News Coronavirus and NRL

[OzDragon]

Surely 9 are in breach of their contract by writing off the NRL the way they have. Ch10 should sweep in if they have the financial clout to do so. What other programs do 10 actually have? My TV is never on their channels.

Ch9 have treated rugby league like garbage and have only hung in there for the payday of SOO and Friday night footy.

Their football 'analysis' shows and the 'talent' they have to drive them are absolute garbage. It's the reason the sport is still considered bogan and thuggish. I remember Thurston was explaining good ball in attack and 4-man in defence, you know, basic rugby league terms used by teams and players at all levels. Johns pipes in, this is live on air, that they - as in the audience - will not understand what he's talking about. Seriously! The network has had the game for nearly 30 years, assume we're all tactically illiterate, and have done nothing to educate the general viewer in 3 decades of 'investment' in the game!

They can f**k right off!

 

[Timmah]

Nine Entertainment could save $130m if NRL season is cancelled

Nine Entertainment Co has outlined plans to strip up to $266 million from its cost base this year to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly half of the savings contingent on the NRL season being cancelled.

The diversified media company, which owns The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, said in an update to the stock exchange on Monday it could save $130 million this calendar if the NRL season is scrapped. It could also save money by removing bonuses and commissions to staff, deferring spectrum payments to the government and by altering spending on local content.

Nine's latest initiatives build on the $100 million in savings it is already seeking to extract from its television division, a plan it announced at its half year results in February. Those savings, which included reducing spending on one-off sports events and US programming, will be brought forward where possible.

Chief executive Hugh Marks also previously flagged cost savings in the company's metropolitan publishing division through efficiencies in printing, distribution and output deals like newswire service AAP, which is facing the prospect of closure.

The announcement, posted to the ASX, comes two weeks after Nine withdrew earnings guidance, citing "quarter four uncertainty".

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On the assumption the NRL season is cancelled, $130 million will be saved by the company, while changes to the timing of local content will save almost $30 million. The company will also reduce sales and production costs and remove bonuses and commissions, a decision which will save $68 million. Deferral of spectrum payments will save $10 million this financial year, while deferral of capital expenditure projects will save $30 million.

The savings on content and spectrum will hinge on assistance from the Morrison government. Last week, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed Communications Minister Paul Fletcher was considering providing temporary relief from spectrum tax fees and forbearance of content quotas, but no formal announcement has been made.

Nine chief executive Hugh Marks said he was confident the business would emerge from COVID-19 as "stronger" and "more competitive" despite expecting a 'material negative impact' on advertising from April.

Group revenues for quarter three remained within guidance, Nine said, while reporting audience and subscriber growth through services Stan and 9Now.

"This is a very difficult time for all Australians, on many levels," Mr Marks said. "Notwithstanding an expected significant impact on on our business as conditions continue to evolve, we are confident that with our enhanced audience position, our mix of assets and the commitment of the Nine team, we will emerge from this period a stronger and more competitive company."

The company cautioned that a prolonged economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak is "likely to result in further initiatives."

Nine shares closed up 11.7 per cent to $1.05.

https://www.smh.com.au/business/com...-nrl-season-is-cancelled-20200330-p54fb3.html

(From last week, but still pertinent...)

 

[hineyrulz]

 

[King hit]

Surely 9 are in breach of their contract by writing off the NRL the way they have. Ch10 should sweep in if they have the financial clout to do so. What other programs do 10 actually have? My TV is never on their channels.

Ch9 have treated rugby league like garbage and have only hung in there for the payday of SOO and Friday night footy.

Their football 'analysis' shows and the 'talent' they have to drive them are absolute garbage. It's the reason the sport is still considered bogan and thuggish. I remember Thurston was explaining good ball in attack and 4-man in defence, you know, basic rugby league terms used by teams and players at all levels. Johns pipes in, this is live on air, that they - as in the audience - will not understand what he's talking about. Seriously! The network has had the game for nearly 30 years, assume we're all tactically illiterate, and have done nothing to educate the general viewer in 3 decades of 'investment' in the game!

They can f**k right off!

As great as a player Thurston was he is not a commentator or analyst in any way shape or form. Same goes for Lockyer and Lewis. Johns isn’t to bad when he is just breaking down a play.

 

[League Unlimited News]

NRL confirms Telstra Premiership resumption
National Rugby League | April 9 2020 5:08PM


The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has endorsed a proposal from the Project Apollo committee to resume the Telstra NRL Premiership on May 28.

Resumption of the competition remains subject to ongoing advice from government and health experts and continued consultation with all broadcast partners to determine the optimum way to fulfill broadcast obligations.

