In the wake of Dave Smith’s departure, Channel Nine and Fox Sports have come to terms regarding the former’s Saturday night NRL fixtures, a crucial slot for Fox.
Plans were put in place by the NRL in August for Nine to receive four live matches per week, splitting the game share down the middle with a Pay TV partner, as opposed to Fox’s previous five-to-three advantage.
First and foremost the newest move will see Fox retain the Saturday night fixture and resultantly the entirety of Saturday matches, making for a happy News Corp chief, Rupert Murdoch.
Maintaining the five-three game status quo over Nine is obviously good news for Foxtel’s sports-subscription base.
However the new deal is somewhat peculiar for Murdoch given when trumpeting the six-year, $2.508 billion broadcast rights deal for the AFL, he stated, “We’ve always believed that this is the premium code in Australia – it’s the national game.”
Despite whatever personal preference Murdoch holds, the reported $35 million a year Fox has paid to reclaim the Saturday night fixture from Channel Nine shows he still respects the importance of the NRL and its fan-base.
Secondly, this announcement will affect fans of the NRL. When the initial $925 million Nine deal was announced, all four games were to be aired live – including primetime Thursday, Friday and Saturday slots, and the traditional Sunday afternoon fixture.
So are fans now losing out with the removal of a fourth free-to-air game? Yes and no.
There will still be three live free-to-air matches per week from 2016, an improvement on the previous two offered by Nine until the 2015 season adjustment.
The new structure of the NRL competition – 25 weeks as opposed to 26, with only one ‘half round’ – remains, which is also a win for fans as the quality remains high. Furthermore, the much bemoaned Monday-night game will be scrapped in 2017.
In terms of Fox maintaining their share of fixtures, it is a double-edged sword.
2015 saw widespread derision from fans and media outlets over Nine’s coverage. Issues ranged from poor match-day presentation, questionable commentator selection and of course quality issues over the besieged Footy Show, which would most likely have been discontinued or rebranded if someone other than Nine had acquired the free-to-air rights.
So yes, it means fewer free-to-air matches for fans, but with digital outlets still on offer, such as Telstra’s terrific and cheap smartphone live streaming of matches, fans can still access games and will be offered high-quality coverage.
The simulcasting agreement reached with Fox offers further choice and quality to consumers, albeit at subscription prices. It also gives Murdoch more sway to gain new subscribers, who have iterated their aforementioned concerns regarding Nine’s presentation.
It gets even better for fans, with Fox deciding to replicate their successful AFL formula and introduce a dedicated NRL channel in 2017. The promise of a rugby league hub delivering 24/7 content should be enough to substantially increase subscription numbers, and is a boost for the broadcaster after losing the English Premier League rights.
Perhaps most importantly is what the Foxtel deal means for the strength of the game from a financial and longevity standpoint. In short, things are extremely positive.
As the NRL proudly declared, “The deal is worth $1.8 billion to the NRL – 70 per cent higher than the existing rights.
“With the sale of international and radio rights to come, it is anticipated that the total value of the final package will exceed $1.9 billion.”
Despite Phil Gould tweeting his lack of concern between the NRL and AFL, it is necessary to compare the two deals.
The AFL deal is $2.508 billion over six years, equating to $418 million per year.
At an estimated $1.9 billion over five years, the NRL deal will bring in approximately $380 million per year.
So while the AFL maintain their place at the top of the media-rights tree, it’s not the financial trouncing that many feared in the wake of Murdoch’s August outlay.
There is certainly more work to do to improve the standing of the game, particularly in the game-day experience area, given there were decade-low attendances in 2015. There is also general dissatisfaction from fans regarding ticket and food pricing, and substandard game-day entertainment.
