Not if no one can attend them. State of Origin would be a big miss without a crowd. Thankfully that’s still a while away.
But there is more important things for governments at the moment than whether sport can go ahead. The only thing I’d even remotely think about government handouts for on anything sporting, is people involved would actually lose their job/an income over it being stopped
Contrary to some opinions on here, I don’t think it would be outrageous for the government to support the game. State of origin and a healthy NRL are a good thing.
But at the moment, there’s a long list of people that need financial support and I’d put casual workers and the vulnerable a fair bit higher on the list
Perhaps he could have opened his comments with something like this:
As Chairman, I have agreed to forgo any income from the NRL for the next 12 months. I have also negotiated with all of our senior management and our top tier players to take a 50% pay cut. Furthermore our general staff and players have agreed to take a 20-40% pay cut for the next 12 months. We have also negotiated with our suppliers and contractors to reduce their margins so that our fans don't have to continue to pay the exorbitant prices we have been getting away with. We have looked at other measures to reduce and/or defer our costs. We understand that we are in a privileged position and that many people in Australia are doing it a lot tougher than us. We want to ensure the continuance of our game and understand that Covid-19 is not the fault of the Australian taxpayer and therefore we do not expect to be bailed out by them.
It's not V'Landy's fault. But it is the fault of the commission and NRL management past and present. He is now representative of the failures of the past.
Nat,
Governments shouldn't have to give money to organisations that continually mismanage it. The NRL has no future fund, no investment portfolio, no wealth creation plan, a comically small contingency pot. There is ZERO proof that there would be a return on the investment. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that they'd get no return on it.
The only way I would possibly entertain the idea of the government providing an emergency bailout of the NRL is if the government take over the administration of it.
Healthcare is more important, and is rightly the priority. It's time for you to reprioritise. You will survive without football!
The NRL is tax exempt I believe so to ask for tax payer money is just disgusting.
Its not Vlandys fault entirely that the game has no fall back money, but the judgement call to make that pitch at this time in that manner is really poor and a concern for his capability.
The NRL are doing exactly the same thing but they are less reliant of crowds as a source of revenue. They have a number of action plans in place to reduce their costs but if the game is not being played, they will have no income stream to pay any bills. $230m is peanuts, the Govt will get their return and the very large sporting community get what they want.
This is no time to be proud. There is no benefit to 'dying on your feet' when a short time on your knees can see all big professional sports (AFL, NRL, Cricket, Netball...) can come back stronger with a little assistance from the Govt.
I'm being a bit picky but she shouldn't be calling it a plague. Plagues are caused by bacteria not by a virus. Nrl players and everyone else in the game will have to take a hit. The highly paid bosses should be the first to take a huge pay cut.
Small point buts it's not the Goverment, it's the taxpayers who would have a hand put in our pockets. Particularly those who pay more in tax than they receive in payments of various sorts, those who are not eligible for the various handouts on offer recently. I have a lot of problems funding private multi million of not billion $ organisations and their very well paid employees. In the end someone will have to pay for all this and it should not only be those individuals who have no lobbying power or the ear of the Government. The AFL, ARL and the rest can just take a hit, just like the rest of us.
Except in this instance the AFL (which stands to lose more money playing in empty stadiums than the NRL considering the differences in crowd sizes) are trying to cut costs and get on with it. The NRL's first port of call is to ask to be bailed out. I don't blame him, it is his job, but it is still a bad look.
V'landy has a duty to look after the best interests of the ARL he is the chairman.AFL has never been shy to ask any government for money.The NRL is a billion dollar business hiring thousands of Australians of course he would expect some help from the government.
Adam
Roar Guru
Imagine a government run sports organistion. It would fill my chest with pride!
