NRL attempts exploit global sport shutdown by selling product to ESPN

[Copa]

Apparently ESPN is now desperate for live sport content and the NRL are keen to be seen on ESPN’s global channels.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-to-launch-discussions-with-espn-to-take-advantage-of-global-sport-suspensions-20200315-p54a9y.html
 

[Sports Prophet]

Yep, that’s why they are staying open. They need as much cash in the door over the next week or two as they can get. 

Reckon with the Warriors games being canned for the foreseeable future, it’s only a short time before the entire season is shut down unfortunatel

[Pulga]

3 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Yep, that’s why they are staying open. They need as much cash in the door over the next week or two as they can get. 

Reckon with the Warriors games being canned for the foreseeable future, it’s only a short time before the entire season is shut down unfortunatel

The Warriors are going to be based in Australia for a while aren't they?

[ojx]

This will not end well. It's only a matter of time before some players start to test positive and they look completely irresponsible.

[Taniwha Jacob]

1 hour ago, ojx said:

This will not end well. It's only a matter of time before some players start to test positive and they look completely irresponsible.

Yes seem to be putting money above welfare and safety 

[Copa]

4 hours ago, ojx said:

This will not end well. It's only a matter of time before some players start to test positive and they look completely irresponsible.

A lot of junior sport here in Canberra appears to be continuing. Soccer just announced a “bring one parent, not two” policy for junior soccer nationally. Soccer is one of the biggest junior sports in the country. This is gonna be interesting.

AFL will also be starting soon.

[Taniwha Jacob]

AFL just canceled all leagues besides the AFL 

[The Future is League]

10 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

AFL just canceled all leagues besides the AFL 

Behind closed gates?

[Taniwha Jacob]

4 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

Behind closed gates?

Yes AFL will be played behind doors. State leagues have been canceled 

[The Great Dane]

4 hours ago, ojx said:

This will not end well. It's only a matter of time before some players start to test positive and they look completely irresponsible.

Even if they postpone the season it's only matter of time before the players start testing positive.

The players are also in one of the lowest risks groups for Crovid-19, so with the exception of some players that have underlying issues (in which case they should self isolate), even if they do get it it shouldn't be that big a deal, they'll also have the NRL, Clubs, etc, all willing to make sure they get the best treatment available .

On top of that, most of the plans that are being talked about would probably see the players safer and more comfortable than the general public, and there's no reason why any player should be forced to play on if they aren't willing.

If they want to be with their families at this time that should be fine, replace them with a reserve grader that is willing to play, sure the quality of the competition will take a bit of a hit, but it's only for a while.

I want to make it clear that I'm not saying that the NRL should continue with the competition, I'm not passing judgement either way, but if they did it wouldn't be as big a deal as a lot of people are making out.

[The Future is League]

23 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

Yes AFL will be played behind doors. State leagues have been canceled 

So following the NRL lead

[Sports Prophet]

8 hours ago, Pulga said:

The Warriors are going to be based in Australia for a while aren't they?

Returning after this coming weekend at the latest

[The Great Dane]

3 hours ago, The Future is League said:

So following the NRL lead

The governments banned public gatherings of over 500 people.

So they are both just doing what they are told.

[Manfred Mann]

The AFL is playing a shortened season.

The NRL could suspend the competition for two months, and then if conditions improved, restart the competition and finish at the end of November, playing night games for the finals in the heat.

Former Brisbane and Queensland forward Corey Parker, now at Fox League as a commentator, suggested that this situation  provided an ideal opportunity for rugby league to showcase itself to the rest of the sports starved world.

[Oxford]

It makes such a change for RL to be taking the initiative that for the fist time in decades I'm shocked by TGG's bit of lateral thinking.

[Taniwha Jacob]

2 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

The AFL is playing a shortened season.

The NRL could suspend the competition for two months, and then if conditions improved, restart the competition and finish at the end of November, playing night games for the finals in the heat.

Former Brisbane and Queensland forward Corey Parker, now at Fox League as a commentator, suggested that this situation  provided an ideal opportunity for rugby league to showcase itself to the rest of the sports starved world.

Do you think it’s morally right that a global pandemic in which people have died is exploited for personal gain? 

[Sports Prophet]

23 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

Do you think it’s morally right that a global pandemic in which people have died is exploited for personal gain? 

Welcome to capitalism

[Manfred Mann]

55 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

Do you think it’s morally right that a global pandemic in which people have died is exploited for personal gain? 

No I don’t think that such a thing is morally right. But this is not exploitation for personal gain. Showcasing rugby league is not promoting the spread of the virus. On the contrary, by keeping more people at home in front of their televisions, the promoters of rugby league are making it more difficult for the virus to spread. Rugby league is taking advantage of a situation not of its own making to promote its unique kind of group sporting activity.

[Copa]

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

Do you think it’s morally right that a global pandemic in which people have died is exploited for personal gain? 

They aren’t tripling the price of medicine, they are running a sport that the community loves, trying to keep people employed and attempting to build the economy.

It exactly what we need. 

[Southerner80]

5 hours ago, Copa said:

They aren’t tripling the price of medicine, they are running a sport that the community loves, trying to keep people employed and attempting to build the economy.

It exactly what we need. 

Tbh sport is far more important to the Male over 30 demographic than people probably think.

I will miss sport alot. It gives me alot, and got me through some dark times. 

I think having the players and teams play out of a location up North OZ and one stadium so to keep TV sport is a good idea. 

Imo other sports should do the same, as the public need something to do and to take their minds off things.

I am gutted SL isn't continuing in some limited format for now. I hope the NRL can keep going to some degree. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

The only questions any of us needs to ask are: 

- are we in an at risk group? If so, keep ourselves to ourselves; 

- is anyone in an at risk group dependent on us, so that we need to be in close proximity to them? In which case, be very careful and keep ourselves to ourselves to the extent we can; 

- if not, keep away from the people in the above 2 camps, and play on. Allow anyone that wants to stand down to stand down - see who is left and play on.

Test them, get them into a controlled environment and play on. The upside in terms of morale in having something to watch would be huge. Those teams that have played out of ANZ will hardly notice the difference. 

[DoubleD]

11 hours ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

Do you think it’s morally right that a global pandemic in which people have died is exploited for personal gain? 

I wondered where you’d been YK/Barnaby. Glad the virus hasn’t caught up with you

[Manfred Mann]

5 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

I wondered where you’d been YK/Barnaby. Glad the virus hasn’t caught up with you

Apparently the virus hasn't reached the Lower Hutt area yet. But it might arrive eventually.

[Taniwha Jacob]

13 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

No I don’t think that such a thing is morally right. But this is not exploitation for personal gain. Showcasing rugby league is not promoting the spread of the virus. On the contrary, by keeping more people at home in front of their televisions, the promoters of rugby league are making it more difficult for the virus to spread. Rugby league is taking advantage of a situation not of its own making to promote its unique kind of group sporting activity.

I’m sorry but it’s naive to think that the NRL are doing this out of the goodness of their heart because they are concerned about the virus spreading. It’s pure exploitation driven by greed of money. 

[Taniwha Jacob]

13 hours ago, Copa said:

They aren’t tripling the price of medicine, they are running a sport that the community loves, trying to keep people employed and attempting to build the economy.

It exactly what we need. 

That’s besides the point being discussed. They have made it abundantly clear that their decisions thus far have been financially influenced ones. What is being said is they’re attempting to exploit a global pandemic by using the current conditions brought forth by the virus to gain more money. At a time like this, health and welfare should paramount. If they weren’t considering showcasing the game when times were normal then it is exploitation of the current climate pure and simple.