Nine's NRL decision a gem in southern states

Encouraging figures for NRL on GEM- Arvo Mel 16, Ade 21, Per 16 Night Mel 36, Ade 5, Per 15

Did not know it was on but chanced on it when flicking through the channels to find something decent on. It was fantastic to see it live. Love NRL and have done for many years. It's great to be able to finally watch it at a decent time, (awesome when you have to get up early to look after the kids) It definitely didn't get enough advertising that it was going to be on.

Agree Tom,but the subs from thesouth are needed to finance the new deal already in place for the AFL. The other side of the coin is if Fox(and it is extremely unlikely) loses the NRL,no matter what freebies they may offer 6 months etc,if you subscribed becasue of the NRL,there is no reason to hold on, if they don't have it any more. I wouldn't care if fox gave me 6mths free viewing of other shows ,its not the reason i subscribed in the first place. The nett effect for Fox would be one major national code with a subscriber base,instead of 2 effecting double the subscriber base.Not a good look from Rupert and gang.

I've seen the NZ rugby channel a few times when visiting. It's a great channel.

p. tah, something like that is already happening. Consider (this applies to those channels you can watch on Foxtel) the following live broadcasts NRL games Friday-Mondays ESL weekends (Friday-Saturdays?) Super 15 games (largely) Fridays-Sundays RU Tests (inbound, 4Ns) largely Saturdays and some Sundays; includes 6 Nations (Euro) in Feb-March and end of season (Oct-Dec) to NH ITM Cup (NZ domestic rugby) Tuesdays-Sundays (live) for seven weeks. NZ time difference means you see games here 5.30pm or earlier AEST Sevens (summer) December-April T14 (French domestic RU) featuring Aust players. Worth noting that NZ has a dedicated 24hour rugby channel run by sky; how hard/expensive can it be for Foxtel to pick that up? I may have missed other RL games. The rugby content on Fox is growing (and we haven't even factored in special events like the RWC or Lions tours or RLWCs!)

see my response above

Your point is quite valid. I was the one who suggested the combined rugby channel but you're quite right about the conflciting times(she didnt say how they were considering introducing code specific channels). My reasons were that at least we could get to see all Rugby league matches here and overseas and same for rugby union. Perhaps two channels is the way to go unless an agreement can be made between the two codes to play their games in such a manner that they dont conflict in time.

A rugby channel (with league and Union) interesting but not sure how they'd do it. There would be a few game clashes on friday and Saturday nights. They'd have to shift one code onto another channel if they play them live. League would obviously be the bigger player but it could bring the codes (particularly the fans) closer together... Or perhaps not..

Spoke to a Foxtel rep today about the disparity between Oz Rules broadcasting and promotion on Fox and their lesser efforts with the Rigby codes. She said that because of the money being spent on Oz Rules they have to promote it big time. However she also indicated that they are looking at the potential of a Rugby (League and Union) only channel or even a Rugby League exclusive channel in future. Lets hope Fox arent b.s ing and are considering a bigger slice of pr for the rugby codes.

I for one would cancel my subscritpion should fox loose the RLrights, but while making the call to cancel the sub and they offered to give me 6 months free subscription then...I would have to hink about keeping fox. You see for every person that says they will cancel,you offer something for free and they will make the call later. Fox's bottom line maybe hit with the free offers but if they are making up subscriptions down south then it sorta balances out.

This weekend will be heaven for us leaguies especially the Easter fixtures for English Super league bringing Hull v Hull KR and Wigan v St Helens. For neutrals I recommend catching these two derbies on Eurosport ch. 511.

12 months ago there was no anti syphoning decision spelt out,so the bargaining chip argument then would not hold water,ch9 was not facing the competition or demand for rugby league that it is today.The Final year ratings figures were not out for starters.And with the anti syphoning being brought in this year,the NRL under the ARLC was able to exert ,more pressure on 9 (who had no option ) to go ahead and show it on HD.They are fully aware ch10 would show it nationally on HD. I love the very thought of the blow torch being applied to 9.They have spent decades in a state of complacency,as if it were a given right. Wouldn't matter if it was 20 years ago,cash for comment was exposed for that code.Suggesting it probably still goes on.. I have no idea how many Taswegans will drop Fox.I used that example as a microcosm of what could happen should Fox lose the NRL.Lek knows it,the ARLC knows it,Delayney of Foxtel knows it. A survey conducted in the SMH( and I know they can be skewered) showed 70% ditching Pay Tv,and judging by talkback and newspaper letters,there is a decent number out there who feel likewise.Within my own circle of relos, 3 would drop it. On saturdays during the summer months they can play rugby league ,or go to the Mona museum .They have been starved long enough of top class rugby league.I am sure they will keep themselves amused. They will get to see more NRL trial games in Hobart in future.

Super league is something else.So spell it out Jaceman with facts and figures,disputing the SL stats. .

1996 Swans is a long time ago. Of course they are using Live NRL as leverage - I raised that 12 months ago as a bargaining chip and all the Victorian RL folk got in a lather..Fox need NRL but apparently all those Taswegian NRL fans are going to drop Fox - what will they do on saturdays...

I agree payola is alive and well - News is giving AFL a good run and pre season the SMH was giving the AFL a hard time - I'm not sure how I;'m biased in saying that . The Titans agreed that there were a lot of free tickets in the bowls where most of the crowd appeared to be so Im guessing 5K...Hoever there were also heavily discounted tickets elsewhere as well...maybe because the Suns played the day before - perhaps in future both codes should print the gate receipts rather than the crowd...

Morgan is a respected independent research company who lives and breathes on it independence and reliability. Super league is something else

The problem with the West as the Force have found out its a long way to travel, there are few home grown players so they will have to pay more and they dont have a compliant newspaper (Stokes daily and News Ltd Sunday paper). NRL payers would have to live in perth - I think the Force players from eastern states spend only part of the year there

Don't you mean a separate channel for each rugby code? What I'd like to know is why the alternate viewer choice match (last week Warriors vs Roosters) is beamed in at SD while the Fumbleball had two separate HD channels when their matches clash. Trust that'll be changed come next round of TV deal. Still I shouldn't complain when our Friday night matches are coming in at HD.

I'm also feeling a might pleased. Love to watch League in Pom land but on so late on NIne. If Eurosport is prepared to play it at convenient times I'm pleased. What I dont understand is why Fox dont have a separate channel for Rugby codes exclusively like they have for Australian Rules now. Surely there is sufficient audience for a channel that just plays Australian League, including minor grades, SuperLeague form Brit, Super15 union games, northern hemisphere union matches between Scotland, Wales, France, England etc, othere International fixtures and maybe some of the local fixtures. Add to that commentary and you have a full station capacity for 8-9 months a year....could do the same thing with soccer and cricket....or does Australian Rules have a special right to have an exclusive station with Fox, as well as dominating their Fox Sports News station which is dominated by Rules and their presenters (mainly from their Melbourne centre).

i thought big Kev was more than happy,he was EXCITED.