Philistine
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A few weeks ago, when the NRL were busy interfering in the contractual arrangements between Canberra and its coach, I asked the rhetorical question “Do the NRL think they are lords and masters of the universe?”. This got me wondering who actually owns the NRL, or in broader terms, who owns the footy? The NRL is worth millions of dollars, if it went belly-up next week or next month, who would get the money?
I have been doing some research (yeah, I know, I should get out more) and I have uncovered a few facts. First the NRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), and so the question becomes “who owns the ARLC?”.
If the ARLC was a publicly listed company, I could simply have looked up the share register to find out who owned it, but it is in fact a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. Let that sink in for a moment – it pays not one cent in tax on the millions (and millions) of dollars it makes!
A non-profit pays no tax because it does not exist to make money, it exists to further some perceived philanthropic ideal, such as eliminating World poverty. If it did happen to make some money, a proportion of it would be retained as a float to take care of ongoing running costs, and the rest would be spent in furthering its notional ideal of providing air conditioners for Eskimos, or whatever the worthy cause happens to be. I am as much of a footy fan as the next bloke, but I struggle to understand how promoting the footy can be classed as a charitable endeavour. Perhaps the Government could take a closer look at this the next time V’Landys attempts to stand over them?
From the ARLC website:
How the Commission Works
The ARL Commission is the existing ARL corporate entity with an entirely new constitution and regulatory framework.
The Objects of the ARL Commission are listed in its constitution:
The primary objects of the Company are to:
All NRL clubs and the NSW and Queensland Rugby Leagues are members of the Commission.
Each club signs a participation agreement which allows it to compete in the Telstra Premiership.
The inaugural ARL Commissioners were agreed by representatives of the NRL Partnership, the Leagues and the clubs in 2012. Future Commissioners are appointed by the Commission itself.
The Commissioners are appointed into different groups and, initially, for differing terms. Each Commissioner must, at a nominated time, resign and may seek re-election.
So the commission has eighteen members, soon to be nineteen. In a sense these members own” the NRL, and , if the NRL becomes too big for its boots (why am I saying “if?”) the clubs can get together and bring it back down to size. This is unlikely, though, as the clubs have only considered their common interests once before – when the NRL was first formed! And that was born out of dire necessity. Why am I fired up about all this? Because, if the NRL decides it no longer wants Canterbury Bulldogs around, they will be able to turn us into an ex-football club, and there won’t be a whole lot we can do about it.
I have been doing some research (yeah, I know, I should get out more) and I have uncovered a few facts. First the NRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), and so the question becomes “who owns the ARLC?”.
If the ARLC was a publicly listed company, I could simply have looked up the share register to find out who owned it, but it is in fact a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. Let that sink in for a moment – it pays not one cent in tax on the millions (and millions) of dollars it makes!
A non-profit pays no tax because it does not exist to make money, it exists to further some perceived philanthropic ideal, such as eliminating World poverty. If it did happen to make some money, a proportion of it would be retained as a float to take care of ongoing running costs, and the rest would be spent in furthering its notional ideal of providing air conditioners for Eskimos, or whatever the worthy cause happens to be. I am as much of a footy fan as the next bloke, but I struggle to understand how promoting the footy can be classed as a charitable endeavour. Perhaps the Government could take a closer look at this the next time V’Landys attempts to stand over them?
From the ARLC website:
How the Commission Works
The ARL Commission is the existing ARL corporate entity with an entirely new constitution and regulatory framework.
The Objects of the ARL Commission are listed in its constitution:
The primary objects of the Company are to:
- Be the single controlling body and administrator of the Game;
- Foster, develop, extend and provide adequate funding for the Game from the junior to elite levels and generally to act in the best interests of the Game;
- Liaise with and delegate appropriate functions to governing bodies of the Game in the States and Territories of Australia, including the NSWRL and QRL;
- Organise and conduct all State of Origin and Australian Representative Games;
- Organise, conduct and foster the NRL Competition;
- Liaise with the Rugby League International Federation Limited and organisations controlling the game in other countries in the fostering and control of the game of Rugby League throughout the world;
- Promote and encourage either directly or indirectly the physical, cultural and intellectual welfare of young people in the community and, in particular, the Rugby League community;
- Promote and encourage either directly or indirectly sport and recreation, particularly Rugby League football, in the interests of the social welfare of young persons. The NSW, Queensland and Country Rugby Leagues remain separate entities under the Commission.
All NRL clubs and the NSW and Queensland Rugby Leagues are members of the Commission.
Each club signs a participation agreement which allows it to compete in the Telstra Premiership.
The inaugural ARL Commissioners were agreed by representatives of the NRL Partnership, the Leagues and the clubs in 2012. Future Commissioners are appointed by the Commission itself.
The Commissioners are appointed into different groups and, initially, for differing terms. Each Commissioner must, at a nominated time, resign and may seek re-election.
So the commission has eighteen members, soon to be nineteen. In a sense these members own” the NRL, and , if the NRL becomes too big for its boots (why am I saying “if?”) the clubs can get together and bring it back down to size. This is unlikely, though, as the clubs have only considered their common interests once before – when the NRL was first formed! And that was born out of dire necessity. Why am I fired up about all this? Because, if the NRL decides it no longer wants Canterbury Bulldogs around, they will be able to turn us into an ex-football club, and there won’t be a whole lot we can do about it.
