News Articles
17 January 2001
From news.com.au
17 January 2001
The Daily Telegraph
"Your Word On Sport"
Tuesday, January 16, 2001
JUST WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO KID
The NRL has shown Itself to be a shamefully insincere organisation obsessed
with Its own marketing image rather than the traditions of rugby league and
the wishes of the game's supporters.
Paul Kent's story in Saturday's Daily Telegraph revealed the true nature of
David Moffett and his merry marketing men.
"We're taking the game back to the fans!" trumpeted NRL marketing manager
Mark Wallace. "We want to make them feel part of their team."
Oh yeah? Well the NRL didn't have any such sensitivity when 80,000 rugby
league supporters marched through the streets of Sydney In one of the
biggest peacetime protest marches the country has seen.
These supporters, backed by a host of former league stars, pleaded with the
NRL that the most successful club in the code's history be given the chance
to compete in a competition it helped establish.
Yet there was stony silence from the NRL and later mutterings of "the Souths
issue won't be revisited" from Moffett, a man who has shown himself to be
infatuated with his own administrative career yet totally out of touch with
the fans.
The NRL's marketing research has correctly identified that league fans want
nothing more to do with the NRL or any Super League-like vision for the
game.
The majority just want to be able to follow the fortunes of the football
clubs that represent them in the community without the fear that their
club's Identity and history will be destroyed by a ruthless NRL management.
So now we have "fan days" where we can get-out to the local grounds and meet
the players. My two little boys are still waiting to find out when they can
go and meet the Souths players at the SPS or Redfern.
Sorry NRL, It won't wash. Restore South Sydney to the competition and give
the code back some much-needed tradition and pride.
MARTIN CAVILL, Woollahra
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