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News Coronavirus and NRL

League Unlimited News

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
7,624
Can’t read the article but he’s an idiot if he is negotiating for the next 5 years. If he gives up the digital rights then he’s even more of a clown.
Key points:
  • Seven year contract, agreement in principal by Friday
  • Average ~$330m/season
  • Heavy discount for 2020 due to COVID-enforced reduction
  • Channel 9 "forced back into negotiations with an improved offer" due to fierce public backlash over [Nine boss] Marks' comments about willingness to walk away.
  • Finer details still to be thrashed out (e.g. schedling)
  • Scope to adjust $$$ if expansion happens
  • Digital component & NRL website "still to be sorted"
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d
 

beave

Coach
Messages
15,527
Key points:
  • Seven year contract, agreement in principal by Friday
  • Average ~$330m/season
  • Heavy discount for 2020 due to COVID-enforced reduction
  • Channel 9 "forced back into negotiations with an improved offer" due to fierce public backlash over [Nine boss] Marks' comments about willingness to walk away.
  • Finer details still to be thrashed out (e.g. schedling)
  • Scope to adjust $$$ if expansion happens
  • Digital component & NRL website "still to be sorted"
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d

digital ‘still to be sorted’ sounds ominous that the NRL will lose it......
 
Messages
11,602
Key points:
  • Seven year contract, agreement in principal by Friday
  • Average ~$330m/season
  • Heavy discount for 2020 due to COVID-enforced reduction
  • Channel 9 "forced back into negotiations with an improved offer" due to fierce public backlash over [Nine boss] Marks' comments about willingness to walk away.
  • Finer details still to be thrashed out (e.g. schedling)
  • Scope to adjust $$$ if expansion happens
  • Digital component & NRL website "still to be sorted"
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d


Vlad’s legacy hangs on those final three points for me. He’ll probably be judged on just the size of the money component, unfortunately.
 

AnonymousLurker

Juniors
Messages
1,900
Key points:
  • Seven year contract, agreement in principal by Friday
  • Average ~$330m/season
  • Heavy discount for 2020 due to COVID-enforced reduction
  • Channel 9 "forced back into negotiations with an improved offer" due to fierce public backlash over [Nine boss] Marks' comments about willingness to walk away.
  • Finer details still to be thrashed out (e.g. schedling)
  • Scope to adjust $$$ if expansion happens
  • Digital component & NRL website "still to be sorted"
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d

‘what was the current per season amount
 

Desert Qlder

First Grade
Messages
9,081
NRL set for massive payday in historic Foxtel, Nine broadcast deal

The NRL is on the verge of being saved from the financial scrapheap. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Peter V’Landys is just days away from inking one of the richest deals in Australian sporting history with broadcasters Foxtel and Channel 9.

The cash-strapped NRL is just days away from securing a stunning new TV broadcast deal worth up to $2.3 billion, the richest in Australia’s sporting history.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Channel 9 and Fox Sports are on the verge of agreeing to a lucrative seven-year contract that will lift rugby league from a financial scrapheap, safeguard the game’s long-term viability and guarantee the survival of all 16 clubs.

Independent commission chairman Peter V’landys is hoping to reach an agreement in principal by Friday for the remaining three years of the current contract plus a four-season extension until 2027.

It would be the most lucrative broadcast deal in the history of Australian sport, averaging out at almost $330 million a season – a remarkable outcome given the long-term global financial uncertainty over the COVID-19 crisis.

The contract will be heavily discounted for this season because of the reduction to 20 rounds although the NRL is expecting ratings to increase because fans cannot attend the venues.

After weeks of uncertainty over Channel 9’s position with their free-to-air, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the network has been forced back into negotiations with an improved offer because of a fierce public backlash over their threats to abandon the game.

It is a spectacular backflip after expressing a willingness to walk away from the sport last week.

“It’s not a given that NRL has to be part of our future,” Marks said.

The finer details of the match scheduling for both networks is still being thrashed out.

There would be scope in the new contract to adjust the figures if future expansion into Brisbane and other areas delivers more content.

V’landys was reluctant to comment yesterday because of confidentiality agreements with both Fox Sports boss Patrick Delany and Channel 9 chief executive Hugh Marks.

“Both partners have acted in great faith and I believe we’re very close,” V’landys said.

“Hopefully we’ll have it finalised by next Friday. That’s my aim.

“The loyalty factor has been important because you want to look after your partners who have been with the game for a long time.”

