Nine Entertainment should be careful what they wish for after boss Hugh Marks threatened to walk away from rugby league this week, according to a former NRL and AFL media rights adviser.
In the midst of sensitive broadcast negotiations with the NRL and Foxtel, Marks told analysts and investors at the Macquarie Australia Conference 2020 on Tuesday that the free-to-air broadcaster could relinquish the rights to rugby league.
Colin Smith, who is boss of Global Media and Sports and has previously advised both the NRL and AFL, said it was risky for Nine to play out broadcast negotiations publicly.
“There’s an old saying, ‘be careful what you wish for’ and I would think any other broadcaster would love to have State of Origin or finals even if it was just for this year,” Smith told AAP.
“There’s some big risks for Channel Nine in what they’re doing.”
While Foxtel relies on live sport to sustain the subscription television model, Smith says free-to-air broadcasters also need rights to a major sport to maintain their businesses.
According to Smith, a free-to-air sports broadcaster without either the NRL or AFL risks going backwards enormously and he cited financial hardship Channel 10 faced once it lost AFL rights.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is negotiating with both Nine and Foxtel over a cost reduction for the 2020 NRL season and a reassessment of the value of the game.
And while Smith agrees there is a reduction in the value of sport in the pre-COVID-19 marketplace, giving up rights to a major live sport on a free-to-air network is even more costly.
He said making the broadcast negotiations public could damage the relationship for the future deals.
“It changes the relationship (between the NRL and Nine) and my personal view is when push comes to shove I’d be amazed that Channel Nine doesn’t broadcast this year, I think the risk is too great for them to do that,” he said.
“I’m not quite sure it’s in the interests of anybody to do all of your discussions out there in the public.”
Foxtel is reportedly preparing to forge a partnership with a rival free-to-air broadcaster to satisfy anti-siphoning laws, and could include simulcast rights for State of Origin and the NRL grand final.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
You must be thrilled with the news of the NRLs extended tv deal. Terrific isn’t it? Good old Peter V’landys hey?
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
I haven’t overlooked anything. I understand the dynamics of both competitions very clearly. Our competition is about to go ahead. Yours isn’t. I suggest it would be better for you spend more time criticising the failures of your sport to restart. And stop making excuses. It’s not a good look.
mama
Guest
You have overlooked the AFL has a national competition and consequently harder to organise as V'Landys has stated - the NRL starts on May 28 allegedly and there is still no draw. Perhaps more AFL players are doing courses and moving to a interstate hub is harder. The Warriors seemed to have problems and the Titans , Storm etc so no-one is doing this with ease
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Probably the easiest way would be to allow the appropriate ombudsman to Take and investigate complaints. The complainant would provide relevant evidence with their complaint and the broadcaster would be allowed to provide evidence with their response. The Ombudsman would assess the evidence and determine on the balance of probabilities whether the broadcaster had engaged in unfair conduct in order to influence a commercial contract or relationship they were a party to. Not that tricky.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
"Only the NRL demanded govt assistance" that is false & was reported in the media that the codes all approached the govt. It's just easier to bash the NRL because there will be a greater reaction from the public.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
I don’t think he’ll agree with you lol
Nat
Roar Guru
You've already lost the arguement when it hinges on your personal opinion of the guy. Agree politicians can be manipulated but the health dept cannot and that's who has given them the ok. Nothing has been rushed, they have sought and implemented the best health advice possible while including the RLPA along the way. Many sports organisations around the world will be back up before NRL in countries far worse effected by COVID than Aust, are they all "Trumps"? AFL are not doing it slowly for the sake of caution they are doing it badly. No dates to work toward, no Govt approvals, no communication with the players or their associations. They are leaving it all to speculation. The NRL have a handful of players questioning one aspect of the plan, the AFL have everyone questioning the plan because there is none. Wait until they do release it and everyone has their shot at pulling it apart. You should be thankful the NRL has given them a path with precedents to follow or the AFL would never get off the ground.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Alternatively the afl have been moribund and ineffective and the nrl proactive. Who has a start date and who doesn’t? Please explain!
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
There was no analysis to comment on.
mama
Guest
And how would you enforce that ? Well meaning but unfortunately nonsense
mama
Guest
Is that your contribution to analysis?
Mama
Guest
The dust hasn't settled on any of these codes yet and the NRL may start but they have lost a lot of kudos rushing where the rest of the community have taken it easy due to the risks so long term may lose in areas where they are trying to expand. There's along way to go and the AFL are doing it slow without browbeating govts like V'Landys has which may in long term be counter productive. We will see. Lets take our flu shots and see! At least the AFL could get a loan from a local bank and the NRL may have put themselves into hock for years to come but then again they may all have. Only the NRL demanded govt assistance - V'landys is another Trump.
Ben
Guest
What is the mystery ’international exposure ’ Idea which keeps floating around? Exposure to where? The game hasn’t even restarted!
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Good grief. What a silly comment!
Nat
Roar Guru
And what's the next closest mama? Your broke -A$$ Union or 'we're not telling anyone our plans but don't start training yet' AFL?
Rob
Guest
Thanks
HENRIK
Guest
I think the NRL has to remain Courteous in the negotiations with nine because they are currently paying massive overs for the remainder of the contract. While its fair to re-negotiate the remainder of this season things will be back to normal next season and 9 will have to honour the current contract. But its good to see everyone seems to hate CH9 and their NRL coverage as much as I do.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Nine can't be afford to walk away from the NRL. It's already lost cricket. League is the only good show left on Nine
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
There is zero chance of Marks walking away from league. That would be plain stupidity and suicide for both him and ch9 as much as I wish he would just to get rid of all the stale bread on that network.
1.5 metres please
Guest
Not the game itself, just the grounds it’s played on .