Only two games into Channel Nine’s five year, multi-multi-million dollar broadcast deal with the NRL, we’ve already got an answer to that eternal question – how much does it cost to buy your way onto a rugby league panel show?
Somewhere in the ballpark of $15 million a season, if the appearance of official NRL betting partner Tom Waterhouse on the post-match panel for the first episode of Friday Night Broncos in 2013 is any indication.
By all reports it was a barnstorming debut from the talent who openly confesses on his ubiquitous television commercials “I don’t know how they find the gap and get to the line.”
Accordingly, conversation quickly turned to horse racing and his famous mother Gai – or so Facebook and Twitter informed me.
I flicked over to the NBL on ONE as soon as I sensed his presence, and basked in the glory of a sporting telecast unencumbered by any mention of unders, overs or fine cotton.
Disclosure: I don’t find Tom Waterhouse to be particularly likable, and have voiced my feelings on The Roar previously.
I do, however, respect his right to advertise his product given the amount of cash he has fronted up.
What I do take issue with is a guy whose entire marketing campaign is built around not being able to play sport suddenly popping up on a rugby league panel show.
By my understanding, to quote Jerry Seinfeld when George Costanza wanted to become a commentator, “they tend to give those jobs to ex-ball players and people that are, you know, in broadcasting.”
If the stream of vitriol that saw Tom Waterhouse trending on Twitter on Friday night is any indication, I’m not alone in my objection to his presence.
And that’s before you even get into current investigations into possible match fixing, the ‘face’ of the NRL going off the grid due in part to gambling issues, and the ethical dilemma of gambling being normalised for a generation of kids who don’t know any different.
With that off my chest, I’ll pack the soapbox away and get onto some positives to come out of the first two games of the NRL season on Nine.
Whatever your feelings on Sonny Bill Williams, Nine did a great job of making his return and entrance to the playing field a ‘moment’.
With any luck, the ‘monologue cam’ they introduced before Sonny Bill Williams took the field is here to stay, if only so we Canberra Raiders fans can see footage of Blake Ferguson streaking towards the tryline overlaid with an internal monologue consisting mainly of the word ‘brah’.
Spidercam should probably be kept out of the live play mix until the camera ops have got it fully under control, but from a replay perspective it provides a real ‘money can’t buy’ experience. Some may question why its appearance is sponsored by a Liam Neeson film, to which I would respond why wouldn’t it be?
More impressive are the multi-angle, Matrix-style 360 degree morphs when the try scoring plays are broken down at halftime. What seemed superfluous in Nine’s cricket coverage is quite spectacular in a rugby league context.
What hasn’t been so spectacular is Karl Stefanovic’s introduction as a pre-match host for each broadcast. When the first person you hear from on the Broncos versus Sea Eagles coverage gets the score of their history-making first meeting in 1988 wrong, it’s not a good look.
Nor is an onscreen scoreboard that occasionally obscures play, especially when combined with advertising graphics that cover the bottom of your TV screen.
Still, it all pales in comparison to selling a seat on your post-match wrap.
Would the Raiders let me throw on the number 9 jersey if I dished out enough of my hard-earned?
You’ll find out at Penrith Park on Sunday. The odds are stacked against me though.
Maureen
Guest
Please please stop channel 9 using the spidercam. It is bad enough in weekly games but tonight they are constantly changing the view and it making me physically ill. I am sure there are other people being affected by it. Tonight's final between Souths & Easts is being ruined for me. Please stop.
Coasty
Guest
Now after all the comments, one can see that market researchers know again that Joe Public is watching Ch.9 Rugby League broadcasts. Actually we must watch it if we don't watch FOX at home or at the Club/Pub. The two amigos have to follow their format, one with the call often interrupted by some Parramatta-related trivia ; then we get the expert opinion bit , where for whatever reason, no one is able to question the bloke. He is only one of thousands who had football ability, played Grade and knowledgeable. We're constantly and subtly informed almost like some sort of telemarketing promotion that by their decree, Ray Warren is the greatest gift to commentary since baked beans were discovered. Apparently he calls even better than Tiger Black,Col Pearce, Graham Hughes and Hadley once did. Yes they finally worked out (by themselves?) after how many decades that their viewers are made up of both sexes. So now we see young women reporters speaking to players on television. How does the AFL Channel Seven cope with Nine's league spiel, well it seems almost every employee on camera espouses an adulation for the southerners great sport.