The digital component of the deal and the future of the NRL website is still to be sorted.

Global Media and Sports boss Colin Smith has a long history in local and international broadcast deals. He says this is a great outcome for all parties.

“Peter V’landys has been the saviour of the NRL, no doubt for me,” Smith said.

“In this climate, if you ask what represents a good broadcast deal, I would say anything from $300 million to $350m a year is an excellent result.

“V’landys is a master negotiator, he is a street fighter and he is not afraid to take the bull by the horns. He looks at the outcome and he actually delivers on it.

“Seriously, if Peter can achieve in excess of $300 million, that is fantastic.”

The new TV contract will allow the NRL to establish a seven-year strategic plan, including grassroots development, long-term investments, possible expansion and a stadium policy for Sydney’s nine clubs.

V’landys has vowed to slash $50 million in costs from NRL headquarters and put spending restrictions in place for coaching, sports science and general football expenditure at the clubs.

This will allow the game rebuild from its ‘catastrophic’ financial crisis and ensure money is available from the new television deal to invest $500 million from the new deal over the next seven years.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d
 

typicalfan

Coach
Messages
15,430
Time will tell the quality of the deal but if it's cash in the hand with room to improve then the financial security it has given will be worth it.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
The refs union, for goodness sake. Refs are direct employees of the NRL, and have been stood down because there are no games to referee, right? Now they want them to come back to work in 2 weeks and the Union has an issue with that? Maybe they're taking a pay cut like everyone else.

Edit: Oh OK its the reduction in their numbers they're worried about.
 
Last edited:

Jerkwad2000

Juniors
Messages
114
Why all the concern about the digital rights? Is it because of the fact the websites for clubs will all be generic? Cause they already are. Or because of a potential loss of revenue from the streaming rights? Because they would be worth a pittance.

I'm just going to compare the NRL to the WWE to have a look at streaming. The NRL has 67k subscriber, and NRL on Nine has 100k subscribers to their YouTube channels. WWE has 59.6M. The WWE has an online streaming service, that offers everything they have ever done. Every single weekly show, every pay-per-view, as well as content from other companies that have since gone bust. They do this for US$10.99 per month (about $18AUD). And they have less than 1.5M subscribers to that service. And they are a worldwide brand.

I just don't think it's anywhere near the potential money spinning venture that people make it out to be. Especially when you have Kayo for $25 a month and I don't doubt, for a second, that Foxtel aren't going to fight tooth and nail to make sure they can still offer that service. Especially when it's Foxtel that are the major contributors in the rights deal.
 
Messages
11,602
Why all the concern about the digital rights? Is it because of the fact the websites for clubs will all be generic? Cause they already are. Or because of a potential loss of revenue from the streaming rights? Because they would be worth a pittance.

I'm just going to compare the NRL to the WWE to have a look at streaming. The NRL has 67k subscriber, and NRL on Nine has 100k subscribers to their YouTube channels. WWE has 59.6M. The WWE has an online streaming service, that offers everything they have ever done. Every single weekly show, every pay-per-view, as well as content from other companies that have since gone bust. They do this for US$10.99 per month (about $18AUD). And they have less than 1.5M subscribers to that service. And they are a worldwide brand.

I just don't think it's anywhere near the potential money spinning venture that people make it out to be. Especially when you have Kayo for $25 a month and I don't doubt, for a second, that Foxtel aren't going to fight tooth and nail to make sure they can still offer that service. Especially when it's Foxtel that are the major contributors in the rights deal.



You’re judging it at the present time and we don’t know what the media landscape will be like tomorrow. I personally think it’s a sound insurance policy. Channel Nine think it’s worth buying in spite of their present money woes.
 

Chook Norris

First Grade
Messages
8,317
Why all the concern about the digital rights? Is it because of the fact the websites for clubs will all be generic? Cause they already are. Or because of a potential loss of revenue from the streaming rights? Because they would be worth a pittance.

I'm just going to compare the NRL to the WWE to have a look at streaming. The NRL has 67k subscriber, and NRL on Nine has 100k subscribers to their YouTube channels. WWE has 59.6M. The WWE has an online streaming service, that offers everything they have ever done. Every single weekly show, every pay-per-view, as well as content from other companies that have since gone bust. They do this for US$10.99 per month (about $18AUD). And they have less than 1.5M subscribers to that service. And they are a worldwide brand.

