Is a merger or perhaps buyout by the NRL a possibility?

[Lowdesert]

The RFL and NRL are the only two professional RL bodies. They consult on rule changes and internationals with the RLIF, so good communication channels already exist. Would melding the two be so difficult?

Let's face it the UK game needs money. After the recent results of the WCC the knee jerk 'raise the salary cap' sounded out. Clubs have voted against it and RLF say it stays but is increasing the SC just papering over the cracks in improving our on field product?

The NRLs contract with SKY towers over ours, despite viewing figures being similar. RFL negotiation skills nil. Imagine an Executive telling Theo Paphitis that he had just negotiated a great deal. 60% less than the value of our main competitors but a great deal. He wouldn't get chance to clear his desk.

Surely a merger with NRL would better. They obviously have the clout and the skills!

The players are still playing for the same money as they were a few years ago. I wonder how long it will be before an England International, playing alongside a 'Marquee player who's on more money, decides to kick up a stink and we lose another to NRL, NFL or the other game.

At International level it's debatable we have closed the gap. My opinion is that we have but we need some form of 'selection' type game alongside the lines of State of Origin. I can hear people saying 'we've tried that. Hasn't quite worked. Yorks v Lancs, Exiles etc'. But have we really tried? Attendances and media coverage weren't great.

A competition where players are asked to give they're all, lungs coming out of the chest, 'blood and snot' is a must. The NRL have the tried and tested template and they have the prescence to make it happen.

If we want to improve our profile as a sport and increase media coverage and in turn, revenue, we have to do something. Right now, I can't see the RL doing anything significant at all.

........... or maybe the RFL could buy out the NRL?

[Farmduck]

The RFL should buy out the NRL. It's pretty obvious, especially from reading this forum, that Brits know infinitely more about running RL than the OZ administrators do. RFL uber alles! You know it makes sense.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

How would this merger work?

If it is just the SL as normal but ran by the NRL, I can't see the point. What would change?

[roughyedspud]

Its daft to compare the two tv deals..

The NRL to australia is what the premier league is here

In aussie dollars ours at around $450m isn't too shabby...and if you compare it to the australian A league,ESL & A league are the "3rd code" in each country,then super league's tv deal drawfs the A leagues...they signed a $180m,4 year deal that ends next year..the new deal is likely to double though..

[Allora]

Its daft to compare the two tv deals..

The NRL to australia is what the premier league is here

In aussie dollars ours at around $450m isn't too shabby...and if you compare it to the australian A league,ESL & A league are the "3rd code" in each country,then super league's tv deal drawfs the A leagues...they signed a $180m,4 year deal that ends next year..the new deal is likely to double though..

 

Not sure if the NRL is what Premier League is here.

NRL is strong in NSW and QLD but not much anywhere else.

They have AFL, Football, Union and others against them.

The Union is struggling to get a voice there but it is significantly better than Union here.

 

Argentina (1 team)

Australia (5 teams)

Japan (1 team)

New Zealand (5 teams)

South Africa (6 teams)

Most of those teams would play a game that would sit our Club teams on their backsides.

The NRL have done well to be where they are.

[Futtocks]

Those PR wizards who market RL so brilliantly in Australia would get an extremely nasty shock the first time they tried to deal with the UK media.

[Allora]

Why would the NRL want to take over our game?

I doubt they are benevolent business people that take on debt and problems because they are good guys.

We have already become a feeder system where they take the best of the crop like Sam Burgess and James Graham.

They do not need to invest in our game to cherry pick the players they think may make it in the NRL.

[Allora]

Those PR wizards who market RL so brilliantly in Australia would get an extremely nasty shock the first time they tried to deal with the UK media.

Its the Cart and the Horse or Chicken and Egg.

If you have a product that sells and the public embrace, the media will fold in and support that product.

[Lowdesert]

Why would the NRL want to take over our game?

I doubt they are benevolent business people that take on debt and problems because they are good guys.

We have already become a feeder system where they take the best of the crop like Sam Burgess and James Graham.

They do not need to invest in our game to cherry pick the players they think may make it in the NRL.

Why wouldn't they want to take over our game? Businesses never take over perfectly run and problem free organisations, because they don't exist.

Sky bailed us out. Many clubs who where heavily in debt, wrought with problems and incapable of running their business where in that package.

I beg to differ as your comments don't make sense.

[Futtocks]

Its the Cart and the Horse or Chicken and Egg.

If you have a product that sells and the public embrace, the media will fold in and support that product.

The UK sports media are welded to the same old same old, and anyone with an interest in 'Rugby' who still has a full-time job at a national newspaper or broadcaster has their snout so deeply sunk into the Twickenham trough, you'd never get a fair chance.

