The ABC has a story on the whining of the Brumbies after they lost Matt Giteau to a huge sponsorship deal in Perth. (as reported in the RiotACT Rugby Podcast)
Now we’re saying we want something like a salary cap to try and protect the Super 14 franchise with the smallest commercial base in Australia (that’d be us).
Given the spectacular non-success of salary caps (without a draft to support them), and the self-interest of the richer unions, I think our chances of getting the cap are between buckley’s and none.
So let’s look down the track shall we? With rugby’s every-growing corporate stature Brisbane, Sydney and Perth business keeps backing truckloads of cash to the Brumbies players doors. In three years time we’re back to a team of misfits and rejects, only this time talent keeps walking out the door instead of building (think the Raiders).
And then Melbourne puts it’s hand up to host some Brumbies games, with all sorts of sponsorship deals for Brumbies players in Melbourne.
I think we can see where this is going can’t we?
The problem is there aren’t very many major head-offices in Canberra. And they’re the sort of things you have to have, to do these kind of sponsorship deals. There are only four cities in Australia with a genuine head-office corporate culture. That’s Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. If it’s any consolation Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin don’t cut the mustard either.
It was fun while it lasted.
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