But this landmark deal is certainly one the administration can proudly stand by.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
To whom should I address the response? Jethro or Mamma or both morphed together? Over reaction ? Tad sensitive methinks ,judging by your puerile response. For the umpteenth time I have stated the Bombers are a business consortium .It is backed by 11 such people all with a love of the game,and wanting it to grow. Their base will revolve around the Sunshine Coast where they intend promoting and growing grassroots and having 3 Qld cup sides under their wing.They intern playing out of Suncorp. The sponsors on board to name a few ch9,(unsurprising) MMM,Sunshine Regional Council,Brisbane Airport,Novotel Sunshine Coast,Virgin airlines . Now whether expansion happens within the current deal time will tell,but they are just one of many bidding.I share your concern ,we all want the NRL to expand quickly,just be patient.Unless of course you are an AFL fan BTW expansion in Brisbane Bombers) has been mentioned by print media other than there Telegraph.
Mamma
Guest
I said "The telegraph said the Brisbane Bombers were ready to go in a tender process??? The Bombers are run by a mate of news Ltd so have little credibility" and your gross over-reaction reply was "And here again you rely on what the Telegraph print. Livermore is indeed part of the Bombers bid , and was indeed part of the Broncos setup. So what.Their bid is just one of up to 7 and indeed one of 3 in the Brisbane area.They are not a community based one BTW and they are not being parachuted in should they win,like GWS". So are they community based or one of 3 communities that live in Bomber land in Brisbane airport
Mamma
Guest
So I finally got an answer - no expansion at the moment or during the next TV rights deal one assumes. There were a lot of words used up to get that...
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
So we have established both Jethro and Mamma are one and the same people ,on this site.How do you get away with it? No I do not miss the point,man of many aliases.The Bombers are not the only bid team that could affect the Brisbane Broncos monopoly on the Brisbane market. Western Corridor which would use Suncorp stadium,Brothers bid ditto,and another from Brisbane North. And you missed the other point,Brisbane CEO has acknowledged the fact that there will be another Brisbane based team along the line,and they do not have a problem with that. According to Grant which I saw,heard on ch7,after the announcement,there is no expansion on the agenda ATM.You understand what ATM means?It has always been Grant's intention to firstly secure the financials of all NRL clubs,which he has done.It has always been his intention to boost money on grassroots which he will be doing.Then expansion. I respond to ignorant comments (particularly from those with an AFL bent) with a sermon and a rant.You well and truly earned it.You expend a lot of energy on rl tabs,to try to point score.
Jethro
Guest
You missed the point. The only reference to expansion was in the telegraph and mentioned the Bombers which I figured was a stalking horse for news Ltd make sure if by some miracle it does get up News Ltd still has the power of owning the Brisbane market - a key element of bargaining power in the comp. Like Murdoch owning the Los Angeles Dodgers and trying to buy Manchester United he needs to exert power by owning a major team. That's why he still has the Broncos . Hence I asked the qn and got back a sermon in return. According to the press today new money split means no new team in 2017 but hell its RL so it will different on Saturday. This is apparently your considered response - I would hate to see a rant. "The Bombers are run by a consortium ,not just one mate of News. Typical AFL just generalise ,ignore the facts.The Bombers in fact will be in competition with the Broncos should they get the bid,that would eat into News Ltd Broncos perhaps."
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Mamma. And i gave you a considered simple response. Relying on the Telegraph for expansion bids in SEQ is fraught with danger.In anycase they have mentioned expansion bids in the past,from other areas. The Bombers would be in direct competition with the Broncos part owned by News.If anything the Telegraph would be more inclined toward the Broncos,rather than a former Broncos exec.That melad is being objective.
Noel
Guest
Should NRL fans be happy with three free-to-air games a week?
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Yesterday in the smh Master was writing on RL issue and I took 3 seconds to skim the article for his habitual Inclusion of "AFL". Sure enough, in an article about RL he needlessly included a reference to the AFL. And what did he say?...Well the point that he just had to include was words the effect that the AFL "insists" that it content to be the number two code in NSW/QLD - the inference was that the AFL is really gunning to be the number one code but is just deceptively placating other codes on the northern states by toning down public statements about it strategy. This is yet more paranoid rubbish from Masters. He seemingly must include references to the AFL in all of his writing, and he always always is incorrect. In this case - when precisely has the AFL ever "insisted" it is content to be he number two code in NSW/QLD. More voices in his head. The AFL has zero chance of being the number code in NSW/QLD. Zero. And the AFL is well aware of that. There is no need to "insist" that it is content to be the number two code, and it never has insisted that. Masters may as well come out and say "the AFL has insisted that the sky is blue". That'd make about as much sense. Instead we have Masters pointlessly putting a reference to the AFL in his article and at the same time he's implying that the AFL is somehow not genuine - that they say one thing but have other intentions. Paranoid nonsense.