 

The cultural inertia in British sports reporting is immense and has been ingrained for decades. The only exceptions in the last few decades have been the so-called 'extreme' sports and the American sport fan-boys/bandwagon-jumpers. Both may well have hit their limits in the British cultural psyche already. Oh, and UFC/MMA, which continually fails to overtake boxing, despite all the big talk.

[Oxford]

Is a merger or perhaps buyout by the NRL a possibility?

I wouldn't have thought so, but that would unify the game and sort out all 5678 versions of the rules!

[marklaspalmas]

Pointless and damaging to the sport globally.

 

I exepect it to happen within the year.

[Kris]

No

 

No

 

And well....NO!

 

What a daft idea - if and or when we do get the international game off its knees then the RLIF will more than make up for what is being proposed here and get some much needed international sponsorship into the game

 

A merger\buy out is just plain dumb

 

If you recall Murdoch already did that effectively and look what it did for the sport globally  -  nothing

[Lowdesert]

You've not really answered my question at all. "Just the same as any other buy out or merger in business" says nothing. Mergers and buy outs in business all happen in different ways. Sometimes new brands happen. Sometimes structures change and merge the two together. Sometimes they just change the head and keep it going similarly. What is it you would want to happen in this situation?

A merger, acquisition or buyout could happen in any given number of ways. I could guess. You could guess.

The 'point's, you mention, are within my initial piece, but are not limited. Super League needs money. We cannot pay enough to keep some of our best players, do not market our product effectively enough, do not have a structure good enough to give our players a good enough chance Internationally and do not reach the masses sufficiently enough. The NRL and its proven media, sponsorship and selection models could improve our game, as a whole.

What if they just came along and showed the RFL the money?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

As the NRL are not an altruistic organisation if it did happen it would more than likely be for their own purposes.

I agree entirely. However, if their purposes can help achieve the RFL's goals anyway, might not be a big issue.

 

[Lowdesert]

No

 

No

 

And well....NO!

 

What a daft idea - if and or when we do get the international game off its knees then the RLIF will more than make up for what is being proposed here and get some much needed international sponsorship into the game

 

A merger\buy out is just plain dumb

 

If you recall Murdoch already did that effectively and look what it did for the sport globally  -  nothing

Yes, I do recall Murdochs input as it affected me directly. You may also recall that only clubs like Leeds and Wigan where close to insolvency and most had nothing at all.

Part of the deal was around 30% of the News Corp money to development, 40% to stadium development and 30% only to players. What's not to like about that?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

A merger, acquisition or buyout could happen in any given number of ways. I could guess. You could guess.

The 'point's, you mention, are within my initial piece, but are not limited. Super League needs money. We cannot pay enough to keep some of our best players, do not market our product effectively enough, do not have a structure good enough to give our players a good enough chance Internationally and do not reach the masses sufficiently enough. The NRL and its proven media, sponsorship and selection models could improve our game, as a whole.

What if they just came along and showed the RFL the money?

They could, I'm not denying that. I'm just wondering how you think they are going to. For you to suggest this, I was basically hoping for a bit more of "how" to go with the suggestion, rather than just they could. It's an interesting proposal that I think just needs a bit more meat on the bones.

[Oxford]

One real negative of an NRL take over would be all the complaints about Todd Greenberg and NRL HQ on this forum!

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Cons...If they did buy out super league i think internationals would take a back seat, nrl clubs would complain until they go blue in the face. And the NRL would change the rules when ever they feel like it and expect the super league to follow suit and they would downsize the super league Plus every international would have a aussie ref.

Pros... they would be able to inject more money and sponsors and take rugby union head on. Next tv deal the NRL would push to have all games telecasted live and the UK could use the NRL bunker

Change the super league name too NRL UK..

[GIANTSTRIDES]

Could we not just settle for them running our game, At least until we learn how to do it.

[bobbruce]

Why would the NRL want to take over our game?

I doubt they are benevolent business people that take on debt and problems because they are good guys.

.

What debt.

[bobbruce]

Why wouldn't they want to take over our game? Businesses never take over perfectly run and problem free organisations, because they don't exist.

Sky bailed us out. Many clubs who where heavily in debt, wrought with problems and incapable of running their business where in that package.

I beg to differ as your comments don't make sense.

Have you not seen the loses most NRL clubs make.

[dkw]

What debt.

I was wondering that, especially after reading this..

RFL announce profit for 13th successive year

http://www.rugby-league.com/article/32653/rfl-announce-profit-for-13th

[Oxford]

I was wondering that, especially after reading this..

RFL announce profit for 13th successive year

http://www.rugby-league.com/article/32653/rfl-announce-profit-for-13th

It does make you wonder what might happen if and when the game is really marketed, doesn't it?

Which would certainly improve if a merger took place!

[dkw]

It does make you wonder what might happen if and when the game is really marketed, doesn't it?

Which would certainly improve if a merger took place!

There's no certainly about it, why would us being owned by an Australian competition suddenly see a surge in attendances?