Brad Walter
February 23, 2012
THE NRL salary cap is set to rise to $5 million next season after a meeting of club chief executives yesterday agreed that was the figure they would work on when signing players.
With negotiations for the next broadcast, new media and major sponsorship deals having only begun on February 1 and the current rights holders having exclusivity agreements for three months, clubs and players can't afford to wait to know how much extra money will flow into the game next season.
While no figure has been agreed on by the ARL Commission, the Herald understands club bosses decided $5 million should be the minimum figure for the salary cap in 2013 and the issue could be reviewed after the broadcast deals are finalised.
The figure is a $700,000 increase on this year's salary cap of $4.3 million and allows clubs to negotiate with star players coming off contract.
The Herald was told that figures of between $4.6 million and $5.3 million were discussed by the club chiefs, who feel they need some certainty before they can begin signing players for 2013.
The move should allow the likes of Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk to decide their futures.
Manly No.7 Daly Cherry-Evans is also seeking a pay rise to remain at the club, while five-eighth Kieran Foran has a get-out clause in his contract after the premiers parted ways with coach Des Hasler following last year's grand final.
Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart and Canberra's Josh Dugan are other big names coming off contract and in demand from rival clubs.
A final decision on the 2013 salary cap is not expected until after the broadcast and sponsorship deals are finalised, with the current agreements due to expire on October 31.
The ARL Commission last week extended the New Zealand television agreement with Sky TV for another 12 months to bring it into line with all the other major financial deals.
Expectations are the game will receive more than $1 billion for a package of television, internet and mobile rights.
It is understood talks began with Telstra last week over the naming rights of the NRL premiership and the new media rights.
Telstra paid $153 million to broadcast AFL matches on the internet, iPads and mobile phones for the next five years but the court decision enabling Optus customers to record free-to-air television has devalued those rights.
A negotiating team headed by NRL chief executive David Gallop and commissioners John Grant, Gary Pemberton, Ian Elliot and Jeremy Sutcliffe has also begun formal talks with Channel Nine and Fox Sports over the free-to-air and broadcast rights. However, no agreement is likely before May 1 as the team is keen to consider offers from other interested parties, with Channel Ten and Channel Seven interested in matches.
Meanwhile, Grant yesterday met with Wests Tigers director David Trodden after NRL clubs formed their own association to lobby the newly formed ARL Commission.
''We have certainly received some more information about the new body which is positive,'' Grant said.
''The clear message today is that the commission and the clubs are committed to working together, as indeed the commission is committed to working with all of the game's stakeholders.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/club-bosses-set-sights-on-5m-minimum-for-salary-cap-20120222-1tobx.html
February 23, 2012
THE NRL salary cap is set to rise to $5 million next season after a meeting of club chief executives yesterday agreed that was the figure they would work on when signing players.
With negotiations for the next broadcast, new media and major sponsorship deals having only begun on February 1 and the current rights holders having exclusivity agreements for three months, clubs and players can't afford to wait to know how much extra money will flow into the game next season.
While no figure has been agreed on by the ARL Commission, the Herald understands club bosses decided $5 million should be the minimum figure for the salary cap in 2013 and the issue could be reviewed after the broadcast deals are finalised.
The figure is a $700,000 increase on this year's salary cap of $4.3 million and allows clubs to negotiate with star players coming off contract.
The Herald was told that figures of between $4.6 million and $5.3 million were discussed by the club chiefs, who feel they need some certainty before they can begin signing players for 2013.
The move should allow the likes of Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk to decide their futures.
Manly No.7 Daly Cherry-Evans is also seeking a pay rise to remain at the club, while five-eighth Kieran Foran has a get-out clause in his contract after the premiers parted ways with coach Des Hasler following last year's grand final.
Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart and Canberra's Josh Dugan are other big names coming off contract and in demand from rival clubs.
A final decision on the 2013 salary cap is not expected until after the broadcast and sponsorship deals are finalised, with the current agreements due to expire on October 31.
The ARL Commission last week extended the New Zealand television agreement with Sky TV for another 12 months to bring it into line with all the other major financial deals.
Expectations are the game will receive more than $1 billion for a package of television, internet and mobile rights.
It is understood talks began with Telstra last week over the naming rights of the NRL premiership and the new media rights.
Telstra paid $153 million to broadcast AFL matches on the internet, iPads and mobile phones for the next five years but the court decision enabling Optus customers to record free-to-air television has devalued those rights.
A negotiating team headed by NRL chief executive David Gallop and commissioners John Grant, Gary Pemberton, Ian Elliot and Jeremy Sutcliffe has also begun formal talks with Channel Nine and Fox Sports over the free-to-air and broadcast rights. However, no agreement is likely before May 1 as the team is keen to consider offers from other interested parties, with Channel Ten and Channel Seven interested in matches.
Meanwhile, Grant yesterday met with Wests Tigers director David Trodden after NRL clubs formed their own association to lobby the newly formed ARL Commission.
''We have certainly received some more information about the new body which is positive,'' Grant said.
''The clear message today is that the commission and the clubs are committed to working together, as indeed the commission is committed to working with all of the game's stakeholders.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/club-bosses-set-sights-on-5m-minimum-for-salary-cap-20120222-1tobx.html