Scott
Guest
Tom Waterhouse what a joke Channel. 9 you are killing the supporters of rugby league Gambling advertising is just as bad as tobacco advertising you are sluts for the money and the looser is the game
bbt
Guest
That I agree with!
itsuckstobeyou
Roar Pro
Apparently Sandor Earl got the nod for Player's Player... for Penrith.
Tommygun
Roar Rookie
Not great brah
Planet Football
Guest
I am not a rugby league fan, but Channel Nine are a joke...absolutely pitiful. Their coverage of the Olympics last year was woeful and embarrassing. Their cricket coverage is the same. I just hope that this year's Ashes series is covered by SBS, as from memory were the 2005 and 2009 series. The constant self validation, aggrandisement, glorification, embellishment, braggadocio, and boasting of their ads and presenters about the quality, excellence and superiority of their channel is sad and pathetic, too....
peeeko
Roar Guru
maybe Queensland should embrace daylight saving then it wouldnt be a problem
peeeko
Roar Guru
jonesy - last year the games were available officially on livenrl.tv for 99 bucks for the entire year. its great this year that it is free. however 2 games a week are still unavailable like last year - these are available on the the fox soccer plus channel which requires an expanded subscription or can be purchased to watch online as well. both origin and the GF have been shown last couple of years on the regular fox soccer channel
dynamitedave
Roar Rookie
Remember we were promised: The Nine Network will broadcast: Three weekly matches (two on Friday and one on Sunday); Three Thursday evening matches over the course of the year; Two hours of Rugby League content each evening on digital Channel 94 plus two hours of content on Saturday and Sunday morning; Nine will ensure that all of its matches are telecast on either the ‘primary’ or ‘digital’ station in each state; Ok , so first round... but no footy on 94 that i could find.....
Bazzio
Roar Guru
Channel 9 will ruin the popularity of televised games with the trash methodology it employs, & the low-brow endorsements of gambling that only ever advertises winners, when the facts are that for every 20 winners, there are at least 100 losers. If they occasionally showed all those losers who bet & sit in TAB's & pubs every weekend glued to sports results TV, I'd endorse it 100%. But no, we're reminded to "gamble responsibly". . . . as if an addict knows what "responsible" means ~ 2 to 1, 5 to 4?
Epiquin
Guest
I'm pretty sick of all the SBW hype. I seriously just don't understand why the media thinks he is god's gift to professional sport. I can begrudgingly admit that he often puts in good performances, but his on-field play is hardly the heroic stuff of legend we are told by the media. Its as if they believe he is solely responsible for bringing people through the gate. But when he turned his back on his teammates and the game to go chasing money and personal glory, crowds still continued to rock up, people still turned on their TV's. When 9 advertises his return, they ask viewers to turn in and see what heroics he can perform. I think a better strategy would be to ask viewers to turn in to see him get his come-uppance. And that 'soliloquy-cam'. I actually thought it was a joke at first. I think even Rabs knew it would be bad when he had to give his vomit enducing segue 'I wonder what Sonny Bill is thinking now?'. His voice started to go quiet as the impending awkwardness drew closer.
Epiquin
Guest
I'm not too fussed about the advertising stuff. The game's got to grow and to grow it has to make money; and for the game to make money, Channel 9 has to make money. I think one of the problems is that league has always been the working class game. As such, most past players who get behind the mic have no media training and little charisma. Examples of this are Brad Fitler, who is monotone and doesn't speak well. Likewise with Johns. 7 & 9 have a terrible track record of simply using whatever tired old celebrities they have on their books instead of using people more suited to the role. The trick is to find a commentator who covers the game with professionalism, but also charisma and use well-spoken analysts for the tricky stuff. Sadly, keep old players as far away from the mic as possible. Personally, I like Rabs, but I think Gould should only be allowed to speak after a try so he can explain how its done. If 9 wants to use old players, they need to give them proper media training. Teach them how to project their voice, teach them how to use correct grammar.