Mamma
Guest
CC I asked the simple qn about what the new deal meant for expansion and the only mention I saw was of the Bombers in the telegraph which is hardly objective which is why I asked the qn.
Birdy
Guest
Love your work CC.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I'll intrude here. Why would there be discussion on the new Tv deal Mamma.For a start there is a provision for a 17th team from Qld,already stated by the NRL and ch9,before this deal. Additionally the Richardson report now before the Commission is subject to revue and decision making.Matters such as structure/expansion/grassroots are part of the overall report.Expected to be set out in January/Feb 2016. And here again you rely on what the Telegraph print.Livermore is indeed part of the Bombers bid , and was indeed part of the Broncos setup.So what.Their bid is just one of up to 7 and indeed one of 3 in the Brisbane area.They are not a community based one BTW and they are not being parachuted in should they win,like GWS. The Bombers are run by a consortium ,not just one mate of News.Typical AFL just generalise ,ignore the facts.The Bombers in fact will be in competition with the Broncos should they get the bid,that would eat into News Ltd Broncos perhaps. Between you Mamma and your mate,your obsession with Masters is worrying ,and both of you are still banging on about it. Just check some of your own code's journos comments,before this continual compulsive obsession with Masters. And I played union for 6 years ,doesn't make me an expert on that code,far from it. Can we please if humanly possible,cease the Masters/Wilson/etc biceps measuring competition,it's a boring as me singing in a karaoke bar.We have strayed from the subject matter ,as to what can be done with the Tv monies for us long suffering fans
Chris
Guest
Maybe the codes can merge with 7's/Touch/Tag.
Birdy
Guest
Or something like that Bruce . I think the best way is to totally ignore them. All the work that crosscoder does and they just take a new tact. One of the best things anyone said to me was , " you can't reason with unreasonable people".
Mamma
Guest
Birdy You are obviously a Rhodes scholar, but I played too much RL as a kid to keep up with you - any discussion of expansion in the new TV rights deal - The telegraph said the Brisbane Bombers were ready to go in a tender process??? The Bombers are run by a mate of news Ltd so have little credibility Bruce Speaking of repetition you appear to have written the same response for the last 2 weeks each time in a slightly different form - much like your hero Roy wrote for the last 5 years on the previous TV footy deals.
Bruce
Guest
They're just inadequate feeling Victorian Rules fanboys Birdy. They come on this tab to divert the conversation away from the main point. I suggest no one actually reply to their fatuous, semi literate refuse. Every time they post just reply with Roy Masters, Roy Masters, Roy Masters.....lol. After they come out from under their beds and are game to post again just repeat same.....lol.
Birdy
Guest
If only Rex Mossop was still alive . I don't really think he would be bothered with social media, but if he was it would be worth an admission fee to read his comments in reply to such twits like mamma and gogws . Where do these type of dills come from?
Renegade
Roar Guru
"real" numbers.... hmmm that must be why they post crowds of 8,000 when there are only 3 men and a dog there.
Mamma
Guest
You don't have a record button...
Mamma
Guest
The GWS average and they have real numbers are about the average of a struggling NRL team in Sydney and not far behind Melbourne Storm who have the town to themselves and have "won" 3, 4, or 5 premierships - I lost count...
Mamma
Guest
The only one who goes on about it is masters and you. masters wrote that the only metric that mattered was that it was much larger increase than the AFL's increase which rates up there with Craig Fosters view that football/soccer is undervalued by fools in Australia because it is the world game yeah like terrorism...