Smith jumps off the sinking ship!
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:44 pm
DAVE Smith has quit after a tumultuous three years as the boss of the National Rugby League.
The search for Smith’s successor is underway but at a media conference Australian Rugby League Chairman John Grant could not guarantee a successor would be in place at the start of the 2016 season.
Grant will step into Smith’s shoes on an interim basis and take control of the turbulent television broadcasting rights negotiations until a new CEO is appointed.
The Daily Telegraph broke the news on Tuesday morning that Smith would be quitting the role that he has held for the past three years.
The breakdown in the broadcast rights negotiations and an unsettled relationship with NRL clubs was believed to be the pivotal reasons behind his decision to leave.
Smith only recently told the Daily Telegraph that he had no plans to quit, but pressure over his failure to complete a $1.7 billion TV and digital broadcast rights deal was one of the reasons for his decision to walk away
Key broadcast executives were not prepared to negotiate with him after his decision to sign a five-year free-to-air television deal with Nine while snubbing Fox Sports.
In a media conference Smith said he was proud of his legacy and the direction that the game was heading in but it was time to “hand the baton over”.
“I have said to many of you in the last few weeks that I would know when the time was right for leadership renewal. After three big years, three successful years, that time has come,” Smith said.
Smith said the NRL achievements over the past three years included the free to air broadcast deal, $1.6 billion for investment in rugby league stadiums, the sustainability fund of $50m, a surplus of $100m and a 48% increase in non-broadcast revenue.
“I think hopefully a part of my legacy with the great team we have here at Rugby League Central is we have created momentum, change and we have started to realise the opportunity that is rugby league, is the NRL and the NRL product, the content that is the NRL, I think it is amazing,” Smith said.
“John (Grant) mentioned the international rights and a number of the other growth areas that we are thinking about. This game is really well placed to take advantage of that opportunity. What I hope I have played a very small part and had the privilege to play a small part in is setting that momentum.”
TIMELINE: A tumultuous three years
TIME TO GO: Smith explains his decision to quit
REACTION: What the rugby league world is saying
When pressed on the broadcast rights deal with only the $925 million free-to-air side of the deal completed, Smith said he would “not be going anywhere” if he didn’t think the game would be getting a good outcome.
“I think our broadcast rights are in really, really good shape. What we did was a landmark free-to-air deal because the free-to-air market of all of the markets is the most uncertain.
“We are proud of that deal. We are entirely comfortable that over the time period that we deliberately set ourselves, 2.5 years, that we are in great shape and we continue with commercially confident discussions but they are very productive and constructive discussions.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b13d18f474
good luck to Smith in his post NRLOL life! ready for another numpty chest beater to come in to have an attempt to arrange the deck chairs!
The search for Smith’s successor is underway but at a media conference Australian Rugby League Chairman John Grant could not guarantee a successor would be in place at the start of the 2016 season.
Grant will step into Smith’s shoes on an interim basis and take control of the turbulent television broadcasting rights negotiations until a new CEO is appointed.
The Daily Telegraph broke the news on Tuesday morning that Smith would be quitting the role that he has held for the past three years.
The breakdown in the broadcast rights negotiations and an unsettled relationship with NRL clubs was believed to be the pivotal reasons behind his decision to leave.
Smith only recently told the Daily Telegraph that he had no plans to quit, but pressure over his failure to complete a $1.7 billion TV and digital broadcast rights deal was one of the reasons for his decision to walk away
Key broadcast executives were not prepared to negotiate with him after his decision to sign a five-year free-to-air television deal with Nine while snubbing Fox Sports.
In a media conference Smith said he was proud of his legacy and the direction that the game was heading in but it was time to “hand the baton over”.
“I have said to many of you in the last few weeks that I would know when the time was right for leadership renewal. After three big years, three successful years, that time has come,” Smith said.
Smith said the NRL achievements over the past three years included the free to air broadcast deal, $1.6 billion for investment in rugby league stadiums, the sustainability fund of $50m, a surplus of $100m and a 48% increase in non-broadcast revenue.
“I think hopefully a part of my legacy with the great team we have here at Rugby League Central is we have created momentum, change and we have started to realise the opportunity that is rugby league, is the NRL and the NRL product, the content that is the NRL, I think it is amazing,” Smith said.
“John (Grant) mentioned the international rights and a number of the other growth areas that we are thinking about. This game is really well placed to take advantage of that opportunity. What I hope I have played a very small part and had the privilege to play a small part in is setting that momentum.”
TIMELINE: A tumultuous three years
TIME TO GO: Smith explains his decision to quit
REACTION: What the rugby league world is saying
When pressed on the broadcast rights deal with only the $925 million free-to-air side of the deal completed, Smith said he would “not be going anywhere” if he didn’t think the game would be getting a good outcome.
“I think our broadcast rights are in really, really good shape. What we did was a landmark free-to-air deal because the free-to-air market of all of the markets is the most uncertain.
“We are proud of that deal. We are entirely comfortable that over the time period that we deliberately set ourselves, 2.5 years, that we are in great shape and we continue with commercially confident discussions but they are very productive and constructive discussions.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b13d18f474
good luck to Smith in his post NRLOL life! ready for another numpty chest beater to come in to have an attempt to arrange the deck chairs!