Project Apollo met this morning and recommended the following to the Commission:

• The Telstra Premiership resume on May 28;
• State of Origin to be played in a standard 3-game format;
• The NRL Grand Final to be played in Sydney as a standard 1 game format.

The National Rugby League (NRL) will continue to work with governments in Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand about what restrictions may look like at the end of May.

ARLC Chair Peter V'landys said based on current advice and government approvals the competition was ready to commence on May 28.

"Our goal is to give as much certainty as we can in uncertain times. There is clear evidence the curve is flattening. The NSW Government has done a great job in reducing the infection rate from 22.27% when we suspended the competition to 1.43% today,'' he said.

"The situation is changing dramatically and we need to get moving. It is in the best interests of our clubs, our players, our stakeholders and importantly our fans that the competition resumes as quickly and as safely as possible.

"We have said right from the start that what we say today may need to change tomorrow. We will be flexible, and if the trend changes or if government restrictions change then so will we. The health and safety of our players and the general public remains the absolute priority."

Project Apollo Chair Wayne Pearce said the committee's focus was to find a pathway for the competition to resume as quickly and safely as possible.

"I want to thank everyone involved in the committee, and other stakeholders who assisted Project Apollo, for the manner in which they have attacked our challenge,'' he said.

"As a game, we are all united in doing everything we can to resume the competition. Project Apollo discussed some of the most innovative ways to not only resume the competition but to revolutionise the game and the work completed will be useful for the years to come.

"There is still more work to do but we have built a strong platform to resume our game."

https://leagueunlimited.com/news/34540-nrl-confirms-telstra-premiership-resumption/

 

[Styles clash]

Nine got comfortable with the idea of not paying for 2020.

 

[hineyrulz]

Close up of big man Hoops on Fox footy live

 

[Diesel]

Footy is looking likely to be back in 49 days, get that cheque book out Nine you merkins

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Today I went to the local fish and chip shop and gave the owner Constantine absolutely f**king hell for spending the money I've given him over the years when buying my Friday feed of kransky and scallops.

How dare he spend money he's earned on things he wants.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Sorry to tell people - ten is as shit as nine which is as shit as seven.

 

[Perth Red]

Sorry to tell people - ten is as shit as nine which is as shit as seven.

They cant be any worse!

 

[hineyrulz]

Sorry to tell people - ten is as shit as nine which is as shit as seven.

No you're not.

 

[Perth Red]

ARLC Chair Peter V'landys said........

There goes the Chairman thinking he's the CEO again.

 

[magpie_man]

I thought that Nine statement was a hoax. Have they been hacked?
That is unbelievable. The Daily Telegraph in all it's crowning vindictiveness couldn't have come up with something so unprofessional and childish.
I've been waiting 20+ years for this; 2020 may have started as a deadset abomination but if it ends with Greenberg and Channel 9 no longer involved with the game I'll be doing cartwheels.

 

[sempmrh]

If Nine can't be bothered with the NRL I'm sure 10's current parent company ViacomCBS would probably see the value.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Surely espn would be screaming for work. The promos would be awesome

 

[Saxon]

So let me get this right?
The ARL works out a way to get League being played again. It'll be the only sports product on TV and should rake in millions of extra viewers for the broadcasters
But no, channel nein have a cry because "we weren't consulted" and "playing before empty stadiums will devalue the product"

Just goes to prove, Nein still believe that they run RL, and that it is their own private plaything. Sooner the merkins have nothing more to do with League, the better the game will be.

 

[Spot On]

out of interest which bit of the nrl’s strategy don’t you agree with?
1. Massive increase to grass roots funding
2. Massive Investment in club viability by increasing grant
3. Investment in keeping players in game by raising cap
4. Investment in revenue generating events
5. Future proofing and increasing revenue through major investment n digital platform
6. Investment in women’s game leading to biggest jump in participation in this group
7. Investment in aligning nrl and touch
8. Investment in internationals in this hemisphere

easy to fling sht so what would you have not spent on?

Dude, the NRL is broke. The clubs are broke. Jnr league is dead. No one gives a shit about touch footy.

The women's game will be a winner if it ever goes ahead after this fiasco. May now be on the back burner for a long time. Kudos to them for that though.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

I have to be honest, if the worst thing that happens to the NRL during this crisis is the relationship with Nine goes south and the NRL move to 10 or something on a slightly cheaper deal, that isn't the worst result for the code imaginable. Nine are clearly being pig headed and playing hardball with the NRL when they really aren't in any position to be doing so and their relationship with the game has been pernicious for too long anyway.

Personally if I were the NRL, I would be considering going all in on internet streaming. **** the broadcasters, they aren't long for this world anyway and neither is Foxtel.

 

[Old Mate]

But isn’t Channel 9 the home of Rugby League?