News Coronavirus and NRL

[Nerd]

If the NRL just drop Nine cold and jump to Ten, then when this current broadcast deal is over Nine won't be inclined to offer as much as they might for the next contract, and that will hurt the contracts' value even if the NRL doesn't intend to sign with Nine next time around. So for the NRL to get the best outcome in the future, they have to get a good outcome for themselves for the next few years without totally compromising their relationship with Nine.

If V'Landys is the smooth operator that everybody makes him out to be, he'll use the threat of Ten to force Nine to more or less uphold their end of the current contract, without any really major changes or it being extended, and line up Ten to make a big offer for the rights once the current contract is over without pissing Nine off to much.

It'll be interesting to see if V'Landys can pull that off, if he can't though, then yeah, forcing Nine to break the contract and going to Ten on similar but less money with better exposure would be better than allowing Nine to bully the NRL into giving them whatever they want, but could he pull that off without compromising the NRL's deal with Fox?

Whatever happens it'll be interesting to see how V'Landys handles it, and if the ARLC, NRL, and clubs, will stand united behind him or if they'll cave to pressure from the broadcasters, and sacrifice him like they did David Smith.

What was telling was that Marks went to V'Landys not the other way around. If Nine do lose their biggest ratings winner to say Ten I don't believe Marks would hold his position for very long after this was announced and he knows it. If the NRL has secured an offshore loan that they can draw down on that certainly erodes any position of power Nine may have thought that they were negotiating from.

V'Landys come across as a shrewd operator and the fact that he has been interviewed one on one on Ten and has been leaking information also via Ten makes me hope that some back up deal is being formulated. If the NRL crumble to Nines outrageous demands they are screwed at the next rights deal. Nine have treated the game with contempt and that dummy spit in the last week is unacceptable and I hope V'Landys keeps that in mind when negotiating with them.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Some interesting angles in those articles.

SMH - 9 getting 2 exclusive games and Foxtel getting 6 exclusive games is win/win.

The Australian - Foxtel is against giving up content.

This is super interesting stuff...

We have never seen the 2 major newspapers go head to head or 9 and Fox so openly fighting.

I guess this should have been expected when 9 took over Fairfax

 

[big hit!]

Thursday night and Fri 6pm are f**ked anyway. Shit for fans unless you're a fat f**k who doesn't leave home.

Those two matches, and the simulcast, were all about $$$ the NRL could make.

Anyone who thinks networks are going to be clamouring to hand over top $$$ for any sport in the current climate are dreaming. No doubt Vlandys will sell every night of the week in an attempt to maintain or remain close to what they had. NIne are giving away a game to pay less, and FOX will probably be happy to give up simulcasting 2 matches as they reduces their rights too.

Perhaps a USA-style arrangement where networks share the rights, and spreading the cost, may work. A bit like what the AFL did a decade ago too. the NFL is on CBS, Fox network (terrestrial), NBC, and ESPN. giving exclusivity to each match will up the value of each game.

we could have (hypothetically):
Fri 8pm - Nine
Sat 1:30pm - Fox
Sat 3:30pm - Fox
Sat 5:30pm - Fox
Sat 7:30pm - Ten
(Sun 12:30pm - Fox)
Sun 2:30pm - Ten
Sun 4:15pm - Nine
(Sun 6:30pm - Fox)

Warriors home at 12:30, otherwise have a Sunday night match at 6:30pm

Finals shared between Nine and Ten, simulcast on Fox

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

It seems they wanted some certainty over not just the future of the game, but the clubs. It is also believed Nine is positioning itself to negotiate a long-term extension, which would ward off the prospect of the Ten or Seven networks launching a bid to steal the rights.

Ten has been watching recent events with great interest, the sense that it is biding its time to make a play for the sport

So why exactly would the NRL sign for less and fir longer if there is proper competitive tension?

I guess 9 were hoping the “you guys are desperate for cash now” thing was the ticket. So this new line of credit has really f*ck them, hey.

Seems telling that the 9 bloke made the trip to visit Vlad. That is not a power move.....

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Thursday night and Fri 6pm are f**ked anyway. Shit for fans unless you're a fat f**k who doesn't leave home.

Those two matches, and the simulcast, were all about $$$ the NRL could make.

Anyone who thinks networks are going to be clamouring to hand over top $$$ for any sport in the current climate are dreaming. No doubt Vlandys will sell every night of the week in an attempt to maintain or remain close to what they had. NIne are giving away a game to pay less, and FOX will probably be happy to give up simulcasting 2 matches as they reduces their rights too.

