Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

National Rugby League Salary Cap Stalemate Looming Ahead Of Exec Meeting

A stalemate on next year's salary cap is "looming ahead of a crucial meeting of club bosses" and the National Rugby League on Thursday, according to Chris Barrett of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. As many as seven clubs support a "push for the figure to effectively rise" to A$9.6M ($7.5M) and "nearly as many others" argue that it cannot be lifted from the A$9.2M ($7.2M) they were "advised to work around" in April. Five NSW clubs were represented at a lunch at Canterbury Leagues Club on Monday hosted by Ray Dib, the chair of the team "under most cap stress" for '18, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Canberra CEO Don Furner, St. George Illawarra Chair Brian Johnston, Sydney Roosters CEO Joe Kelly and Cronulla CEO Lyall Gorman were the other attendees at the gathering where a "desire" for an extra A$400,000 ($313,960) in discretionary spending on players was on the agenda. It is understood two other clubs -- South Sydney and Penrith -- have also "indicated backing" for at least the A$300,000 ($235,470) veteran players' allowance, and potentially the A$100,000 ($78,490) motor vehicle allowance, to be set aside from the A$9.2M cap. However, Parramatta, Wests Tigers, Manly, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Newcastle are "opposing any increase, believing it would be unfair" and for some, unsustainable, to apply such an increase in the payment ceiling four months after they were informed of a "number to base their budgets on" (SMH, 8/14). In Melbourne, Brent Read reported NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and Rugby League Players Association CEO Ian Prendergast met for several hours at Rugby League Central to "discuss many issues," the "most contentious" the salary cap for '18 and beyond. Wests Tigers and Manly "already made it clear they will not support an increase in the cap" beyond A$9.2M if it means they are "forced to eat into their grant for next season." The New Zealand Warriors are "unlikely to support the push either," particularly under the premise that clubs are required to spend 100% of their salary cap over the five-year life of the CBA. The push to increase the figure as high as A$9.6M next season has been driven by the Bulldogs, "who face the prospect of shedding players" to accommodate the arrivals of Tigers captain Aaron Woods and Warriors player Kieran Foran next season. It is understood the NRL "could consider moving some allowances outside the cap," which would have the effect of giving clubs more money to devote to player payments. However, that stance has been "publicly opposed" by Manly Chair & Majority Owner Scott Penn, whose position was backed by Tigers Chair Marina Go. Go said, "The Wests Tigers are not going to support an increase in the figure we agreed to at the last meeting. This is the sport's opportunity to ensure that the majority of the clubs, if not all the clubs, are financially viable" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/15). The AAP reported several clubs, including the Bulldogs and Raiders, are "believed to have overspent" despite the governing body earlier in the year telling them to work toward a salary cap of A$9.2M. The Bulldogs said that they were told by ARL Commission Chair John Grant last year that the cap would be A$10M ($7.8M) and that the NRL has "created an atmosphere of confusion" (AAP, 8/14).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/08/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NRL-Salary-Cap.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/08/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NRL-Salary-Cap.aspx

CLOSE