Souths qualifying for the grand final for the first time in 43 years has been a feel good story for the NRL.
The Rabbitohs will be up against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs today, a side who are never more than a few years between grand final appearances. Souths are favoured to win the grand final.
However, there is a slight dampener on proceedings. Why is the game starting at 7:20pm?
Grand finals should be a family day out watching the football during daylight hours. It is a day where people can have their barbecues or grand final get-togethers at a more convenient time.
MORE NRL Grand Final:
» Kick off time, key information
» Full NRL Finals coverage
» Brian Smith’s look at the NRL Grand Final
» NRL Grand Final preview: South Sydney vs Canterbury
But when you have a broadcaster that has a major say on when the game is played, then the broadcaster will always serve its own interests, not those of the game or the fans.
In the current five-year deal, Nine is paying $85 million in cash per year and $10 million in contra. Nine’s coverage consists of one live game and two delayed matches per week, State of Origin, finals and Test football.
When the deal was struck, there were sources who believed that Nine will be losing $15 million annually on the rights. But that’s what happens when bidding occurs during TV rights negotiations.
When you have more then one network bidding, the price of the TV rights rises. I understand that broadcasters like Nine want to have some concessions in place so they could recuperate the money they invested in.
There are some concessions that Nine has in it’s coverage.
– Two delayed matches per week
– Five Thursday night games
– A gambling segment at half time
– Cross promotion of Nine’s programming during matches
– Night time grand finals
– Night time finals
– State of Origin matches kicking off closer to 8:30pm
The other thing that happens is in the southern states, whenever an NRL match is completed, they go straight to a movie rather then having a full complete wrap up of the match.
Also what about fans in New Zealand? The match begins 9:20pm.
Meanwhile, Fox’s TV deal over five years was $100 million in cash and $10 million in contra. Fox is paying slightly more compared to Nine and that’s despite the fact that Fox don’t have exclusive rights to State of Origin or the finals.
Like Nine, Fox also has a few allowances with regards to the TV deal. The obvious one is that NRL fans need to pay to subscribe to Fox Sports and the second is Monday Night Football.
Fox does schedule Sunday night football in the first month. But during that time of the year, the weather is still warm. Having Sunday night football at that time of the year is not a bad thing.
When you look back the comparisons between Nine and Fox, Nine has far too many concessions.
Admittedly relying on just three games a week out of eight (less than half) probably doesn’t present much value.
Are the financial models of Nine or the free-to-air networks outdated where they rely on three-minute block of ads? Networks like Nine need to embrace new media like social media in their NRL coverage.
Whether it’s a live blog here on The Roar, or Twitter or any other form of social media, fans want to have their say throughout the game.
If Nine looks at potential revenue opportunities from social media, then all free-to-air networks could improve their sports coverage.
This would allow the Sunday NRL game to be live, and the grand final to move back to the daylight hours.
But what about today’s game? I am tipping Souths to end their 43-year drought. However, if Canterbury start off well and lead for majority of the game, then pressure and expectation may be too much to bear for the Rabbitohs.
However, Souths have the better team, and it is their premiership to lose.
Glenn Innes
Guest
I used to be an advocate of an afternoon Grand Final but I am now a convert to playing at night, the reason being the deregulated nature of the modern economy. Afternoon Grand Finals were fine back in the days when the shops shut at noon on a Saturday and stayed closed until Monday morning and very few people worked Saturday Afternoon or Sunday. Retail is a huge employer and if you work in that industry Sunday is often just another workday, if you play the game in the afternoon you are denying too many people the opportunity to watch it.Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings etc are not going to give you the day off so you can watch the Grand Final..Sunday night prime time with a public holiday the next day is perfect
Alvin Purple
Guest
By the way the TV ratings are out for the game and the NRL outrated the AFL GF by just under 500k. The "perceptions of what people think they want and what the reality is truly is" comes to mind when I see this. Given the AFL is a more heavily supported code in this country it clearly shows the TV exec's have got this one right.
