Friday night games live permanently, Grand final live into Melbourne

[hrundi99]

It won't be before 7:30. They're not going to ditch Temptation or any of their other half-hour shows for it. It's not the way tv programming works.

 

[hrundi99]

7:30 for the first one and 9:15-ish for the 2nd.

Finished by 11pm for Nightline. Easy.

 

[c_eagle]

65% increase in funds? That's not as big as I thought, really. The figures tossed around were around 40 million, that'd have to be something like a 400% increase from nine.

 

[Ari Gold]

\\\\/ \\\\/ \\\\/ David Gallop is on a roll.....first he brings in the gold coast and now this....im really happy that they are taking consideration of the other states coverage and promoting the International game.

 

[mickdo]

- A 25 Round Telstra Premiership with each club receiving one ‘bye’.

Two teams to have a bye each week...?

Most likely they would have two teams getting a bye each week from about rounds 10-17, interspersed with the State of origin. For the rest of the season every team would play each week.

 

[LESStar58]

Live GF into Melbourne? Thats just a drop in the ocean!

 

[Dani]

the grand final has been live down here for the past few seasons...

 

[LESStar58]

.


Hopefully Ch 9 will drop AFL and fully commit to supporting rugby league.

As long as Eddie Maguire has anything to do with Nein that won't be happening anytime soon!

 

[LESStar58]

Must admit the prospect of Monday night football is a good one! Since when do the AFL play Monday footy anymore...maybe a good time to play more home games for Storm provided we are competitive enough to field a team warranting MNF on the field!

 

[nqboy]

NRL TV rights media release
1 July 2005
Rugby League has today set a new standard in Australian sporting rights, guaranteeing the game’s financial future for the next seven years.

Contracts have this afternoon been renewed with both the Nine Network and FOX SPORTS until the end of 2012 in a rights negotiation that will see more matches on free to air television, more live games on subscription television and more investment in every level of the game.

The early renewal is a clear sign of the confidence in Rugby League’s growing attendances and its ratings dominance among more than half Australia’s population in NSW and Queensland.

NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said the decision by both Nine and FOX SPORTS to renew their Rugby League rights as a number one priority was especially significant.

“Rugby League is a way of life for more than half the people in Australia and these contracts recognise that fact.

“We have growing crowds and an expanding competition ensuring that the game’s popularity will continue to rise.

“Our existing agreements expire at the end of 2006 and 2007 but in negotiating an early renewal we have ensured financial growth both in the short and long term.

“We will see some revenue increase in 2007 with the major growth from 2008.

“Changes to the competition format and scheduling will begin from the 2007 season.

“But the security of these contracts between now and 2012 ensures that we can divert much needed funding to clubs immediately raising the grant by $250,000 in 2006 and $500,000 in 2007.

“While that will ensure better security and services for players, we will also be in a position to discuss direct Salary Cap increases during next year’s Collective Bargaining Agreement talks.

“Importantly the game’s national development plan and five year strategic plan will also enjoy greater certainty and resourcing.”

Key components of the deal include:
- A 50% increase in free to air matches with the introduction of a Friday night double header on the Nine Network.
- At least one live Friday night broadcast each week.
- Live Monday Night Football nationally on subscription television.
- Commitment to maintain FOX SPORTS ‘Super Saturday’ format.
- Advance scheduling of matches for up to 11 weeks during the year with 17 rounds scheduled at 6 weeks or more.
- A 25 Round Telstra Premiership with each club receiving one ‘bye’.
- A 65% increase in the game’s direct television income
- Revenue to begin increasing from 2007 (before the termination of existing contracts).
- An increased commitment to the promotion of Test Football.
- A guarantee of live Grand Final coverage in Melbourne with a commitment to work with the NRL to improve scheduling of major events in Victoria and other states.

Executive Director of PBL Television, Sam Chisholm, said that the contract renewal continued arguably one of the most outstanding partnerships between the Nine Network and a sporting body.

“The contract will see Nine complete 21 consecutive seasons of broadcasting the premiership and continues a State of Origin tradition that dates back to 1983.

“Nine and Rugby League have together set new standards for sporting broadcasts and we will continue to do so in the years ahead.

“An extra free to air game each week from 2007 and the addition of the Gold Coast should significantly increase network exposure for Queensland teams and indeed the opportunities for Melbourne.”

The Chief Executive of FOX SPORTS, Mr David Malone, said today that the renewal of its contract was confirmation of the astounding popularity of Rugby League on subscription television.

The NRL attracts over 1.1million viewers a week on FOX SPORTS with audiences increasing at the rate of 19% year on year.

“Monday night football will be an extremely exciting opportunity for the code and a great opportunity to further expose the code on a national basis,” Mr Malone said.

“Since 2001 FOX SPORTS has turned Saturday into something super for sports fans at home while promoting the games in a way that has also seen attendances rise.

“In securing the rights until 2012 we are convinced we can generate the same enthusiasm around Monday night from 2007.

“Monday night is a timeslot that has proven a success the world over.”

a commitment to work with the NRL to improve scheduling of major events in Victoria and other states.

That's a worryingly, wishy-washy, nothing statement.

The increase in the salary cap is good news.

In the way of these things, the devil is in the detail and there's not much detail in here.

 

[Athlete]

With 3 FTA games each week and Monday night football on Foxtel, I think NRL clubs won't find it hard to attract sponsors. More exposure in the southern states will also help. Sponsors will have to pay more $$$ due to more exposure. A win win situation for the NRL and it's clubs!

