Cock-up or machinations?

[Matabele]

1.  It says a lot about the state of the game that the board were not informed about the Storm issue before it was announced because of conflict of interest issues.  A cynic may ask, it's never stopped them before, why the sudden conscientiousness?

2.  With the story being broken by bookmakers, I think Gallop decided the penalties knee jerk, and did not consider their wide reaching ramifications.  He should have announced the breach and that penalties would be imposed later - and taken good advice with the long term implications in view.

Of course, maybe the above is how it is *meant* to be seen.  As Dan has alluded to, if the Storm go belly-up in dramatic fashion it achieves 2 things:

a)  News Ltd get the honourable exit from an entity that has been bleeding them dry.
b.)  There is a "perception" that Melbourne's exit will depress the value the TV rights.  Personally I think this is bull ****.  How does 1am filler on Melbourne TV add anything to prime time rights in NSW/QLD?

This whole debacle is yet another monumental cock-up from Gallop, or a conspiracy.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Some could say he is showing some balls at last. In my view the whole NRL has been a compromise to win over the Pay TV market and rushedly unify what was two comps. Gallop as a News Lawyer during the 'war' should never have been chosen in the first place.

The quicker News are out of League the better!!!

 

[Dan]

Too much bad PR for this conspiracy to work.

The reaction wasn't knee jerk

 

[Chip and Chase]

Melbourne's exit doesn't save News any money, it saves the new independant controlling body 5 years of losses, a total of about $25-$30mil.  One of New Ltd's criteria for relinquishing their involvement was a guarantee that The Storm would be propped up for 5 years as far as I was aware. Make of that what you will......perhaps that was Gallop's leverage into the position as Chairman of the new independant commission, sort out the Storm money sink and the job is yours.

I think all the penalties imposed were reasonable, except their continued involvement in this years competition, that may yet turn out to be a complete farce.