ARL Commission calls extraordinary meeting as NRL clubs prepare for lockout
As the NRL comes to terms with a multimillion-dollar financial hammer blow, the ARL Commission called an extraordinary meeting on Saturday to fast-track contingency plans ahead of the historic lockout.
NRL
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One of the biggest decisions in the NRL’s history will be revealed this morning as the code grapples with a multimillion-dollar blackhole and the competition inclusion of the New Zealand Warriors in jeopardy.
In yet another extraordinary chapter in the code’s 112-year history, ARLC Commission chairman Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg will front a 10am press conference to outline their latest plan to confront the coronavirus pandemic.
The press call will be heard in the wake of an unscheduled three-hour video hook-up of ARL commissioners and NRL senior management held last night as the code comes to grips with New Zealand’s unprecedented travel restrictions that will severely impact the Warriors — and the entire competition.
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The code’s priority to keep the NRL competition going and their ability to cover the haemorrhaging cost of club’s playing games without fans was also at the top of mind of all senior figures invited on the hook-up — and the gross figures of empty stadiums can be revealed, The Sunday Telegraph.
The almost $5 million financial hammer blow due to the coronavirus pandemic is part of the reason why the meeting was held to fast-track contingency plans ahead of next weekend’s historic lockout of fans.
The seven-figure total includes the combined individual forecast income of each home team for round two, including gate takings, sponsorship, merchandise, season ticket holders, catering and other venue costs.
The Sunday Telegraph has crunched the numbers of what impact the coronavirus will have on the club’s bottom line.
It comes as the ARL Commission were forced into an unscheduled meeting last night to fast-track contingency plans ahead of the lockout of fans. The Telegraph has also learned:
● A Magic Round-type concept has the support of broadcasters Fox Sports and Nine and is under serious consideration by the commission.
● ARLC chairman Peter V’landys will lobby the federal government for a rescue package that could surpass the $235 million secured for the horse racing industry during the equine influenza outbreak.
● V’Landys and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg will meet with NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Tuesday .
● Clubs have privately discussed selling 499 premium tickets — just under the 500-person mass-gathering restrictions implemented by the federal government from Sunday.
Canterbury will be the first club to host a lockout match against the Cowboys on Thursday night at an empty ANZ Stadium.
The Bulldogs are expected to lose $700,000 in gross earnings, but they won’t be the hardest hit. Brisbane’s home game at a vacant Suncorp Stadium on Friday against South Sydney will hit the Broncos with close to a $1 million shortfall.
“We are united as a game, we need to come up with a collective plan and the Broncos will fall under the plan of the NRL,” Broncos CEO Paul White said. “Our club is represented on one of the committees which has been established to determined ticketing and membership, which is a critical issue and no doubt there will be concerned people out there.
“We hope as soon as we have got some definite answers and a pathway forward we will communicate that to our members and supporters.’
“If we have to make tough choices as a game and we want to look after our members, sponsors and supporters who buy a casual ticket, clubs will need that financial support.”
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V’Landys said he was acutely aware of how heavily clubs could suffer financially from the lockout, which is why he felt the impact will be greater than the equine outbreak, which brought the racing industry to a standstill in 2007.
“This is far greater than the equine influenza,” V’landys said. “We’re in the process of forming a detailed financial plan to take to Government.
“The Government has to appreciate that there’s only a certain point we (NRL) can fund too.”
Even before the lockout, Parramatta and Canberra were hit hard by fans not attending matches with about 5000 people staying away from Thursday and Friday night.
“If we were having a home ground next week with zero crowd that’s a massive drop,’’ Raiders CEO Don Furner said.
“We’ve got the Dragons in two weeks and that’s a really big draw for us so it’s going to be financially troubling.”
The Dragons were set to host Penrith on Friday night — in one of only five matches at Kogarah Oval this season.
Chief executive Brian Johnston said the lockout blow would hit more than just the hip pocket.
“There are two ways to measure it,” Johnston said.
“The tangible and intangible. The tangible way is through dollars and cents. The intangible is the momentum you can build when you get a win at home and having your supporters there.”
*Additional reporting Peter Badel