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Show me the TV money. That’s what Canterbury coach Des Hasler is saying to the NRL, after the AFL trumpeted a $2.5 billion broadcast deal earlier this week.
The AFL announcement came after NRL boss Dave Smith struck a $925 million deal for the free-to-air TV rights with Channel Nine last week.
The AFL’s deal covers free-to-air, pay TV and digital rights, with the NRL still to negotiate deals for the latter areas and the AFL covers six seasons rather than rugby league’s five.
But Hasler reflected increasing disquiet in rugby league circles on Thursday, when he questioned where the rest of the money for the NRL’s broadcast rights would come from.
“I think they (the NRL) have got bigger problems on their plate at the moment than the shoulder charge,” Hasler said on Thursday.
“I think the NRL will be thinking, ‘We’ve got $925 million. Where’s the other $1.6 (billion) going to come from?'” he said.
The NRL announcement that four games a week will be shown in free-to-air TV from 2018 was welcomed by many in the game at the time.
But the massive figure Fox Sports have outlaid to gain the AFL rights has put the spotlight firmly pack on the NRL and its ongoing negotiations.
There are two years still left to run on the NRL’s current broadcast deal, giving it time enough to negotiate with the likes of online operators Google, Netflix and Stan if they are willing to pay up big for the digital rights.
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