Australian Rugby / RA

[Derpus]

No, I mean they have central contracting worked out way better. It seems quite ham-fisted here.

An American style draft wouldn't be terrible. Probably make it less appealing for players though. Having to relocate etc.

 

[charlesalan]

And from our friends across the water, who issued their NZRU Annual report recently:

"Financial Performance for NZRU:

We announced a record profit of $33.4 million for the 2017 financial year, off the back of a highly successful DHL New Zealand Lions Series and other commercial growth.
The All Blacks played seven Tests on home soil in 2017 including the American Express Pasifika Challenge against Samoa, three Tests against the British and Irish Lions, and three Tests against Australia, Argentina and South Africa as part of the Investec Rugby Championship.
We also had seven non-All Blacks tour matches during the DHL New Zealand Lions Series.
As a result, we benefitted from a significant increase in income, mainly from increased matchday takings and broadcast rights revenue.
The All Blacks’ global exposure contributed to a 14 percent growth in sponsorship and licensing including new relationships with Amazon and Apple, as well as the ongoing, and highly valued, support of our Principal Partner adidas, and Major Global Sponsor AIG.
This spike in our revenue was in our financial projections and provided us with the confidence to invest heavily back into the game. Our major areas of investment remain the Players, through our Collective Employment Agreement and the Provincial Unions, who are receiving significantly increased funding, in tough commercial environments.
Furthermore, the women’s programme is growing, highlighted by the performances of the Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens in 2017, and we are implementing the outcomes of our Respect and Responsibility Review. However, we are conscious that we won’t have the economic value of the DHL NZ Lions Series for some time again, so we have planned for that and will therefore continue to be prudent about our costs and investing in our core priorities."
Total Mitre 10 Cup Provincial Union funding NZD 26,341,000
Total Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Provincial Union funding NZD 5,148,000

 

[Braveheart81]

And from our friends across the water, who issued their NZRU Annual report recently:

"Financial Performance for NZRU:

We announced a record profit of $33.4 million for the 2017 financial year, off the back of a highly successful DHL New Zealand Lions Series and other commercial growth.

The ARU generated a surplus of $28m in 2013 when we hosted the Lions.

The major difference is that the NZ broadcast rights for matches they sell separately like the Lions tour and their overall sponsorship dwarfs RA because the All Blacks are the biggest rugby brand in the world.

NZRU made an extra $30m in broadcast rights from the Lions tour over and above what RA generated last year. In a normal year those figures are very similar.

NZRU typically makes about $25-$30m more in sponsorship revenue each year such is the power of the All Blacks brand.

I have no doubt NZRU is being run significantly better than RA but their game is predicated on exactly the same model whereby all the money comes from the national team and then flows down. Their national team just generates a lot more money. They are having similar problems elsewhere whereby fans have deserted their Super Rugby teams in droves (except maybe the Highlanders).

Interestingly, RA generated more matchday income form the 2013 Lions tour than NZRU did in 2017.

They are also having similar problems keeping players in NZ due to money albeit they are affected less by it due to much greater depth. When people talk about how good a Wallabies team filled with only overseas based players would be, I reckon you could create two of three NZ teams that would be stronger.

Isaia Toeava would be pretty useful to begin with.

 

[kiap]

The types of sports where an American-style draft works are the ones where there is only one game in town. The draft happens in AFL because there is nowhere else to go. Players either suck it up to get in the big time or remain in suburban footy.

In US sports, if you're not in the major leagues you die trying.

Rugby doesn't quite fit that mold. Not happy with your shitty contract in Oz rugby? … Hello RL. Bonjour France. Sayonara, I'm off to Japan.

If you want some sort of talent equalization in Supe, I think one possibility (however slim) would be to allow test selection for SANZAAR from any franchise in SANZAAR.

More likely the problem of Super Rugby will be decided for them before it gets to that.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

An American style draft wouldn't be terrible. Probably make it less appealing for players though. Having to relocate etc.

I remember it being mooted here a few years back & a heap of employment lawyers lining up to say it was contrary to the Employment Contracts Act. Maybe your labour laws are a little more "flexible" when it comes to things like being told where to live & work but it's probably still a non-starter over these ways.

 

[Derpus]

I remember it being mooted here a few years back & a heap of employment lawyers lining up to say it was contrary to the Employment Contracts Act. Maybe your labour laws are a little more "flexible" when it comes to things like being told where to live & work but it's probably still a non-starter over these ways.

Yeah i don't really delve into employment law too often but i somehow doubt it.

You don't have to work for the league. But if you do, you should go to where they have work for you. Take it or leave it.

I can't imagine that is illegal. If i applied to work for a company and they said if you take the job you'd have to relocate to Canberra, that would not be illegal.e

Edit: i don't think the challenges to such a system are legal but practical. In the US it's pretty easy to relocate because, well, if you are on 50 million it's frankly not that big of a deal.

If you are on 50k it's probably more of a hassle.

 

[I like to watch]

It's been tested in courts here, Tutty (and later Terry Hill) took on Mungo and won.Restraint of trade.

