JO'N Contract Extended

[Richo]

Late last week John O'Neill had his contracted extended through to the end of 2013, even though he still has another 17 months to run on his current contract. While there are many bright spots for the current Wallabies team and great potential for public interest in players like Beale and Cooper, all is not well in Oz rugby. Market share is low, crowds are low and the ARU is deeply in debt with a shortened international season this year putting on further financial pressure.

Wayne Smith has a pretty damning article about JO'N's reappointment in The Oz today. Here's a taste:

THE most significant appointment in Australian rugby in the last three years, the re-contracting of John O'Neill as chief executive officer of the ARU, was greeted yesterday by a deafening silence from the game's major stakeholders.

Senior officials of the NSW, Queensland, Victorian and West Australian rugby unions all declined to comment on the record when contacted by The Australian for a reaction to the ARU board's decision to extend O'Neill's contract through to the end of 2013.

...SNIP...

O'Neill's reappointment raises a host of questions but three in particular: Why so soon? Why so stealthily? And what key performance indicators was he judged against?

Here's the link: Terrified stakeholders silent about O'Neill's reappointment, by Wayne Smith

Smith gets a list hyperbolic in there, but overall I'm inclined to agree. I don't see much in O'Neill's tenure that suggests he should stay on, even to the Lions tour, and -- perhaps most of all -- it is deeply worrying that the ARU continues to appropriate so secretly and apparently without much regard for accountability or performance.

What does everyone think? Mistake or good move for stability? Is this just a way to keep all the dominos in place until the end of the Lions tour, at which point we'll see a major make-over?

 

[Gagger]

That article is a crock of shit, just look who it quotes

 

[Sully]

JO'N bought in Deans. Inherited a financial disaster and has worked long and hard to secure extra games for the wallabies to turn the ARU funds drain around. Worked to get the Super Rugby format up to get more home games and local derbies for Australian teams to again put money in Australian teams bank accounts. I think he has done alright.

 

[TOCC]

bloody hell, its just one of those beat-ups... his contract was extended by 12months, a meager 12 months...

Its a smart decision because the British Lions series stands to be the biggest revenue raising event since the 2003 RWC for the ARU, forward planning and continuity in the lead-up to the series is essential, from a players perspective and a corporate/sponsorship perspective.

Wayne Smith is just been a little bitch....

 

[Richo]

Gaggs, that was my first thought too. But I decided to look beyond the poor quote sources.

I agree about Super Rugby and that there are certainly positives in his tenure. But it doesn't mean that he deserves an extension -- even a "meagre 12 months". Of course the Lions tour is important, but is JO'N delivering on the necessary sponsorship and corporate partners?

At some point, the ARU needs to change leadership. Should that be after the Lions tour? After the 2015 RWC? Where's the line?

 

[TOCC]

Gaggs, that was my first thought too. But I decided to look beyond the poor quote sources.

I agree about Super Rugby and that there are certainly positives in his tenure. But it doesn't mean that he deserves an extension -- even a "meagre 12 months". Of course the Lions tour is important, but is JO'N delivering on the necessary sponsorship and corporate partners?

At some point, the ARU needs to change leadership. Should that be after the Lions tour? After the 2015 RWC? Where's the line?

Are you saying we should sack him because we dont know if there is/isnt someone else out there who could possible do the job better??

Not generally standard practice of the corporate community, but heck, it could work i guess.


Like i said, the Lions tour will be the largest revenue raising event for Australian Rugby since the 2003 RWC, it would be ludicrous to go swapping key management personnel 9 months out from the event.

 

[Cutter]

This is more a Growden style article than Wayne Smith. JON has put Oz rugby in a position where we'll be reaping the benefits for years to come. He's not popular with the other national unions and was deeply unpopular when he cut the ARC, but he's doing more good than harm.

Richo its not appropriate to remove someone just because they've been there for a long time. If he stops performing or there is an outstanding alternative, that is the time to remove him.

 

[MrTimms]

Personally, I am happy for it.

There is good work being done and some continuity at this time can only be good.

