Next TV deal discussion 2028 -

[insert.pause]

If the nrl are selling packaged timeslots they will get seven & ten bidding, they don’t need to outlay hundreds of millions a year to get a game, which is enough to force nine into outbidding them to stop it.

 

[insert.pause]

Wonder how long before streamers can get all the rights and put a couple of games in front of the paywall to satisfy anti-syphoning laws.

Digital rights aren’t restricted by anti-siphoning legislation, there’s nothing stopping streamers from buying up the digital rights & putting them on a subscription service. Nine can still get the 3 fta games, but only the terrestrial rights, they wouldn’t be able to show them on 9Now.

 

[Steel Saints]

Yes. It just seems some are blinded by their dislike of AFL and that just because the NRL rates higher it should get more money. Some are happy for Foxtel to fold if Stan gets it now, but that eliminates a potential bidder next time around. If say Stan is the only paytv bidder next time because Foxtel/Dazn have gone broke, why would Stan bid against itself next time to raise the price. You need healthy competition for the rights to get a better price. Same if 7 goes broke because of the AFL rights. Nine won't have competition.

Our NZ friends can confirm, but is their only 1 paytv company in that country? Doesn't matter how popular league is getting there, the paytv company will not empty its wallet to the NRL if it does not have competition for the rights.

Same as people wanting union to die off or become park level and irrelevant but then wanting the NRL and union to team up to lobby government to get stadiums built. Can't have it both ways.

I think what most people want is for the NRL to finally get a more accurate worth of their rights. For 15 years, they were part owned by Fox. A few years later after becoming independent, Dave Smith only did the FTA component and then got the boot. In 2020, PVL gave Fox an extension during Covid lockdown. All PVL had to do was adjust the contract for the year at the time.

So history tells us that NRL rights has been undervalued. NRL did looked after Fox last time around. I think it's fair for the NRL to look after itself for a change.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Part of the problem is that Nine already have everything they want from the NRL and unless theres competitive tension, theres no one to raise the rate.

How do you know that ?

I`m sure Nine would love to bring NRL.com and all the traffic it attracts under its` umbrella or at least certainly a lot closer. But that would require a very close partnership, maybe the type of partnership you get for $600m/annum.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Are there restrictions on a minimum numbers of games each week that need be shown on FTA ?

Think I remember talk of this before and only a couple of games in front of the pay-wall would suffice.

Digital rights aren’t restricted by anti-siphoning legislation, there’s nothing stopping streamers from buying up the digital rights & putting them on a subscription service. Nine can still get the 3 fta games, but only the terrestrial rights, they wouldn’t be able to show them on 9Now.

Was aware of this, but the point I was making was how long before streaming is embedded enough for streamers to be able to stick a couple of games in front of their pay-wall and this would satisfy anti-syphoning rules. Maybe not this deal but the next.

 

[Frank Burge]

Digital rights aren’t restricted by anti-siphoning legislation, there’s nothing stopping streamers from buying up the digital rights & putting them on a subscription service. Nine can still get the 3 fta games, but only the terrestrial rights, they wouldn’t be able to show them on 9Now.

There is also no legislation that it has to be live on fta so Dazn could buy the lot and let ABC show 4 hour delayed replays

 

[BuffaloRules]

I think what most people want is for the NRL to finally get a more accurate worth of their rights. For 15 years, they were part owned by Fox. A few years later after becoming independent, Dave Smith only did the FTA component and then got the boot. In 2020, PVL gave Fox an extension during Covid lockdown. All PVL had to do was adjust the contract for the year at the time.

So history tells us that NRL rights has been undervalued. NRL did looked after Fox last time around. I think it's fair for the NRL to look after itself for a change.

No one here would be happier than me if they get $3 Billion his time …but having blind optimism alone won’t make it happen…. they have taken unders for decades it seems … when was the last time they even took the rights to the market ? Let’s hope there are some bidders we don’t know about to drive up the price ..

 

[BuffaloRules]

There is also no legislation that it has to be live on fta so Dazn could buy the lot and let ABC show 4 hour delayed replays

No ads at least

 

[insert.pause]

There is also no legislation that it has to be live on fta so Dazn could buy the lot and let ABC show 4 hour delayed replays

Fta still get first crack at the rights.

 

[i0Nic]

Everything the nrl has been doing from adding teams, to Vegas, to pacific strategy (number 1 game in pacific and Australia), looking at investing in esl etc is centred around getting the most of the next tv deal. I am sure PVL is going to get the maximum possible deal that will be possible for the nrl.

 

[Trifili13]

While there might not be any legislation requiring games to be shown live, there is no way tv is going to pay top dollar to then show the games on delay. If you know the result and your team loses or gets flogged, people would not even bother to watch the game, hence lower ratings and lower advertising dollars to the tv station. NRL might also have some clause in contract that games must be live to air so long it does not contravene any law.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Fta still get first crack at the rights.

That really doesn`t mean much though does it.

 

[colly]

Nine will be able to dictate the terms though because there doesn’t appear to be another market for the NRL FTA rights …this answers the second point because the Origin won’t be on 7 if that is the only part of the rights they are going to bid on which seems likely

Nine got the rights cheaply before. In fact foxtel cheaper deal IS a furphy, as of right now Foxtel/Kayo have been paying over $255m pa and have been of a few years ( while a couple of years ago AFL got from Foxtel roughly the same) but back to this deal, as as said before negotiations that got the $600 m over five years, roughly $115m pa cash was a steal. From memory the NRL and Abdo held out for 2 moths to get a better deal- they were aiming for $130m cash, but as with the end of COVID still in memory Nine held fast as others ie 7 and 10 were not bidding for the whole contract. So now we create two TV packages. At over $100m pa ( which NOW is not much $, ie inflation) Even Ten can get involved at this price especially if we create 2 Tv packages , a major Tv deal for Nine over $100m pa, with a minor $85m pa deal for Ten.

