Didn't they get more matches in southeast Queensland last year and pay a total $0 extra for it?
They lost access to four Broncos games.
Why would they pay more when they lose access to the most watched team in the country?
Plus V'landys didn't take the rights to tender. No reason to pay more when there's no competition.
Ch9 have been f**king over the game for decades now. They ran the game under previous CEOs, and still f**ked us over, why do people suddenly think they would do the right thing this time?
I never said they'll "do the right thing this time". I'm arguing that they have a lot of influence over our game. You just acknowledged they "ran the game under previous CEOs, and still f**ked us over".
What makes you think they won't have any more power in the future?
Whether we like it or not, the fact remains that FTA coverage is vital for the NRL. Sports that aren't covered by the two major FTA networks lose marketshare. This gives Ch7 and Ch9 a huge amount of power when the broadcast rights are up for negotiation. Ch10 has thrown everything at the NRL, AwFuL and cricket, but cannot get the rights because no one wants.to saddle up with a struggling network. Ch7 won't have the money to put in a huge bid in 2028. That leaves Ch9 as the only major FTA network.