Super League officials row over salary cap reduction

[Total Rugby League]

Super League clubs engaged in a fiery argument after several clubs called for a 15 per cent reduction to the salary cap for the 2021...

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[Father Ted]

How can a club lower the SC when it has players under contract for 2021? Any club could be up to the SC for 2021 with players already under contract. If the highest paid players are under contract then that could really present clubs with difficulties.

Leave it is as at present. 

 

[TIWIT]

Scrap it entirely.

[Oxford]

It was set badly to favour the stronger parts.

It's served us badly doing more harm than good.

Now it is all about reducing it for a sport that can barely compete in the open market with the one it has at present.

It has made perfect Rugby League sense from start to finish the salary cap, so good we should have two.

 

[sweaty craiq]

Scrap it, survival of the fittest rather than protect the weak

[Hela Wigmen]

We pushed hard for the marquee player rule and barely a couple of years later and we’re pushing for a massive drop in the overall cap and expect clubs, who’ve already committed to spending next year, to go with it. This sport never ceases. 

[rhinos78]

Disgrace that some clubs are wanting the cap lowered.

Very disappointed in my club Leeds, who are reported to be one of them.

[welshmagpie]

Can anybody explain how this will benefit the sport?

[Man of Kent]

TV deal cut coming?

[Damien]

How about the clubs that want it cut by 15% just reduce their wages by 15% if they need to. Race to the bottom mentality again.

[EagleEyePie]

Just now, welshmagpie said:

Can anybody explain how this will benefit the sport?

Can't see any way that it would. It might benefit a few clubs who are worried about not being able to spend to the cap and falling behind others by holding back those who intend to pay their players what they agreed and have the ability to do so.

Super League players are already paid less than their peers in the NRL and Rugby Union competitions and enforcing what will effectively be league-wide wage reductions or significant contract terminations will play into the hands of those rivals. This season Super League features some fantastic players. It's the best it's been for years and it finally looked like we were emerging from the bad old days following the financial crisis where the league lost its marquee players and the whole competition became stagnant. 

[welshmagpie]

3 minutes ago, EagleEyePie said:

Can't see any way that it would. It might benefit a few clubs who are worried about not being able to spend to the cap and falling behind others by holding back those who intend to pay their players what they agreed and have the ability to do so.

Super League players are already paid less than their peers in the NRL and Rugby Union competitions and enforcing what will effectively be league-wide wage reductions or significant contract terminations will play into the hands of those rivals. This season Super League features some fantastic players. It's the best it's been for years and it finally looked like we were emerging from the bad old days following the financial crisis where the league lost its marquee players and the whole competition became stagnant. 

Surely it will just result in a massive loss of quality (both coaches and players) and thus massively hindering the international game in the northern hemisphere.

[Hela Wigmen]

11 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

TV deal cut coming?

Most likely but that’s not a by product of Corona or Elstone’s negotiation skills. 

[Man of Kent]

13 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

Most likely but that’s not a by product of Corona or Elstone’s negotiation skills. 

I rather think corona is a factor. Perhaps there’s a quid pro quo relating to the recent press about Sky payments under the current deal? 

[Hela Wigmen]

5 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I rather think corona is a factor. Perhaps there’s a quid pro quo relating to the recent press about Sky payments under the current deal? 

A number of “lesser” sports have seen smaller TV deals in their most recent round of negotiations, RL will be the same. Will it be even lesser due to Corona? Maybe. 

[ojx]

I pity the players. This is one of the hardest sports to play in the world, the number of games they have to play, combined with the reduction in real wage value over the last decade. And now this.

I don't see how the sport can grow financially with this mindset. Investors need to be attracted to the sport, the game can't go into a downward spiral just so three or four clubs can stay competitive. Maybe a ten team SL is more realistic, if there is less funding in the next TV deal, surely better than lowering standards. The best players will follow the money to the NRL and Union.

[RobertAM]

Reminds me of the old joke..and i paraphrase..."how do you get to operate a small business (ie Club) in Rugby League?"  "Start with a large one"

 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Really difficult one this I really hope that the new TV deal stacks up financially however I think the best we can all hope for is the same deal but in reality we are maybe looking at a cut of 15/20%

Amazes me that clubs still are announcing some big signings so I guess that with the marquee Aussie players most clubs will play the old Hong Kong Ltd company trick with the majority of the contract being picked up en-route on the way home by the missus:) LOL 

 

P

[Mark S]

It really is time to let some teams drop out of SL and let the serious clubs continue to develop the game. If the game was to take a long look at its self after Covid19, it is probable times up for Wakefield, Salford and even Huddersfield. Cas would survive by the skin of their teeth. Even if it means playing a reduced league for a couple of seasons whilst new teams of the larger championship clubs get a model in place for a SL franchise.

[M j M]

Apart from Bradford the larger championship clubs are not particularly larger than Wakefield or Huddersfield.

[Harry Stottle]

Question to all who want to abolish the cap:-

How would you see the league system we presently employ in the UK, would it stay as it is or would it change into some other entity?

[Harry Stottle]

24 minutes ago, Mark S said:

It really is time to let some teams drop out of SL and let the serious clubs continue to develop the game. If the game was to take a long look at its self after Covid19, it is probable times up for Wakefield, Salford and even Huddersfield. Cas would survive by the skin of their teeth. Even if it means playing a reduced league for a couple of seasons whilst new teams of the larger championship clubs get a model in place for a SL franchise.

Who are the Championship clubs you think could step up. Mark 

[Harry Stottle]

If the cap was reduced by 15%, all existing contracts could still be allowed to be paid, they could be named and would just be an exception to the new agreed level, it is not a difficult accountancy to perform.

[Harry Stottle]

On 18/05/2020 at 14:01, Father Ted said:

How can a club lower the SC when it has players under contract for 2021? Any club could be up to the SC for 2021 with players already under contract. If the highest paid players are under contract then that could really present clubs with difficulties.

Leave it is as at present. 

 

See above, I mean the post not heaven Padre.

[Harry Stottle]

On 18/05/2020 at 21:38, EagleEyePie said:

Super League players are already paid less than their peers in the NRL and Rugby Union competitions

A good number of our player's in fact the majority of them are not good enough to earn a wage in the NRL and may not exhibit the appropriate skill set to play Rugby Union, so your suggested parity doesn't apply really, does it.