 

[reanimate]

There is also no legislation that it has to be live on fta so Dazn could buy the lot and let ABC show 4 hour delayed replays

Or if the NRL gets enough out of 7 for an Origin + finals package, they could sell the regular season remainder to the ABC for cheap to stick it to Nine to make them come to the negotiating table next time.

 

[Cactus]

We can negotiate directly or we could possibly go the tender route.

If doing a tender the bid document would set whatever the relevant terms & conditions for bidders are such as live coverage, payment terms, restrictions if any on bidding for different packages etc etc.

Bidders would then bid for FTA or Stream or both and a sum per timeslot or for combinations or for the whole lot. All bids individually set out as a firm sum per annum (with maybe a CPI type increase per year attached).

It would entice the most interest and the NRL could pick & choose the winning bids in any combination of timeslots & any combination of broadcast partners.

There is a risk no one wants to bid or that all bids are too low which I would suggest is more than highly unlikely but even then, the NRL could open direct negotiations with any or all.

 

[Wb1234]

Wonder how long before streamers can get all the rights and put a couple of games in front of the paywall to satisfy anti-syphoning laws.

Someone posted that Fox can actually bid for the rights to origin then show it on delay

Something I can’t remember exactly

I think what most people want is for the NRL to finally get a more accurate worth of their rights. For 15 years, they were part owned by Fox. A few years later after becoming independent, Dave Smith only did the FTA component and then got the boot. In 2020, PVL gave Fox an extension during Covid lockdown. All PVL had to do was adjust the contract for the year at the time.

So history tells us that NRL rights has been undervalued. NRL did looked after Fox last time around. I think it's fair for the NRL to look after itself for a change.

It’s not as simple as that

I don’t know if it’s true but their were reports Fox could’ve sued for breach of contract for not being able to fulfill its schedule

He didn’t need to extend five years that’s where afl saw from his mistake and took the correct action

 

[Wb1234]

There is also no legislation that it has to be live on fta so Dazn could buy the lot and let ABC show 4 hour delayed replays

Nrl would never allow its showpiece to be shown on delay on fta

The smart move is to allow Fox to stream origin whilst nine or seven show the game on fta

Fox would pay way more than any impact on the fta rights

And it would grow ratings since Fox coverage is superior

 

[BuffaloRules]

Nine got the rights cheaply before. In fact foxtel cheaper deal IS a furphy, as of right now Foxtel/Kayo have been paying over $255m pa and have been of a few years ( while a couple of years ago AFL got from Foxtel roughly the same) but back to this deal, as as said before negotiations that got the $600 m over five years, roughly $115m pa cash was a steal. From memory the NRL and Abdo held out for 2 moths to get a better deal- they were aiming for $130m cash, but as with the end of COVID still in memory Nine held fast as others ie 7 and 10 were not bidding for the whole contract. So now we create two TV packages. At over $100m pa ( which NOW is not much $, ie inflation) Even Ten can get involved at this price especially if we create 2 Tv packages , a major Tv deal for Nine over $100m pa, with a minor $85m pa deal for Ten.

Can you specify hypothetically what games you are referring to across the two packages? I’m assuming the more games on FTA lessens the price paid for the pay rights which would be exclusively shown by a streamer …?

Also …is Ten a viable bidder this time ? I thought they weren’t interested

 

[colly]

Can you specify hypothetically what games you are referring to across the two packages? I’m assuming the more games on FTA lessens the price paid for the pay rights which would be exclusively shown by a streamer …?

Also …is Ten a viable bidder this time ? I thought they weren’t interested

This I posted B4. I also had at the back of my mind to stick up a greter deal started in 2027, however thats complicated and events seem to be overtaken by other rights packages coming on in the entertainment area.

EPL Rights All But Clinched For Nine As Paramount Scores Exhibition Matches

Moving streaming services might be a pain but we'll suffer any hardship to continue watching Man Utd's disintegration.

www.bandt.com.au

This is concerning.( above link) possibly the only good point is the sale of Nine/SMH Real Estate business have them cashed up. But how much are they prepared to spend. However they (Nine) will low ball again. The acquisition of the EPL and F1 would just about sate they thirst for NRL. But they would be missing he opportunity, as per V'landy it is the highest rating product and going higher. If the go for EPL and F1 these product are consumed mainly in the 'wee hours' of the day, it weather they realize this condition fully, by low balling the NRL, justifying the NRL offer amount by saying 'who else' is going to pay. Any way .
If this is the case go to 10 give them Thur, All Friday and one Sunday game leading into their News, for $155mpa. One can say you got a growing international audience UK NZ PNG pacific and small USA opening. Go to home base CBS America show them the game, sell the USA NRL rights to CBS to sweeten the deal.

Now to answer you question I rely to my own with my previous proposal.

 

[Perth Red]

Think I remember talk of this before and only a couple of games in front of the pay-wall would suffice.



Was aware of this, but the point I was making was how long before streaming is embedded enough for streamers to be able to stick a couple of games in front of their pay-wall and this would satisfy anti-syphoning rules. Maybe not this deal but the next.

Basically what sky has done in nz, though they dont have same anti syphoning as us.