Traditional national sporting bodies are now not the only places that up and coming players are striving to play for. Australian cricket, Australian rugby league and rugby union all now have cashed up competitors which are very appealing to players at every stage of a career. It was once just the end of a distinguished career when a player became excited by the prospect of discovering new frontiers both in the sport and socially with their families . Not anymore !

Young cricketers strive to be recognised by the Indian franchises in 20/20, rugby league and union players are continually being courted by Japan and France cash cows and now the most unlikely of decisions by Karmichael Hunt to switch codes . With sport now established as a workplace rather than a sport of passion these transferees stand to lose precious little ,other than face, for possible failures. There is no such thing as payments being tied to successful performance, the majority of fees are guaranteed upfront , injuries and loss of form mean nothing financially as the player is fully insured for everything that might strike. Why wouldn’t anyone take on such challenges , potentially thrilling but possibly disastrous .

Sport should continually investigate 2 things- paying for performance under the workplace relationship it has with it’s players and withholding a percentage of monies earned by young players for after career security. This can recreate the hunger of eras past , ensure  current players  live within their means and then provide them with good coin post career.