South Sydney owner Russell Crowe has detailed a plan to keep the NRL running amid coronavirus - by playing games in regional centres with higher temperatures.
The Hollywood star also criticised the NRL for rushing to seek a cash handout from the federal government amid the global outbreak.
"I'm a little disappointed that the NRL's first decision was to go to the government for a handout," Crowe told The Daily Telegraph.
"I understand they (NRL) are under pressure, but his situation the game is confronted with is more than just about dollars.
"It's about people. It's about culture. The Government has a lot to deal with right now.
"The health and wellbeing of the population needs to be the very first priority. Our country has gone through a series of challenges recently — droughts, fires, floods.
"I think that a sport as powerful as rugby league has to put its hand up and be proactive - not put its hand out for taxpayer funds."
Crowe outlined a radical fixture plan in The Daily Telegraph, with the NRL scrambling to continue games to stave off financial disaster.
Crowe named Glen Innes and Moree in northern NSW, plus Cloncurry, Longreach, Winton, Mount Isa, Emerald and Barcaldine in Queensland as potential host towns.
"We could relocate two teams to each of the eight towns, giving the broadcasters a modest headache of how to broadcast in four regional places across each weekend with two matches in each town," Crowe said.
"That isn't a difficult equation to solve."
Crowe called on the NSWRL and QRL to support the plan with money banked from State of Origin revenues. He said that the NRL had to protect its broadcast income and also had the chance to provide "a deeply significant source of comfort to a great many people" by keeping games going.
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-news-russell-crowe-slams-nrl-for-cash-grab/3b135977-3c79-488d-a079-8d7538dc1b86
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