The delayed NRL game screened at 4pm to 6pm on Sundays, complete with ad breaks every 10 minutes, has long been one of NRL fans’ least favourite things about the game.
We live in a time where you can watch the game live in the UK via their pay TV network, and in the US on the digital pass, but not in this country (unless you do it illegally or have access to a live feed).
But it seems like the delayed game on Sundays is on NRL CEO Dave Smith’s hitlist of things that need changing, according to his words in an interview with the Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield.
Channel Nine have long supported the game of rugby league, and their coverage has become an institution, in particular the voice of Ray ‘Rabbits’ Warren and his band of co-commentators.
But the fans have long complained, on The Roar and elsewhere about the lack of a live option on Sunday afternoons. There have been reports of a shift in the current plan, but no action so far.
Dave Smith’s words to Rothfield are the most concrete sign that the game is serious about getting every match played on live television, whether that’s free-to-air or on pay TV. As it is, one Friday night game will have to be delayed for NRL fans, unless the move to Thursday night football on Nine is made permanent. But the Sunday game might be live sooner rather than later.
“The more live free-to-air coverage we can get the better it is for the fans,” Dave Smith told Rothfield.
“We will talk to the broadcasters. David Gyngell is a good bloke and very reasonable.
“Often when you talk about these things, your ambitions can align.
“You’re 100 per cent right, though. Next year we’ve got to try to maybe start the Sunday game a bit later and show it live.
“We are going to talk to them and at the same time we need to make sure all our broadcast partners are okay with it. Ultimately, live sport is better than delayed sport.”
This is surely a good sign that the League is serious about giving the fans the best possible television experience.
What do you think Roarers? Is this the confirmation you were looking for?
Shouts Chen
Guest
That is same for Perth viewers last year.
Robz
Guest
"As it is, one Friday night game will have to be delayed for NRL fans" completely disagree. The Nine Network has 3 stations - they could easily have both Friday night games playing live on 2 different channels and fans can choose which one they want to watch (or split screen to watch both if they have the technology) And JC I disagree with you to mate, not everyone can "afford a mobile phone, a few beers every week and a holiday to Bali every year". And it isn't just about whether or not you can afford something but whether you believe it's value for money. I could easily afford Pay TV, but I don't believe the way it is packaged in this country represents value for money, so I choose not to purchase it. I would be more likely to get Pay TV if I could choose which channels I got (ie all the sport channels only) and not be forced to pay for a base package of channels that I would never ever watch. If NRL went to a Pay TV only system - there would be a massive drop off in fans.
JC
Guest
The problem with campaigning for live sport on free to air tv is that it doesn't guarrantee live sport on free to air tv for the whole country due to different schedules for different regions. I believe the answer is to just concentrate on having all games live on pay tv, with the option to chose to watch one game or the other if there is more than one game being played at once. I know that not everyone can "afford" pay tv, but then again everyone seems to be able to afford a mobile phone, a few beers every week and a holiday to Bali every year so it just comes down to priorities I guess. As for free to air tv, there are plenty of timeslots to replay games, what with all the re-runs of terrible old tv shows that clog the schedules these days.
up in the north
Guest
This won't happen part-way through an existing contract. Does anyone honestly think ch9 are going to just give this up with no compensation? Nice of Dave to make some noise about it now, but there are still a few years left in the current deal, so unless he's prepared to give back some money it aint gonna happen. These finals games are a prime example of how we are being ripped off. Both games ought to be played live on fta on Sat & Sun, at 3pm. End of story. But hey get all the ducks in a row for the next deal, because it's too late now for this one.
PGNEWC
Guest
So that means when the Missus looks on her Samsung Galaxy and Screams at me the scores and who scored when Im watching so she can have the TV ---won't happen in the future -Yep Im for that
Pete
Guest
while there at it put on a sat night game live
Johnnyball
Guest
All talk to pacify the disgruntled fans. Gyng will say no and Dave wants to be seen on our side. Totatally useless man, our Dave
Kepu
Guest
I don't think they are allowed to show HD on the main channel?? Rabs - he called Greg eastwood "Greg Inglis" twice yesterday - would live make it any better.. Channel Nine would want something in return for going live and it would be a high price,...
jamesb
Guest
I have an idea. If the 4pm game becomes live, then obviously 9 wouldn't be able to squeeze all of the ads they normally do on delay. My idea is for channel 9 to show live tweets throughout the game with the live tweets been sponsored. Use social media throughout the broadcast. Hear what fans and high profile fans have to say about the game. Eg tweets twisties?
Parrafan
Guest
Not sure. Would be fun to run a case against them for it though. Didn't Harvey Norman get pegged a couple of years ago for something similar but regarding 3D t'vs when regional areas didn't have 3D broadcast?
Epiquin
Roar Guru
They also get to show them before scrums, drop outs or during injury stoppages. They still get extended ad breaks at the beginning and end of half-time as well as a lot more 'pop-up' ads during the run of play. And yes. They would significantly increase the price of an ad spot.
Tom G
Guest
Maybe whilst they're at it they can get a free to air station to run it on their HD channel instead of lame movie reruns
Renegade
Guest
Not really.... they get to show one ad every time a try is scored rather than 15 ads every 10 minutes. They would need to significantly increase the ad price for it to work as you have suggested above.
melbourneterrace
Guest
Delayed telecasts and ads during play have been a none issue for anyone with a basic idea of the internet and a decent connection to the internet for years.
Scott
Guest
While we're on the subject, why, in 2014, is nine still broadcasting in SD? The game is replayed on fox in HD, so it's obviously recorded in that format, but then put out as SD. Stupid. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Peter Trethewey
Guest
What about Ray Warren advertising for Harvey Norman High Defention TVs when they do not broadcast in High Defenition. Isn't this false advertising?
catcat
Guest
plus some post game analysis and MOTM- last nights game went straight to the news, an abrupt ending...
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Yes and no, While they will get to show less ads, they can charge significantly more for a single advertisement. A) Because there will likely be more people watching a live game than a delayed game. B) Because an ad shown on it's own is more likely to make an impact on the viewer because it doesn't form part of the "noise" of multiple ads. People are also more likely to watch a single ad because during an "ad break" people will often change channels or go to the toilet/make a cuppa etc.
Renegade
Guest
Nine lose their ad revenue though.... so it's not entirely a benefit for them. I agree though, simple fix - change the kick off to 4pm.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
To be honest, this doesn't really work well for any party. The NRL wants the game to be shown live for obvious reasons (and as stated above), the fans want live games so they don't have to be bombarded with ads or have somebody spoil the game for them via social media. But It's wrong to assume that Channel Nine doesn't want a live game either. Live sport is just about the only thing that can guarantee an audience in an age of downloading. Having the game on a delay means that Nine loses audience to other (often illegal) sources. So why do they do it then? 2 reasons: 2/3pm on a Sunday is a dead timeslot for TV and they need the game to filter into their 6pm news bulletin. For once, I think this is probably the NRL's doing rather than Nines. They could easily have a 2pm and 4pm kickoff on Sunday.