I just don't think it's anywhere near the potential money spinning venture that people make it out to be. Especially when you have Kayo for $25 a month and I don't doubt, for a second, that Foxtel aren't going to fight tooth and nail to make sure they can still offer that service. Especially when it's Foxtel that are the major contributors in the rights deal.

Agree with this. What are we missing? Why is the NRL digital arm apparently so valuable?
 

big hit!

Bench
Messages
3,452
It can only really be judged against what AFL gets.
Also if Vlandy can get the clubs to not scab it all and then waste it.

why are $$$ vs AFL the only benchmark?

you know what the NRL have steadily given up over the years in the chase for more $$$ in a dick measuring contest?

CONTROL.

it's a TV sport played in large stadiums with little crowds because most aspects are geared to make it successful for TV.

and for this MASSIVE payday to eventuate, there will had had to be more crowd-detriment/TV-friendly compromises of the schedule, and most likely, loss of digital.

and if that's the case, then are extra $$$ worth it in the long-term?
 

big hit!

Bench
Messages
3,452
NRL set for massive payday in historic Foxtel, Nine broadcast deal

The NRL is on the verge of being saved from the financial scrapheap. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Peter V’Landys is just days away from inking one of the richest deals in Australian sporting history with broadcasters Foxtel and Channel 9.

The cash-strapped NRL is just days away from securing a stunning new TV broadcast deal worth up to $2.3 billion, the richest in Australia’s sporting history.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Channel 9 and Fox Sports are on the verge of agreeing to a lucrative seven-year contract that will lift rugby league from a financial scrapheap, safeguard the game’s long-term viability and guarantee the survival of all 16 clubs.

Independent commission chairman Peter V’landys is hoping to reach an agreement in principal by Friday for the remaining three years of the current contract plus a four-season extension until 2027.

It would be the most lucrative broadcast deal in the history of Australian sport, averaging out at almost $330 million a season – a remarkable outcome given the long-term global financial uncertainty over the COVID-19 crisis.

The contract will be heavily discounted for this season because of the reduction to 20 rounds although the NRL is expecting ratings to increase because fans cannot attend the venues.

After weeks of uncertainty over Channel 9’s position with their free-to-air, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the network has been forced back into negotiations with an improved offer because of a fierce public backlash over their threats to abandon the game.

It is a spectacular backflip after expressing a willingness to walk away from the sport last week.

“It’s not a given that NRL has to be part of our future,” Marks said.

The finer details of the match scheduling for both networks is still being thrashed out.

There would be scope in the new contract to adjust the figures if future expansion into Brisbane and other areas delivers more content.

V’landys was reluctant to comment yesterday because of confidentiality agreements with both Fox Sports boss Patrick Delany and Channel 9 chief executive Hugh Marks.

“Both partners have acted in great faith and I believe we’re very close,” V’landys said.

“Hopefully we’ll have it finalised by next Friday. That’s my aim.

“The loyalty factor has been important because you want to look after your partners who have been with the game for a long time.”

The digital component of the deal and the future of the NRL website is still to be sorted.

Global Media and Sports boss Colin Smith has a long history in local and international broadcast deals. He says this is a great outcome for all parties.

“Peter V’landys has been the saviour of the NRL, no doubt for me,” Smith said.

“In this climate, if you ask what represents a good broadcast deal, I would say anything from $300 million to $350m a year is an excellent result.

“V’landys is a master negotiator, he is a street fighter and he is not afraid to take the bull by the horns. He looks at the outcome and he actually delivers on it.

“Seriously, if Peter can achieve in excess of $300 million, that is fantastic.”

The new TV contract will allow the NRL to establish a seven-year strategic plan, including grassroots development, long-term investments, possible expansion and a stadium policy for Sydney’s nine clubs.

V’landys has vowed to slash $50 million in costs from NRL headquarters and put spending restrictions in place for coaching, sports science and general football expenditure at the clubs.

This will allow the game rebuild from its ‘catastrophic’ financial crisis and ensure money is available from the new television deal to invest $500 million from the new deal over the next seven years.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/df84265d3d1c900850f0903b485a298d

Was Vlandys hired as an Executive or Non-executive Chairman? Because all of the above points to the former / CEO.

And if that's the case, why is he still at Racing NSW as a CEO? Why are the NRL going through the charade of putting in Abdo as acting CEO, or searching for one?

A bit of clarity on his roles would be great. I don't mind him being an executive, but let's not f**k around with paying other executives for any more than the NRL needs to do, given that one of the criticisms of Greenburg was a 'bloated' head office.
 
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