Vivalasvegan
Guest
Spot on! I won't watch another game on nine til Origin after the Storm coverage today. An hour delay then THAT MANY ads we genuinely agreed that we hoped no one would score again... Then they showed 17 ads following a knock on! Honestly could not remember who had scored etc. truly scandalous treatment of fans. I'll wait for fox later in the evening in future. And Waterhouse, he is an evil smiling clown...
itsuckstobeyou
Roar Pro
How'd that turn out for ya brah?
Gary Martin
Guest
Sadly, Fox is the only alternative but for those without the means of paying the rent, or who may not want to watch all games, nine is a virtual dictator on the free to air. "Take it or see nothing". If the "see noting" option continues to be taken; entry fees continue to rise; NRL drug/salary cap issues dominate the headlines: and other negative press continues, then we will having nothing to fear: Channel nine NRL machine will be axed along with the code. So very sad.
iBoomshanka
Guest
People do not for one minute believe that Channel Nine are a publicly funded broadcaster, although they should have more of a social conscience whilst Nine executives are in the trough, pleading for license fee rebates, continuation of the three national broadcaster protection racket and maintaining the anti siphoning legislation which see them playing sports broker to the wider communities disadvantage. The game was undervalued for many years and the seemingly doubling of rights money is more reflective of how Nine / Fox did a sweetheart deal with the NRL last time (part owned by the same people at the time). Nine continues to ply Senator Conroy with gifts such as privledged access to his beloved Collingwood team, tickets to AFL finals and the Grand Final itself. Conroy needs to wake up to the fact that he is there to keep these muppets honest, not to seemingly pander to their every request.
itsuckstobeyou
Roar Pro
To their credit, it seemed quite clear that Ray Warren and Peter Sterling were completely unimpressed by having to talk footy with Waterhouse. Here's a paraphrased excerpt: Tom: "The Bulldogs are absolute bargains at $2.10 at home against the Cowboys. They're last years grand finalists and great value anywhere over evens." Rabs: "Tom, you're completely wrong. It's a neutral venue on the Central Coast, the Bulldogs don't have Barba, Pritchard, Kasiano or Graham and the Cowboys are top 4 contenders. I wouldn't be putting a penny on the dogs." Despite the boys making sure Tom was kept on his toes, he still had that plastic bloody smile on his face that needs to be introduced to a piece of 2x4. "I'm talking from a bookies POV" he says. I wonder if Tom will give me odds on how long it will take Rabs to tell him to get f@%#ed. A grey nurse on round 3.
Mantis
Roar Guru
Channel 9 are an absolute joke. I should have seen it coming after the pitiful attempt at covering the Olympics last year, but I truly didnt think they could do a worse job with the NRL this year... Everyone's already said it, but the SBW voice over was cringe worthy. This is supposed to be the premier Rugby League competition in the world, not a disney sports movie. Could you imagine a sport with quality coverage (EPL for example) doing anything like that? Not in a million years. Also, it is time for Gus and Rabs to go. The random tangents they go on are embarrassing and its gotten to the point where enough is enough. Talk about the game, not petty little squabbles. I cant think of a sport with worse commentators. Tom Waterhouse also has to go, as does all the excess advertising, squeezed in to get every possible penny (The Taken 2 Spider Cam - are you serious???)
Rob9
Guest
I put Timmy G in the small doses basket. All that 9 have is Sterlo and Vossy. And is Vossy still around after his falling out with Gyngal's BFF Hadley? They've got to have some commentary team. Sterlo and Vossy are the most professional for mine and they should lead the charge. Give Rabs and Gus their bad comedy skit for Sydney games so Rabs doesn't have to be shipped anywhere. Joey, Freddy, Wally and Gilbert for sideline comments. And isn't there meant to be a new chick doing sideline stuff? I definately support more female involvement in NRL coverage.