NRL fans will be able to watch four games live on free-to-air every round from 2018 as part of the league’s new broadcast agreement with Channel Nine.
The time slots secured by Nine include Friday night, a prime time Saturday match, the 4:00pm Sunday game, along with the to-be permanent Thursday night fixture.
State of Origin Game 2 will also move to Sundays, as part of a standalone rep weekend.
The deal is worth up to $925 million, making it the richest free-to-air rights deal in Australian television history.
What the terms of the deal are around the ‘up to’ nature of the value is unclear at this stage.
When announcing the new deal NRL CEO, Dave Smith, made it clear that the deal was designed to give the best experience to the fans.
“There will be more live and free Rugby League on television – and that is what the fans want,” Smith said.
“So the future of the game is in great shape.”
CEO of Nine Entertainment, David Gyngell, echoed Smith, adding that it was a great outcome for supporter, rugby league, and Nine.
“It will enable views to see the best of the NRL, live and free, four days a week – anywhere and on any device,” Gyngell stated.
The deal will also drive a string of other changes including the NRL season reducing to a 25-week season (down form 26), a Sunday night State of Origin match for Game 2 to be played on a stand alone weekend of representative football, and a new dedicated post-season international period.
Smith has indicated that the initial focus of negotiations had been on free-to-air rights, but noted the NRL had also held a number of discussions regarding pay television and streaming rights.
“The digital media market is changing rapidly and it is our view that new and exciting opportunities will develop with Fox Sports and other providers,” he said.
“By 2018, the digital world will be very different and we want to be in the best possible position to take advantage of any changes.
“So negotiations with the pay tv and digital providers will continue and, again, our focus will be on ensuring the most widespread coverage on whatever platform fans choose to watch rugby league.”
3 Hats
Guest
Jayden You live in fantasy land if you think what you just typed will happen. Read my previous comment mate the GF will be 6pm or later, not 3 or 4 or 5pm. Ch 9 wont start their coverage at 6:30pm on Thursday or Friday as A Current affair is on and they wont budge.
JAYDEN :)
Guest
Schedule Should Be: THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NINE) Coverage Starts: 6.30pm AEST Kickoff: 7.00pm AEST Coverage Ends: 9.00pm AEST THE FOOTY SHOW: 9.00pm - 11.00pm FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NINE) Coverage Starts: 7.00pm AEST Kickoff: 7.30pm AEST Coverage Ends: 10.30pm AEST SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NINE) Coverage Starts: 6.30pm AEST Kickoff: 7.30pm AEST Coverage Ends: 10.30pm AEST SUNDAY FOOTBALL (NINE) Coverage Starts: 3.30pm AEST Kickoff: 4.00pm AEST Coverage Ends: 6.00pm AEST FOX SPORTS GAMES: SATURDAY - 3.00pm AEST SATURDAY - 5.00pm or 5.30pm AEST SUNDAY - 2.00pm AEST SUNDAY - 6.00pm AEST GRAND FINAL: 3pm or 4pm or 5pm KICKOFF ORIGIN KICKOFF: 7.00pm ALL GAMES IN HD (NINE & FOX) Channel 9 in NSW/QLD GEM in VIC/SA/WA NSW & QLD CUPS SHOULD BE ONE MATCH LIVE IN NINE EACH SATURDAY AT 3pm SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW: 11am EVERY SUNDAY CHANNEL 9 COMMENTATORS: MAIN COMBINATION: ANDREW VOSS, PETER STERLING, ANDREW JOHNS SIDELINE: Brad Fittler
JAYDEN :)
Guest
What about 4pm or 5pm
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I agree, but we both know that's a pipedream.
matth
Guest
Don't worry, you can guarantee a footballer somewhere will do something so stupid that we will have plenty to talk about. Or the cricket side will select Shane Watson.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
For mine? The ABC, in an ideal world. Publicly funded, therefore more responsibility to be even-handed, impartial and representative of all Australians. I acknowledge that the world isn't ideal though.
jimo
Guest
Considering the NRL left the NZRL in the dark about the tv deal and didnt bother to contact them untill 2 days later by Email, maybe it is an anti NZ thing.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Well said CC.
3 Hats
Guest
YES it will be. Games this year are live on GEM In Tasmania and Perth... I have family that live there and watch it LIVE I can't say for VIC or SA!
3 Hats
Guest
No it wont return, 6pm is the likely time as of last year!
3 Hats
Guest
There are still 4 games to be negotiated so therefore Ch7 and TEN can still bid for the other 4 games.
Ken
Guest
The Kiwis have won one Anzac test this century and historically have complained about the timing of the event. I doubt moving the test to the end of the year is an 'anti-NZ' thing.
Ken
Guest
Correction - how does that matter? We all know that the most quoted ratings figures are for the 5 big metro areas, it's an important stat but it's not the only thing that matters. There's still plenty of people in those other markets that advertisers would like to reach.
Ken
Guest
'I’d say a big element of reasoning in signing the FTA now and delaying the PTV and Digital rights is that nothing much is changing with FTA' Maybe, or it might be that the timing is just right for FTA. The whole industry is in a massive shake-up and the future of FTA is shaky. Right now, channel 9 think they can secure their position by signing a big deal with the NRL, in a couple of years they might not be so optimistic.
Kingcowboy
Guest
CC that has to be one of the best posts I have ever read on this website. Well said Sir, I tip my hat to you.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
You are not being a party pooper,.but the facts are,crowds dropped in other codes also ,and there was no mention of an IC. If we had retained the prior admin,I have no doubt the code would still be hamstrung under a first & last rights clause,and we would still be chasing a $1bn deal. We would have no integrity unit,no Govt lobbying unit,no International emphasis,no welfare policy for players,still no control over ,scheduling which is changed under the new Tv deal,no infrastructure policy.I could go on. NO IC has control over weather,traffic conditions,economy,position on the ladder of big drawing teams.They do have control over marketing,pricing and improved infrastructure.Thye need to concentrate on the latter now they will have the money to do so.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
9 on sell to WIN
Correction
Guest
You have essentially only named two markets. Metro Sydney and Metro Brisbane, the rest are regional.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
For all the ch9 have their problems (Hadley being first among them), which FTA channel would you want to cover rugby league? 10 is half way in the pocket of Foxtel, and 7 wouldn't know what to do with both the AFL and NRL.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
I hope to God you're right about Hadley. I'm not sure you are tho. No one will take him on because of the return serve he'll put on them through his radio show. I've only ever seen Gus and Hadley in the box once. Which paints an interesting picture.