Storm fury at Nine

[El Diablo]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24127504-5016544,00.html

Storm fury at Nine

By Christian Nicolussi | August 05, 2008 12:00am

CHANNEL 9 is under enormous pressure to telecast Friday night's blockbuster between the Storm and Sea Eagles live into Melbourne.

Storm fans are up in arms after being told yesterday the clash between last year's grand final combatants would be shown at midnight south of the border.

The heavyweight clash at Brookvale Oval has been timetabled on the back of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation at 8.30pm, followed by Cold Case, Close To Home and a re-run of Seinfeld.

Nine's snub has been made even tougher to take for Storm fans given rival Channel 7 will broadcast a lopsided AFL clash featuring run-away leaders Geelong and wooden-spoon favourites Melbourne.

The Storm are desperate to draw level with Manly on top of the table and end a nine-year hoodoo at Brookvale. They have won just once from six starts at the northern beaches' venue.

While Nine officials were not commenting last night, NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said he hoped to speak with the station today about the matter.

An angry Storm chief executive, Brian Waldron, said: "Given two of the top teams are playing I thought it was an ideal opportunity to show the game in a reasonable timeslot, and midnight is not a reasonable timeslot.''

Matt Geyer, the only member of the current Storm side to have won at Brookvale, said live games helped the NRL muscle its way into AFL territory.

"We've got our core supporters in Melbourne, but it's the extras who have a (passing) interest in the game we're trying to attract,'' Geyer said. "We played a game against Parramatta earlier this year shown live and it was a great advertisement for the game.

"In the next two weeks we've got the three top teams (including Manly and the Roosters) playing against each other and what better opportunity to show league on TV.''

Geyer, who took the park in the 1999 victory at Brookvale, denied the ground represented any hoodoo for the premiers. But when Melbourne did triumph at Brookvale last, star back Israel Folau was just 10 years old.

"I remember the night we won and it was a case of 'Noddy' (Brett Kimmorley) stealing the show,'' Geyer said. "He scored two tries and kicked the ugliest field goal I've ever seen - the only time the ball got in the air was when it crossed the crossbar.

"It's not a case of the Storm not being able to win there, it's just a ground that Manly has turned into a fortress.''

Geyer said Manly were more consistent this season and were "motivated to succeed'' following their grand final loss, just as the Storm were last year following their 2006 defeat in the season decider.

The veteran utility was surprised the Storm are expected to start favourites with TAB Sportsbet, admitting that the premiers were "not as hot as Manly at the moment''.

"I don't like to bet against us and always think we're a chance against whoever we play, but Manly are in top form, and we're probably not as hot,'' Geyer said. "Had we been at our ground we'd start favourites, but being up there is a different story.''

Geyer said there were no injury concerns at the Storm. Folau, who suffered a rib injury in Friday's win over the Gold Coast, has indicated he will definitely play in the most anticipated club match of the season so far.

it's about time the merkins at 9 got a spray. you'll never hear Gould bagging them though. doesn't fit in with his agendas

 

[bartman]

It's a disgrace the tv rights don't include the strict instruction that the two free-to-air games be shown in the nations second largest market at the same time as they are shown in the first and third. And that's whether they involve the Storm or not.

9 needs a rocket put up it, Roy Masters is the only one who might have the guts.

Gould is a poor man's Masters.

 

[fourplay]

"Use it or lose it, Ch9" :lol:

 

[IanG]

Bloody GTV

 

[joel caine number 1 fan]

yeh damnit, play it live followed by Tigers/Dragons

 

[kia ora storm]

Once again Nine demonstrates their ignorance of league in Melbourne..nothing new and it will never change.

 

[Captian_Klutz]

In Victoria, RL will always be seen as a second rate competition while the game coverage for the state's team remains third rate.

 

[Brutus]

I just wish the writer of that article mentioned "use it or lose it" and seeked a response from Gallop.