Perhaps a USA-style arrangement where networks share the rights, and spreading the cost, may work. A bit like what the AFL did a decade ago too. the NFL is on CBS, Fox network (terrestrial), NBC, and ESPN. giving exclusivity to each match will up the value of each game.

we could have (hypothetically):
Fri 8pm - Nine
Sat 1:30pm - Fox
Sat 3:30pm - Fox
Sat 5:30pm - Fox
Sat 7:30pm - Ten
(Sun 12:30pm - Fox)
Sun 2:30pm - Ten
Sun 4:15pm - Nine
(Sun 6:30pm - Fox)

Warriors home at 12:30, otherwise have a Sunday night match at 6:30pm

Finals shared between Nine and Ten, simulcast on Fox

- 9 and Fox cannot both reduce costs. NRL will get the same, so they will just be trading costs between themselves
- 9 want exclusivity as THE broadcaster of fta RL. So no 10 unless 9 breaks the deal
- Fox want saturdays exclusive. They wont give that up for anything

 

[Desert Qlder]

If Vlandys accepts a two year extension for less money, less fta coverage and no simucast on Fox then he will go down as the worse nrl administrator since Gallop!

But but he's like Trump. Which means that if he f**ks up it will be someone else's fault basically.

 

[Angry_eel]

3 broadcasters want the game, yet somehow things look bad for the game. How is that even possible?

Also, only 1 broadcaster is being a prick and that's channel 9.

 

[Cactus]

Why does the nrl need $250mill if it is planning to restart end of May?

I get the impression the negotiations for this commenced back well before the May 28 announcement, so I tend to think of this (especially as is line of credit) as a backup plan.

Although now that its public knowledge look at the clubs put their hand out quicker than a Charlie Sheen hooker.

 

[Spot On]

As the meeting was held at RNSW Headquarters, I wonder if Peter was able to go full Trump and make sure his throne sat well above Hugh's uncomfortable pew?

Gotta get that power edge in the meeting and show everyone who's boss.

FMD.

A few LU users will piss their pants if a future meeting is held anywhere near the NEC offices.

Lol.

 

[Mr Angry]

CH9 having any games is a loss.

There is no win in that.

I will be buying directly from the NRL where possible.

 

[Cactus]

What a self serving article by SMH.

There is little hope of having this all land on 10 as the broadcaster (as much as I would love that), as the issue of contract breach looms large in the background. I still say 9 made a mistake by publicly declaring its wish to renege on existing contractual arrangements & the NRL should use it to either leverage 9 or move away from the current contract while stating 9 is in breach.

But I somehow doubt Vlandys will navigate around all of that & will just acquiesce and the game will end up behind the 8 ball once again.

 

[Timbo]

I wonder if ESPN are making any moves. They said pre-season they wanted ‘a seat at the table’ and they have been very vocal in the last year or two about wanting Australian content for their channels here.

 

[Valheru]

I wonder if ESPN are making any moves. They said pre-season they wanted ‘a seat at the table’ and they have been very vocal in the last year or two about wanting Australian content for their channels here.

That is an interesting one because won't a good portion of the money go back to foxtel anyways as that is the medium they use to broadcast?

 

[no name]

That is an interesting one because won't a good portion of the money go back to foxtel anyways as that is the medium they use to broadcast?

I’m pretty sure they have an online streaming platform too?

 

[Valheru]

I’m pretty sure they have an online streaming platform too?

They do. I access it via my foxtel subscription. Not sure if they have a direct subscription or not.

 

[unforgiven]

I wonder if ESPN are making any moves. They said pre-season they wanted ‘a seat at the table’ and they have been very vocal in the last year or two about wanting Australian content for their channels here.

They are not really in a position to, it is only the free to air rights that have the potential to be available!

 

[T-Boon]

They do. I access it via my foxtel subscription. Not sure if they have a direct subscription or not.

Yep ESPN3 its good for college football. Come September, I am going to need to see if we can have access to ESPN3 without Foxtel since I cut it last month.

 

[TheFrog]

Why does the nrl need $250mill if it is planning to restart end of May?

Because the Government might decide at the last minute they can't? Because they might end up in court?

 

[TheFrog]

I guess this should have been expected when 9 took over Fairfax

What was expected was that SMH and its fellow publications would become no more than mouthpieces for Nine, while continuing to carry the slogan "Independent Always". They haven't let anyone down.

 

[big hit!]

Warriors are getting frustrated.

If May 28 is the date, then George is saying they have to leave NZ for Oz by this Sunday to get the quarantine done, and then hold a mini prep to get ready for games.

George is saying there's a lack of comms from HQ. We like to criticise Ch9, but it seems this is standard from the NRL.

Basically, the Warriors situation is yet another reason the comp can't go ahead.