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Fans were touted as the winners of the NRL’s TV deal from 2018, which promised four games live on Free-to-air, but it won’t necessarily pan out that way as Channel Nine considers selling Saturday night matches back to Fox Sports.
There were rumblings this week that a proposal from Channel Nine and Fox Sports to share a broadcasting deal could mean changes as early as next season.
As for 2018 and beyond, Channel Nine, knowing how much Fox Sports wants to prop up its live sports coverage, could make $40 million per year according to Fairfax, if it sells Saturday night matches.
If the deal were to go ahead the NRL TV rights would be worth $1.9 billion.
How is the new proposed nrl tv rights deal good for fans who dont/cant have foxtel?
— Lauren_Frances89 (@laurenfranxes) November 10, 2015
News Limited reports an arrangement between Fox Sports and Channel Nine could mean every game live on Fox Sports with three simulcast on Free-to-air.
If this were to happen Foxtel would still hold significant leverage as a ‘must have’ for rugby league fans who have previously never been able to enjoy every match live.
The initial TV rights deal announced by former CEO Dave Smith didn’t go down well after he gave Channel Nine the chance to sign first before an agreement was reached on Pay-TV rights.
If @Optus got NRL, EPL and horse racing tv rights @Foxtel would be on life support….
— Welcome back Sammy (@bunnies1612) November 6, 2015
“This part of the deal is really about getting four games live for fans on free-to-air, all live and all in prime time. It’s a very significant shift forward for our fans. The game gets more control and the fans get more of the product,” Smith said in August.
Whether it was a coincidence or not, many saw the presence of Rupert Murdoch at the signing of the AFL TV rights agreement and his subsequent comment about AFL being the premier code in Australia as a sure sign News Limited was ropeable at Smith’s handling of the rights deal.
Since Smith’s resignation as CEO, negotiations reportedly started straight away between Foxtel and Nine. Phil Rothfield claims Nine CEO David Gyngell was always willing to give up Saturday night football with his initial move all about preventing a rival FTA channel from gaining the rights.
The independent commission is expected finalise broadcasting deals in the coming days.
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