Why 12am? Why not at least 10.30pm. The people who run our game are not interested in seeing it grow. Cost Minimisers.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

That`s the price the game pays for giving away broadcasting right to free-to-air tv. FTA have their regular weekly programmes in regular time slots, and their regular advertizers for those programmes and time slots. FTA TV is all about advertizing money, and they obviously don`t think they can get enough advertizing revenue from the games to justify showing them at 10 pm in Melbourne.

 

[Brutus]

That`s the price the game pays for giving away broadcasting right to free-to-air tv. FTA have their regular weekly programmes in regular time slots, and their regular advertizers for those programmes and time slots. FTA TV is all about advertizing money, and they obviously don`t think they can get enough advertizing revenue from the games to justify showing them at 10 pm in Melbourne.

Well this is where the ABC or SBS should be brought in.

Mr Gallop?

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Yep, agree with all of the above comments.
Over to you, Roy Masters.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Isn`t the ABC also Free-to-Air? The only way games are gonna be shown in prime timeslots to Melbourne viewers is if the NRL gives the broadcasting rights away to Channel Nine for peanuts.
The NRL is already losing money by having to give 2 games a week to FTA tv.

 

[Brutus]

Isn`t the ABC also Free-to-Air? .

Free-to-air that doesn't rely on advertising revenue.

David Gallop stated last year that it was written into the contract that if Channel 9 Melb didn't show games before 12am then the NRL had the power to shift matches to SBS or the ABC in Melbourne. This is what we mean by "Use it or Lose it"

Because it came from the mouth of MR Gallop I suspected it was a hollow threat at the time and unfortunately my thoughts have been justified.

When quizzed on the issue on 2SM earlier in the year Gallop had the gall to say that Channel 9 in Melbourne was now complying with the league which of course they are not.

 

[Danish]

seriously how has Roy masters become some sort of hero round here since the SBW thing? He writes mostly weak as piss articles for all the year then had a couple words tovsay about gallop and now he is a champion....

The NRL should simply allow the ABC to broadcast it into victoria. If TV rights work anything like the radio then ch9 cannot complain given the ABC does live calls despite 2GB having exclusive radio rights

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Just to make sure I`m aware of the details:

The two free-to-air games a week, are they ONLY shown on FTA? Or are they first shown live on Fox, and then delayed on Channel Nine?

 

[In-goal]

Once again the night the Olympic games are starting surley Cold case and the like won't pinch ratings off 7, so show the bloody game live.

 

[Miller was a legend]

You are spot on Atilla. Unless the NRL and Channel 9 have it written in the contract to the contrary, scheduling will be at 9's descretion given its potential ratings against other programs. If NRL cannot out rate CSI in Melbourne advertisers will not pay to run adds during the game and 9 isn't making money from the deal.

 

[Miller was a legend]

9 selects the games they show and no they are not shown on PayTV first. So delaying the broadcast in melbourne is even tougher on the Strorm fans

 

[Brutus]

You are spot on Atilla. Unless the NRL and Channel 9 have it written in the contract to the contrary, scheduling will be at 9's descretion given its potential ratings against other programs. If NRL cannot out rate CSI in Melbourne advertisers will not pay to run adds during the game and 9 isn't making money from the deal.

But they have "use it or lose it" written into the contract and are doing nothing about it.

I agree there needs to be a Swans' style clause in the next contract stating that at least one game per week is shown live or in prime time into Melbourne. But then again, the NRL are cost minimisers.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Free-to-air that doesn't rely on advertising revenue.

David Gallop stated last year that it was written into the contract that if Channel 9 Melb didn't show games before 12am then the NRL had the power to shift matches to SBS or the ABC in Melbourne. This is what we mean by "Use it or Lose it"

Right, so ABC is funded by taxpayers` money? Unfortunately broadcasting rugby league is probably not considered a public service, it`s more like a luxury entertainment the ABC might say, and that`s why they are unlikely to wanna spend taxpayers money on it. Especially cos they would need to pay competitive money to snatch the rights from Channel Nine and others.