WHEN SPORT BECOMES BUSINESS
The recent NFL draft reminded me sport is definitely not entertainment or a recreational pastime anymore, it is a business. Fancy twenty-one year olds being signed up for $50 million contracts and society thinks that is quite okay. Many just answer, “Man, this is America. It is simply capitalism at work!”
This disease has spread throughout the world. Last week Australia awoke to a huge jolt. Rugby League, the workingman’s adaptation of Rugby Union, is the major sport of two states in Australia; Queensland and New South Wales. In NSW the clubs were local and it was the dream of every schoolboy as a senior to wear the jersey of his neighborhood Rugby League club. The clubs were made wealthy because of the “pokies” (poker machines). It enabled them to offer subsidized restaurant quality food and entertainment. Above all, the semi-professional players in the top team treated the facilities in the same way as the supporters. It was just as big a focal point for social activity for them as it was for club members. Twenty years ago no sport in Australia enjoyed the club spirit like the Brisbane and Sydney “Leagues Clubs” as they were known.
Ten years or so ago everything changed. That nasty little ex-Australian dried prune-faced, wife dumping octogenarian, Rupert Murdoch saw an opportunity for his Satellite network to literally take over the governing body of the Australian Rugby League. The idea was to turn it a national sport in all seven states of Australia and N.Z. and make it into a global viewing sport. Newscorp has monopoly over the Asian, European, American and South Pacific Satellite networks.
Murdoch splashed out further $millions establishing the Melbourne Storm rugby league team. Two of the last three years it has won the Grand Final. Why? Murdoch, not satisfied with just the television rights also wanted to own the best team. How did he achieve that? By paying top players under the counter, thus breaking the rules of team salary caps he helped establish. All hell broke loose when an enemy in the camp leaked the news of the cheating, lying and virtual stealing going inside Murdoch’s team. Believe it or not, as punishment the governing body dethroned the Storm, took away the prize money they ever earned, and this year they will play for no points. If I were the Chairman I would have not only disbanded the club, but also got rid of everything that smelled of Murdoch including his stinking television rights.
Doesn’t Murdoch’s behavior smack of Wall Street? A set of rules for himself; and another for the little people, all those long established Sydney and Brisbane clubs. The sad thing is since Newscorp’s involvement and its big money, the patronage of the Leagues Clubs’ facilities has been in rapid decline and so has the attendance at the grounds. Mind you gaming is up! All over the world you can now bet on who will win and who will lose. Rugby League has indeed become big business and a pretty corrupt one at that. Rugby League is now no different from the NFL: a day doesn’t go by where a spoiled rotten thug of a footballer appears before court for rape, assault and battery or drunkenness. Bookmakers and Internet gambling houses are making fortunes thus making the only losers in it all, the working class families of New South Wales and Queensland who used to passionately follow their footy teams and regularly patronize their clubs’ facilities. Isn’t sad when sport becomes a big business?
-
Share
Our Photos
