Rugby League Enters a New Era

The newly formed Australian Rugby League Commission finally takes control of the sport - with task No.1 the looming TV rights deal.

Rugby league has finally entered its new era with the newly-formed Australian Rugby League Commission taking control of the sport. 

The eight-person ARL Commission assumed governance of the sport on Friday morning with representatives from all 16 NRL clubs on hand to witness the historic moment.
The commission will be based at Rugby League Central in Sydney's Moore Park and takes control of the game at a critical time, with television, internet and sponsorship deals all expiring at the end of the season.
Chairman John Grant, a member of the 1972 Kangaroos World Cup team, leads the commission which replaces the partnership between the ARL and News Limited.
Grant confirmed television rights was a priority.
"The process has begun ... now it becomes a negotiation," Grant said.
"We've got expectations as everyone else does. It's big stakes, we're playing for big stakes. We're playing for a reconstruction of the finances of the game in a very significant way."

Grant is joined by Catherine Harris, Ian Elliot, Peter Gregg, Wayne Pearce, Gary Pemberton, Jeremy Sutcliffe and Chris Sarra on the new comission.
Pemberton, the man widely credited with securing record broadcasting rights for the Sydney Olympics, is on the new board and likely to be entrusted with securing a new lucrative TV deal.
NRL chief executive David Gallop will continue in a similar role alongside Grant and welcomed the fresh start.
"The greatest change for recent times comes today with this new administrative structure," Gallop said.
Grant said the drawn-out process in establishing the commission was worth the wait.
"It may have taken a little while longer to get here than some expected but that in itself is testimony to the significance of what is taking place," Grant said.
"To be ready to bring the commission 'on-line' as Rugby League Central enjoys its official opening provides a nice synergy at a time when the whole of rugby league is looking to what we can achieve in the future.
"The commissioners will act as custodians for the game and are committed to acting in the best interests of rugby league in an environment that considers all parties but which is not aligned to any one area of the sport."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/rugby-league-enters-new-era-with-formation-of-the-australian-rugby-league-commission-taking-control/story-e6frf3ou-1226267665936