The bright side of the TV deal

Von Neumann, there are those out there that think because we don't have FTA Saturday night NRL, all those 'potential' eyes are going to tune into AFL. Well given the ratings for FTA AFL in QLD, NSW, that ain't happening so far, so it really is a media beatup. Boy, that song "We're in the money"sounds great. More so when we are a code with half the running costs of our rival. Wait til the TV deal really kicks in-more promotion, more crowds, it's only the beginning.

cut out all the pre season games and play more games.

Add this to the TV deal list of benefits. Give FTA-whining a rest. "Now, it has released the code of all rights, declined $50 million of entitlements and will continue to fund the Storm for probably $4 million a year" Add another 50m cash to the deal. And $4+ million per year for 5 years - all cash. So, as you cry on a saturday night when you can't watch FTA rugby league...I want you to CLUTCH YOUR WALLET/PURSE and squeeze it HARD.

Hell bent on their destruction or saw them as collateral damage circa 20 years ago.

Thanks Planko, yes Petro gone, Teo and Bearle gone, Hodges is on his last legs. Corey Norman and Wallace are never going to take the Broncos to a grand Final, Hunt is the halfback, i am happy with him, so we need a five-eight to replace Locky and a fullback. Hoffman is not up to scratch. Their are a stack of fullbacks we could buy, The young Fish dude at the warriors, We should have bought Maloney when we had the chance. Griffin stuffed up by not replacing Lockyer. It really is that simple. The team is ok, we need playmakers.

If you were a Norths , Easts, Souths , Manly , Newcastle Knights , Parramatta, Wests , St George , Illawarra, Balmain supporters they were hell bent on their destruction and to some extent it worked ! I have missed some ...

But isn't News a bastion of evil that is hell bent on our destruction.

Oikee look at the bronco's they are full of the same kind of player. They have enough second rower types to fill 4 teams .... Corey Norman I think is worth the risk keep playing him but Wallace probably needs either a new club or retirement. I dont pay a great deal of attention to the Broncos losses for next season but I think you loosing T'eo and Petro to retirement. You should go after a half/five eight type with the monoey from these 2. Also how long has Hodges got he still ok but must be getting close ? Good luck this week Oikee

I think over time we will have to bring in a second NZ team, Brisbane 2. I like the 20 rounds, not sure if the clubs could afford this, maybe when the crowds grow.

:) And you rattled off all those players yet left out exactly what i was talking about. Not one superstar. Not one of those players is a ball player or can direct the team. The Broncos are a rudderless ship. I will say it again, the Broncos should be winning a premiership every 5 years. If we keep going down this track, we wont win for another 10 years. Yes, Yes it is Brisbanes destiny to do good. tHey have the largest supporters group in Australia, you neglect that and you throw out the baby in the bathwater. They pay big money to see results, pay for the big stadium, pay for the expensive memberships, pay for very large juniors and feeder teams. You just want something for nothing. It is like going to Uni , doing all the studies, getting all the degrees and then working on the checkout for Macdonalds. Enough, you know i am right. Stop trying to bust the Broncos balls, stop trying to drag them down to a pathetic low level, stop trying to kill the tall poppies. It is harming this country, killing it i tell ya.

The season is too long. Can we let all expansion clubs in. Go to 21 teams and have a 20 round comp. Can't 1 billion dollars buy us 21 teams. Perth, Port Morseby, Wellington, Ipswich, CQ. Let them all in. Oikee. You can coach Port Morseby. Now go and poach some park footballers from the Broncos. Their whole back line is a bargain 200k. I'm sure they will do well in PNG. Then again the last time we went expansion crazy didn't go so well. But we learnt didn't we??

The quality of the Fta NRL games may be questionable next year as well. If the big Sydney clubs and Broncos dominate the FTA draw, who would have guessed Eels, Panthers would have such a lousy year and the Sharks be so good. The small clubs rarely get on FTA now so they have even less chance next year unless they do well after Round 16. The Storm will be on Pay forever it appears..And perhaps the competition wont be so close next year if the refs are fair dinkum about not trying to even up games... .

I read this the other day, this is just simply great. AND they will continue to put money into the storm. which is best for everyone

they are holding, and in some places rising.

AND if they were not tanking in the GC v carlton match, then haha. I mean, in afl right, you may get 4 games live, but quantity does not equal quality.....and its as they say, dude, you can' have everything can you? (well nor can afl). Be happy for what you have.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST LOAD OF CRAP I HAVE EVER HEARD! You Broncos fans think you are the be all and end all of rugby league, god's gift to the NRL. While I understand the commercial importance of having a team in Brisbane, it doesn't mean that they should be given a blatant unfair advantage over the other teams. They already get a huge commercial advantage in being the only team in one of Australia's largest cities, which has the largest economy of any city between Sydney and Singapore, plus essentially having a mortgage on Friday night games (a trend set to continue for the next 5 years). They have by far the best stadium in the league, and the biggest crowds (due to being Brisbane's only team). Unless they are run by monkeys, this makes it far easier for them to become the richest team in the league, which means they can invest in better training facilities etc. If they can't make the finals, then it is completely their own fault. As for them having no superstars, I don't know what team you are looking at. They have more rep players than any other team. Looking at they're squad, they have Civoniceva, Alex Glenn, Hannant, Hodges, Parker, Reed, Thaiday and T'eo, as well as up-and-comers like Gillett, Hoffman and Josh McGuire. The Broncos can only blame themselves if they miss the finals. The only thing I will agree with you on is there should be two Brisbane clubs. There should have been two from the start.

All this fanfare about the big deal yet in the background crowds are dropping in the NRL.

They can't do that as their only way of broadcasting due to anti-siphoning laws, and the fact that it wouldn't make sense to have no games on FTA. I imagine that is how they will do the pay TV part of the deal next time, produce all live games themselves (as a pay per view or subscribe for the season) which will be similcast with the FTA coverage, and cut out Fox altogether.

Unfortunately this tv deal was never going to be a silver bullet that solved all the problems of the game. Overall coverage is the same, not worse. The money has been delivered so if used wisely clubs will no battle and players will not swap codes. League will no longer deal with these issues. Long story short is the deal solves money worries, delivers some extra daily league content, improves coverage in non traditional states. Coverage issues such as HD and commentators will be solved by 9 with sufficient consumer input. They paid top dollar for the rights and so will not damage the possible audience by providing sub quality production(for the entire deal). Eventually 9 will bow to the consumer or lose the advertising value. Why would the commission take a pay cut by demanding presentation features which are are in 9a best interests to deliver. As for the delayed telecasts and night time grand finals, these were the concessions made in "negotiations" for finally gaining financial security. Fans put up with it for 5 more years. If after that the commission does not try and make gains for the fans then you may complain. Bottom line: the game was lurching from one financial crisis to another and now with proper management that will be over. FTA coverage was the only aspect of the game that did not benefit. Maybe the fans should get out to the games anyway.

Another thing that newsltd waived was another 50 million the NRL was to pay it over the next 5 years. Waived, gone!