
The Barry
Roar Guru
My youngest son has started playing u7s this year. To be fair the fees have been pretty reasonable - we've only had to pay $20. And I don't have a problem with volunteers running things - we want our kids playing sport so while work prevents me coaching, I help with set up and putting things away and manning the BBQ on Saturdays. But what has shocked me is how poorly things are promoted. My kids haven't had NRL players at their school once in six years. My youngest has had one email "from Gareth Widdop". Suburbs that would have had their own teams back in the day are now providing one kid each. It's scary to think how things will look in 20 years.
Mike
Guest
RL starts to get it's 'rivers of gold' broadcast money next year so finances should not be the problem. I have been waiting for a game breaker white knight administrator to run the game, make the right decisions, distribute money fairly, look after the grassroots and get the game flying. Sadly it hasn't happened. Hopefully V'landys or Gyngell or one of the other names mentioned can come on board and transform the game. I fear we only have 5 years to get our house in order.
Kreig
Guest
Two richest clubs? Probably Penrith and Brisbane. Penrith due to filthy pokies, and Brisbane because people support them. Through ticket sales and membership; an 'expansion' team is the most solid in the NRL. Storm are doing alright as well; in the HEART of Aussie Rules land! And why is this? Because they actively support grass-roots footy. Granted, the Storm wisely don't try to achieve the (currently) impossible by investing in Mexican (Victorian) rugby league; they also focus on Queensland. Why has Queensland dominated? Because Broncos, Storm and Cowboys give time, money and effort to lower-tier and grass-roots clubs. With a few individual player exceptions, I just don't see NSW clubs contributing to the same extent. Of course, the primary responsibility for the health of grassroots footy should be the NRL. And they are failing. Want to grow the game, providing a healthy way ahead? Take a very large chunk of the new deal money and fund grassroots footy. Promoting the game as FUN! If a parent is choosing between league, union, foccer (football/soccer) or Aussie Rules for their child, what are the major factors that are going to sway them? Cost, and whether their kid has fun or not. NRL should help foot the bill. But young footy clubs should be about having fun. What happened to all kids getting a decent go? Winning and - as mentioned - developing indivual players has become the focus. Make grassroots footy about fun for all; the cream will always rise to the top, but the game will only ever be on solid footing when the base is strong; and that will only ever truly be the case when lots of kids are having fun playing. Why is foccer the world's biggest ball sport? Because even the most dirt-poor third-world countries, kids can play and have fun. All they need is a ball. That's it. So charging $50 for a 10-year-old's jersey, plus a couple of hundred (at least) for club, membership and match fees is ridiculous! Rugby league will never grow whilst this is occurring. The players want to make an impact on NRL expenditure, they should boycott State of Origin until the NRL pulls its finger out and funds ALL aspects of rugby league CORRECTLY.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
no, the 16 clubs are focusing too much on the 16 clubs
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
It was 20 years ago and because of the super league war. That excuse is wearing thin.
Mundane
Guest
Perth and Brisbane teams have failed before and with Titans and Knights for sale no wonder they are reluctant.
Justin Kearney
Guest
I ran the game in tassy for a few years. All officials in sydney seemed to care about was the fact we had a 'nice little comp'. A small group of us put our hearts and souls into it but it was pretty obvious nobody in sydney really cared. No funding was provided for junior comps. Our senior comp lasted 5 years and then folded. We gave it our best efforts but trying to run a game with a budget of $20000 was never going to work. Sadly rugby league in australia has no future the way it is heading. It needs a massive shake up but who is going to do it? The worst thing is that the modus operandi of our major competitor has been obvious for over a decade. Somebody has been asleep at the wheel.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Cricket has gone much further down this path to the point where even the Shield is all about developing players. That is a professional level of the game that is now about only developing players for the national team. And the rub of that is the selectors don't even value that development that much anyway. League at least has the NRL to hang it's hat on.
kk
Roar Pro
Top Notch article Robert. An organogram of Rugby League divisions would be handy. Barring miracle, within twenty years Rugby League will be relying on 70%+ of players coming from countries outside Australia or descendants of those families now resident in Australia. The children (and parents) attracted to other codes will increase the fan bases of those codes for generations to come. This will probably mean a serious diminution in TV audience numbers resulting in the income from Rugby League television rights falling. Subscription digital requires a membership of 2.5M to break even and probably another million or more subscribers to make distributions to clubs at a level to continue operating. Rugby League has some big problems. Too many young children have been lost to other codes and part of that is due to not supplying them with uniforms at cost or better still, free.
bearfax
Guest
Agreed that grass roots needs a lot of attention especially in the country locations. As far as your diffident comment about expansion, if we showed such wariness, we wouldnt have Canterbury, Manly Parramatta, Cronulla, Penrith, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, North Queensland, Newcastle, Auckland, Wollongong, and Tweed heads in the comp. Thing is taking on teams like Perth and Brisbane is virtually certain of success and not only increases your audience, but increases your media value for the next negotiations. Perth and Brisbane have long shown they are ready with sponsorship, grounds, junior development and big local audiences. Its a win win.
Fix the scrums
Guest
Can't see expansion happening unless they possibly relocate some teams. Plus the new teams may not work. The NRL hasn't the funds at this stage and won't take the risk. Is the administration really concentrating on the 16 NRL teams? Doubt it, unless it's the Broncos or Souths who get most of the prime time exposure. Most of the other teams are confined to playing in front of a piss poor crowd in a crappy suburban stadium. The clubs need to work harder to get the crowds up. But it's a TV sport they say, well nines ratings aren't great. Grass roots need more attention . They can't ignore funding in this area but it needs to be spent wisely. Juniors have so many options these days.