 

[Derpus]

It's been tested in courts here, Tutty (and later Terry Hill) took on Mungo and won.Restraint of trade.

Can you link me to the case?

It's not like i have actual work to do or anything.

 

[I like to watch]

Can't give you a link, it was a high court decision 'Buckley v tutty' (1971)

 

[RebelYell]

^^^^^^ no hard evidence, obviously, but I'd be surprised if he were on much more than the NZ average so unless he was on unders at the Rebs I reckon he's taken a cut & that's certainly the way it's been portrayed in the media.

Re: Mitre 10 Cup, maximum salary is (from memory) $65K. Not sure what an FDP contract is worth so don't know if it would cover the difference.

Under the terms of the new CBA, in 2019 (increases on 2018):

$75k Super Rugby CPS (minimum 28, maximum 32 in squad)
$850 p/w WTS (minimum 8, maximum 10 in squad)

NRC is minimum payment $1,500 for the season (non-contracted players only, contracted players not entitled).

Garden-Bachop would have likely been on the EPS (now WTS) and received a payout of some sort to cut short his contract. That, plus his Mitre 10 contract, plus his Hurricanes contract, would be a lot more than he would have earned if he stayed in Melbourne.

 

[Derpus]

Can't give you a link, it was a high court decision 'Buckley v tutty' (1971)

Skimmed it and it seems to be about a player wanting to contract with another club while the club with which he was registered wanted to prevent him from leaving. I don't think it's entirely analagous.

In a draft style system you would not be contracted to an individual franchise but the league itself.

It might technically constitute a restraint of trade but i don't think it would be actionable.

 

[half]

Boards needs to take control of the conversation. From the ABC of the most boring sports to watch.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-11/chart-of-the-day-boring-sports/9749146

 

[Derpus]

Fucking Tennis?

 

[Braveheart81]

Let's pitch ourselves towards sports fans who watch sport for a stretch once a year (Australian Open Tennis) or once every two years (Olympics and Comm Games swimming).

Seems pretty pointless.

Check out David Croft's mug trying to chase down Isaia Toeava.

 

[Derpus]

Let's pitch ourselves towards sports fans who watch sport for a stretch once a year (Australian Open Tennis) or once every two years (Olympics and Comm Games swimming).

Seems pretty pointless.

Check out David Croft's mug trying to chase down Isaia Toeava.

 

[RedsHappy]

What I for one find remarkable regarding R Castle's CEO-ship of RA to date is how little she seems to be concerned or declamatory about the very serious state of the code in Australia and that some combination of radical, deep, purposeful actions are clearly required to even begin a credible, medium-term repair process.

There some side actions and plans here and there, reassuring noises regarding 'the grass roots', gentle regret that we are being mowed down like kittens by Kiwi Super teams, and so forth. If dealing with I Folau's religiosity is 'my toughest career challenge to date' as she stated, God help us given what she is going to face in saving rugby in Australia. 'You ain't seen nothing yet lady!'.

On Kick and Chase she warmly referred to the SANZAAR JV and how plans were being concocted for the 4 parties thereto to 'shape' the Super competition from 2020 for many years hence. FFS, 'shape it'? It needs chemotherapy and then nuclear fusion applied to it - the frightening average crowd level declines alone in 2018 will be commercially decimating to RUs here.

RA's marginality of thought, superficial 'strategies' (that aren't strategies at all, they're just the latest-crisis-knee-jerks), and cultural timidity and introversion look unlikely to change. The RA board seems disassociated from reality.

So the slow death march just passes by as we stand helplessly waiting for for something, anything to halt its increasing momentum.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Let's pitch ourselves towards sports fans who watch sport for a stretch once a year (Australian Open Tennis) or once every two years (Olympics and Comm Games swimming).

Seems pretty pointless.

Check out David Croft's mug trying to chase down Isaia Toeava.

Hardly looks like Croft at all. Where're the streams of blood running down from his head?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Let's pitch ourselves towards sports fans who watch sport for a stretch once a year (Australian Open Tennis) or once every two years (Olympics and Comm Games swimming).

Seems pretty pointless.

Check out David Croft's mug trying to chase down Isaia Toeava.

You’ve done a great job but have you given up gambling now?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

There some side actions and plans here and there, reassuring noises regarding 'the grass roots', gentle regret that we are being mowed down like kittens by Kiwi Super teams, and so forth. If dealing with I Folau's religiosity is 'my toughest career challenge to date' as she stated, God help us given what she is going to face in saving rugby in Australia. 'You ain't seen nothing yet lady!'.

very good point

 

[Braveheart81]

You’ve done a great job but have you given up gambling now?

It was my first foray into an avatar bet and it wasn't successful.

Actual gambling on the other hand, no chance.

Picks this week are:

Tahs +19.5 away vs Crusaders
Sharks away vs Bulls @ 2.10
Reds -6.5 away vs Sunwolves

Sadly Isaia Toeava has the weekend off.