Can't we just give him Nigel Wood's job instead?

Don't buy the Fox rubbish. The clubs are after Smith because they want more money - that's always the case with whoever is in charge.



The FTA deal is a doozy, and Smith was advised on how to approach it. He didn't decide to negotiate the FTA deal seperately - highly paid advisors siad it was the way they should go. Fox (News) went beserk because prior to Smith they'd effectively run the game via ownership of clubs, Gallopp as CEO and being seen as the number one source of funds for the sport.



Suggesting that Fox doesn't need the NRL is nonsense. It regularly rates amongst their highest viewing sports. If they didn't show NRL they would lose a lot of subscribers overnight. Live sport is about the only thing keeping their business model afloat.



Having said that, a lot of senior Fox execs were seriously personally embarrassed by the NRL FTA deal. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Smith is a sacrificial lamb enabling both sides to go back to the table to negotiate in a less poisonous atmosphere.

The number of people swallowing the Fox line makes all of the historical examples of people being fooled so much more easy to understand. So few people think for themselves.

Currently rugby league has a bigger FTA deal than AFL with the other half yet to be concluded. Fox have been squirming like a worm on a hook for ages. Suck it Murdoch

Tough to get the truth on this subject but this article is pretty accurate. www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2378 ... gotiations

Tough to get the truth on this subject but this article is pretty accurate. www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2378 ... gotiations

I would have thought a good negotiator would find the balance to get the most from free to air and pay TV.

Getting a lot from one that leaves the other with not much to negotiate for seems like a flawed sales tactic.

Maybe if that was the case. It isn't. Simulcasting is your answer.

Are you Gutterfax?

I think he is.

All the damage Murdoch has done to the game and people still trust him.

Loiner x2. Jean is just cranky because he thinks Garcia is better than Brousse and Ponsinet. Try again.

Are you? How is the analysis of simulcasting going? Seems to be a large crack in your argument there.