Edward Kelly
Roar Guru
Yawn.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Not if no one can attend them. State of Origin would be a big miss without a crowd. Thankfully that’s still a while away. But there is more important things for governments at the moment than whether sport can go ahead. The only thing I’d even remotely think about government handouts for on anything sporting, is people involved would actually lose their job/an income over it being stopped
Simon
Guest
Contrary to some opinions on here, I don’t think it would be outrageous for the government to support the game. State of origin and a healthy NRL are a good thing. But at the moment, there’s a long list of people that need financial support and I’d put casual workers and the vulnerable a fair bit higher on the list
mushi
Roar Guru
Yep this would be a complete waste of resources.
DTM
Guest
Perhaps he could have opened his comments with something like this: As Chairman, I have agreed to forgo any income from the NRL for the next 12 months. I have also negotiated with all of our senior management and our top tier players to take a 50% pay cut. Furthermore our general staff and players have agreed to take a 20-40% pay cut for the next 12 months. We have also negotiated with our suppliers and contractors to reduce their margins so that our fans don't have to continue to pay the exorbitant prices we have been getting away with. We have looked at other measures to reduce and/or defer our costs. We understand that we are in a privileged position and that many people in Australia are doing it a lot tougher than us. We want to ensure the continuance of our game and understand that Covid-19 is not the fault of the Australian taxpayer and therefore we do not expect to be bailed out by them.
AJ Mithen
Expert
The AFL and NRL both have tax exempt status Betty.
Big Daddy
Guest
Now we have Scott Penn appealing to the Federal Government to bail out struggling financial clubs.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Tax exempt. Are you sure?
Nick
Roar Guru
It's not V'Landy's fault. But it is the fault of the commission and NRL management past and present. He is now representative of the failures of the past.
Nick
Roar Guru
Nat, Governments shouldn't have to give money to organisations that continually mismanage it. The NRL has no future fund, no investment portfolio, no wealth creation plan, a comically small contingency pot. There is ZERO proof that there would be a return on the investment. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that they'd get no return on it. The only way I would possibly entertain the idea of the government providing an emergency bailout of the NRL is if the government take over the administration of it. Healthcare is more important, and is rightly the priority. It's time for you to reprioritise. You will survive without football!
Andrew
Guest
The NRL is tax exempt I believe so to ask for tax payer money is just disgusting. Its not Vlandys fault entirely that the game has no fall back money, but the judgement call to make that pitch at this time in that manner is really poor and a concern for his capability.
Nat
Roar Guru
The NRL are doing exactly the same thing but they are less reliant of crowds as a source of revenue. They have a number of action plans in place to reduce their costs but if the game is not being played, they will have no income stream to pay any bills. $230m is peanuts, the Govt will get their return and the very large sporting community get what they want. This is no time to be proud. There is no benefit to 'dying on your feet' when a short time on your knees can see all big professional sports (AFL, NRL, Cricket, Netball...) can come back stronger with a little assistance from the Govt.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm being a bit picky but she shouldn't be calling it a plague. Plagues are caused by bacteria not by a virus. Nrl players and everyone else in the game will have to take a hit. The highly paid bosses should be the first to take a huge pay cut.
Jack
Guest
Small point buts it's not the Goverment, it's the taxpayers who would have a hand put in our pockets. Particularly those who pay more in tax than they receive in payments of various sorts, those who are not eligible for the various handouts on offer recently. I have a lot of problems funding private multi million of not billion $ organisations and their very well paid employees. In the end someone will have to pay for all this and it should not only be those individuals who have no lobbying power or the ear of the Government. The AFL, ARL and the rest can just take a hit, just like the rest of us.
RT
Roar Rookie
Except in this instance the AFL (which stands to lose more money playing in empty stadiums than the NRL considering the differences in crowd sizes) are trying to cut costs and get on with it. The NRL's first port of call is to ask to be bailed out. I don't blame him, it is his job, but it is still a bad look.
Steven Harris
V'landy has a duty to look after the best interests of the ARL he is the chairman.AFL has never been shy to ask any government for money.The NRL is a billion dollar business hiring thousands of Australians of course he would expect some help from the government.