Leaguecoach101
Guest
If you want the NRL to get billion dollar TV deals then this is one of the conditions. Don't quite understand why it's such as issue. Monday is a holiday in NSW and QLD anyway. I was at the game and it was bloody hot up there in the stands - it only started to cool down about half an hour before kick off. 7:30 was a fine time to play the Grand Final. I don't quite understand why you can't host a BBQ at night and watch the Grand Final? What exactly is stopping you? Origin is at night. Bledesloe Cup is at night. What's the difference? Talk about making a fuss over nothing. Keep it at night. Great time. Great game. Go the Bunnies!
Alvin Purple
Guest
Come on guys the NRL have to work with the TV channels not go against them. They put a billion dollars+ into the sport which can not survive without broadcast $$. They are entitled to at least maximise their income (even though the do lose money on the deal). If this means we have to wait a few hours more so be it. Feel there are other issues with the broadcasters including more free to air coverage. Two delayed matches does not work for me and I would also feel it would hurt their ratings
jacksyd
Guest
It might have started late but couldn't end quick enough for the bulldogs.
AdelaideWill
Guest
Here in Adelaide we got to enjoy the game on Channel 9 with a kick off just after 7pm however the end of the game was final whistle and than bang show over into a movie? No wrap up or presentation. I was also lost at why channel 9 would think it was a good idea to have a pumped up exciting game and then switch to an ad break of someone droning on about funeral insurance? Why any business would think they could influence any consumer with a slow depressingly boring insurance ad during the NRL grand final is beyond me. Perhaps it was meant for the Bulldogs fans.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Wasn't too late up here in gods country, 6.30 start, perfect.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
I was there today, and it was waaaaaayyyy too hot to have anything on before 6. It's either keep it as it is, or move the whole season forward so the final is in September again.
jamesb
Guest
Yeah, I think the game eventually kicked off around 7:35pm. That is too late. I wouldn't mind if the GF went back to a 5pm kick off.
MJ
Guest
The game started 13 minutes late....just saying. Plus if 9 played their cards right they could have had massive news ratings and scheduled The Block finale afterwards which would have pulled the ratings the NRL had.
Johnno
Guest
It was a 3:15pm grand final not 3pm.
Rellum
Roar Guru
They get more dollars for ads broadcast at 7.30.
Lennie
Guest
Thats not correct storm boy, I worked outdoors on the Mornington Peninsula for 11 years, every single year we cleared 30 degrees before the end of September, a couple of years even went above 35...
Jake
Guest
Great insular thinking by the typical rubbish NRL. Beers and BBQ? Forget it. 7:30pm kick off, and who had the Monday off? That's right, NSW, and Qld. Good thing the Warriors aren't playing in the GF, imagine watching a 9:30pm game having to get up for Monday work the next day? Pathetic, but selling your soul for $$$'s does this. More people watching the game at home = more TV sets tuning in.......
Darren
Guest
Go back too 3:00grand final,gone are the days of havn a BBQ lunch primed ready for 3:00 start ,now u gotta wait all bloody aft.joke
Lindsay
Guest
Yes, the game is starting too late. An afternoon game is much better, and Suturday would be my preference to Sunday.
Footy fan
Guest
Bring back the 3.00 kick off, why should stupid ratings dominate our traditional day of Footy :-(
AR
Guest
There's a reason Masterchef, the Block and Big Brother all have their finales at primetime on a Sunday night... that's when you have the biggest potential television audience. Now that it's there, I can't see the NRL GF being reverted back to daytime hours.
Davo
Guest
I agree...7.40 on a Sunday night is ridiculous. Another example of the boofhead thinking that has destroyed what once was a quality game.
Storm Boy
Guest
Get a dose of reality. It will be 40 degrees in the centre of ANZ when the Panthers and Pride are playing instead of the NRL. The grand final has to go back to mid September if you want a 3pm start. That would avoid the heat and daylight savings. Plus before anyone mentions AFL the weather in Melbourne doesn't get hot until Melbourne Cup time.