 

[Gooch]

Personally, I don't really like the way he comes across, but IMO, he seems to be doing the right things for Oz rugby. I think the game itself and the Wallabies are moving in the right direction and with the Lions tour being such a big thing for rugby in OZ, having JON till then seems a good idea. Just like stability on the park, stability in the boardrooms would be a good thing I reckon.

 

[Richo]

Are you saying we should sack him because we dont know if there is/isnt someone else out there who could possible do the job better??

Not generally standard practice of the corporate community, but heck, it could work i guess.

No, I'm saying that extending his contract now is unnecessary and that it would have been more sensible to look at that option later and consider whether a viable replacement was available.

Also, Cutter, while it's not appropriate to remove someone just because they've been there for a long time, neither is that an argument to leave someone in place. I would suggest that he has had both successes and failures. That shouldn't make him an automatic selection.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Simultaneously, one could see the ARU could have contracted an even better CEO with a more aggressive and progressive building policy for rugby in Australia. Particularly looking outside the Old Boys network.

 

[RugbyReg]

THought Campbell Rose would've been a good option. Very impressive guy. Loves his rugby. Has recently stood down as Western Bulldogs CEO. Has a lot of powerful networks.

Oh well, I think with the Lions tour coming, they want to tap into JON's big event experience and contacts.

 

[I like to watch]

Geez, I don't know.
JON's biggest claim to fame is shafting the Kiwis when we were joint hosts of RWC.
I am not convinced that he has done that much since his re emergence.How much have the revenues improved since he came?
Seems to me, all that he has done is can the ARC, something that I thought was imperative to the future of Rugby in Oz.A revamping of the competition/teams should have been more thoroughly investigated.
Maybe he done lots of good things since he returned, I just don't know about them.Which is strange as he is a magnificent self promoter.

 

[Rob42]

Given that the ARU seemed on track for bankruptcy when he came in, I think he's improved the financial position substantially. But definitely after the Lions tour they should be looking for someone outside the usual suspects

 

[Ruggo]

He appointed Robbie Deans then faded into the background and gave him the slack needed to overhaul the culture in Australian Rugby. That is his success.

 

[Red Rooster]

THought Campbell Rose would've been a good option. Very impressive guy. Loves his rugby. Has recently stood down as Western Bulldogs CEO. Has a lot of powerful networks.

Oh well, I think with the Lions tour coming, they want to tap into JON's big event experience and contacts.

bit of trivia i read some time ago - Campbell Rose (Melb Grammar) played against prop against Link (Scotch College) when they were at school in Melbourne

 

[I like to watch]

Given that the ARU seemed on track for bankruptcy when he came in, I think he's improved the financial position substantially. But definitely after the Lions tour they should be looking for someone outside the usual suspects

That's certainly JON's spin on things, and may well be right. But what has he done to turn things around apart from the ARC?
What costs has he eliminated?(apart from Lote's salary) what revenues has he improved?
What are the revenues now compared to when he started? what is market share now compared to when he started?
Even the Mungo's have improved their revenues over the past few years despite themselves, have he kept up?

 

[Rob42]

Well, Wayne Smith is less than complimentary about it - and GAGR gets a mention...for talking down the record player participation figures released a little while ago.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/terrified-stakeholders-silent-about-john-oneills-reappointment-as-australian-rugby-union-ceo/story-e6frf4pu-1226009965574

 

[I like to watch]

Smith didn't miss him did he?
I did note that he compares today with 2001 (the highest ever i think) so he has been selective about what & when he gets his numbers.He also infers that JON is responsible for the Super 15 sponsorship which is cheeky at best.
that being said an $8M deficit is all JON's he has been in too long to be blaming predecessors.
Does Cricket ever run on a deficit?The AFL or NRL?
What % is $8M of total turnover? That is the biggest issue for me.

 

[barbarian]

I think it is a bit harsh to judge them on their projected 2011 figures considering they are playing less than half the normal amount of winter internationals which is one of their main sources of revenue. They are due a massive pay day when the Lions hit town in 2013.