 

[TinghaInMotion]

There is some good new here but:

1. no clear commitment to show SOO live into Melbourne. A "commitment to work with the NRL to improve scheduling of major events in Victoria and other states" is not good enough imo.

2. Why 7 years? Thats way too long. If RL keeps growing at the rate it has in the last few years then the TV contracts will be worth more than they are now. If it is correct that we will get around 100mil a year then that 100mil today will not be the same 100mil in 7 years time unless they adjust it to inflation.

3. We really should have gone back to 22 rounds.

Overall it is good but not as good as it could be.

 

[azza]

Great News

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Sounds too good to be true. Anyone know any figures though?

The only question mark I have is Monday Night Football. Good be a Huge Hit or a dismall failure. Ratings will no doubt be through the roof but attendance at the games. We'll wait and see.

 

[c_eagle]

This will make things very interesting for the AFL negotiations. Channel 9 will most likely pull out of the race and therefore, there may only be 1 FTA offer on the table. Competition pushes prices up and vice versa.

 

[Joe's Milk Bar]

WOOHOO cant wait for the Foxtel price increases!

 

[BuffaloRules]

This will make things very interesting for the AFL negotiations. Channel 9 will most likely pull out of the race and therefore, there may only be 1 FTA offer on the table. Competition pushes prices up and vice versa.

There is talk that Channel 9 are still interested, but in reality how could they have the AFL rights as the only FTA player?

There is no way that 9 can also put in a credible bid for the AFL when they have made this commitment to the NRL.

Its great news for us that our deal has been done first, even though the AFL's FTA contract expires first.

I remember the AFL clowns crowing that as their deal would be done first, the NRL would be forced to accept ' leftover' prices for their next TV deal.

 

[c_eagle]

90 million dollars a year is the figure. Apparantly $55 million/year is the current deal, a 65% increase will make it $90 000 000. Not too shabby at all .

 

[t-ba]

Noice.

I would have liked a FTA (Delayed and replayed even) SNF match but I guess it isn't to be. The NRL clubs must be happy they've still got 12 home matches to draw revenue from...

 

[Lantana]

1 July 2005

Rugby League has today set a new standard in Australian sporting rights, guaranteeing the game’s financial future for the next seven years.

Contracts have this afternoon been renewed with both the Nine Network and FOX SPORTS until the end of 2012 in a rights negotiation that will see more matches on free to air television, more live games on subscription television and more investment in every level of the game.

The early renewal is a clear sign of the confidence in Rugby League’s growing attendances and its ratings dominance among more than half Australia’s population in NSW and Queensland.

NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said the decision by both Nine and FOX SPORTS to renew their Rugby League rights as a number one priority was especially significant.

“Rugby League is a way of life for more than half the people in Australia and these contracts recognise that fact.

“We have growing crowds and an expanding competition ensuring that the game’s popularity will continue to rise.

“Our existing agreements expire at the end of 2006 and 2007 but in negotiating an early renewal we have ensured financial growth both in the short and long term.

“We will see some revenue increase in 2007 with the major growth from 2008.

“Changes to the competition format and scheduling will begin from the 2007 season.

“But the security of these contracts between now and 2012 ensures that we can divert much needed funding to clubs immediately raising the grant by $250,000 in 2006 and $500,000 in 2007.

“While that will ensure better security and services for players, we will also be in a position to discuss direct Salary Cap increases during next year’s Collective Bargaining Agreement talks.

“Importantly the game’s national development plan and five year strategic plan will also enjoy greater certainty and resourcing.”

Key components of the deal include:
- A 50% increase in free to air matches with the introduction of a Friday night double header on the Nine Network.
- At least one live Friday night broadcast each week.
- Live Monday Night Football nationally on subscription television.
- Commitment to maintain FOX SPORTS ‘Super Saturday’ format.
- Advance scheduling of matches for up to 11 weeks during the year with 17 rounds scheduled at 6 weeks or more.
- A 25 Round Telstra Premiership with each club receiving one ‘bye’.
- A 65% increase in the game’s direct television income
- Revenue to begin increasing from 2007 (before the termination of existing contracts).
- An increased commitment to the promotion of Test Football.
- A guarantee of live Grand Final coverage in Melbourne with a commitment to work with the NRL to improve scheduling of major events in Victoria and other states.

Executive Director of PBL Television, Sam Chisholm, said that the contract renewal continued arguably one of the most outstanding partnerships between the Nine Network and a sporting body.

“The contract will see Nine complete 21 consecutive seasons of broadcasting the premiership and continues a State of Origin tradition that dates back to 1983.

“Nine and Rugby League have together set new standards for sporting broadcasts and we will continue to do so in the years ahead.

“An extra free to air game each week from 2007 and the addition of the Gold Coast should significantly increase network exposure for Queensland teams and indeed the opportunities for Melbourne.”

The Chief Executive of FOX SPORTS, Mr David Malone, said today that the renewal of its contract was confirmation of the astounding popularity of Rugby League on subscription television.

The NRL attracts over 1.1million viewers a week on FOX SPORTS with audiences increasing at the rate of 19% year on year.

“Monday night football will be an extremely exciting opportunity for the code and a great opportunity to further expose the code on a national basis,” Mr Malone said.

“Since 2001 FOX SPORTS has turned Saturday into something super for sports fans at home while promoting the games in a way that has also seen attendances rise.

“In securing the rights until 2012 we are convinced we can generate the same enthusiasm around Monday night from 2007.

“Monday night is a timeslot that has proven a success the world over.”




If the combined rights to the NRL asre currently 48 million does a 65% increase mean they are now 70 million? Not as much as originally thought.
Also no mention of improved television coverage in SA or WA.