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The NRL is a billion-dollar industry entertaining millions of us. The players have become well-paid celebrities who generate as much interest from their off-field exploits as they do for their playing ability.
If I was starting a NRL-focused reality TV show, I’d probably call it “Keeping up with the Roosters” or something clever like that.
A show that focuses on the negotiations of player contracts and shines a light on the behind-the-scenes hard work of player agents as they make magic happen.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that there are now more NRL players in Bondi than there are UK backpackers. While the Roosters are one of the best run clubs of the last 30 years it’s time for transparency in the way player contracts are valued and negotiated.
NRL contracts should be independently valued and recorded to promote fairness and transparency. Currently, negotiations are conducted behind closed doors, with little information available to the public about how contracts are being valued.
This lack of transparency can lead to suspicions of favouritism and bias, which damages the reputation of the NRL as a whole.
There are two goals of the salary cap; to stop clubs going broke and to spread talent. The cap could be improved as far as spreading talent goes by stopping players signing contracts for less than their market value.
This needs to stop so the less attractive clubs don’t have to pay ‘overs’ to attract players. If a club is forced to pay overs to attract players the club will have a shallower playing roster as a result because no one’s going to the Tigers for less than market value.
For the successful and attractive clubs, like the Roosters and the Storm, they will not be able to keep players, even if they want to. If the proposed playing roster doesn’t fit in the cap, then players have to be shed.
Nathan Brown can’t go to the Roosters for less than market value. This creates wider player movement, and these players will sign elsewhere, thereby better distributing the talent.
How do you do it?
Easy, the NRL has a small panel of accredited player agents and is chaired by the Salary Cap Auditor. The panel is reformed each season with different agents and their job is to ensure that each registered contract is within 15 percent of its market value.
Once the contract is registered that worth is locked in for the term of the contract, for better or for worse. It’s a bit like having a fixed rate mortgage.
Independent valuation can help to ensure that players are being paid what they are worth. By having contracts independently valued, players and clubs can have a better understanding of the fair market value for their services, and negotiations can be conducted with more transparency and fairness.
Of course, there are also arguments against independent valuation and public disclosure of NRL contracts. Some argue that players and clubs should have the right to keep their financial information private, and that disclosing contract details could lead to tension and conflict between players and clubs.
However, these arguments can be countered by the fact that other sports leagues, such as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, have implemented independent valuation and public disclosure of contracts.
These leagues have shown that transparency and fairness can coexist with a competitive and successful competition.
I think even the RLPA would get behind independent valuations. When contracts are shrouded in secrecy, it’s easy for clubs to manipulate the system and take advantage of players.
By making contracts public, fans and players alike would have access to information about salaries, bonuses, and other incentives.
This would create a more level playing field and prevent clubs from playing favourites or engaging in shady backroom deals.
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