THERE is growing speculation a historic $1.85 billion, five-year rights agreement between the National Rugby League, Fox Sports, the Nine Network and Telstra could be inked as early as Thursday.
Amid marathon talks late Wednesday night, insiders said Fox, Nine and the NRL were close to reaching agreement on the purchase of the Saturday night game by Fox from Nine for about $35 million a year, or $175 million over the full five year contract to run from 2018-2022. This figure was reached after haggling between the two parties.
The agreement on the Saturday game would ensure the return of Super Saturday to Fox, with three games to run that day culminating in the Saturday night game.
The Daily Telegraph also understands the parties were in advanced discussions on a Friday 6PM game to be screened on Fox Sports, with talks proceeding through the night.
Insiders say the sudden coming to a head of the talks occurred after the NRL brought News Corp, Telstra and Nine back to the negotiating table this week.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant told the Daily Telegraph late on Wednesday night he was not in a position to either confirm or deny that a deal was to be announced on Thursday or in coming days.
As revealed by the Telegraph just over a fortnight ago, Fox Sports could now screen as many as five live games in a deal currently under negotiation between News Corp, the NRL and the Nine Network, which could deliver the game $1.85 billion and be sealed as early as this week. Apart from the Friday and Saturday games, Fox could also now screen a Sunday 2PM game. The new deal has taken shape in the weeks since former League boss Dave Smiths resignation last month.
Fox is also likely to simulcast all eight games of the round, although final details were still being hammered out overnight. The simulcast rights for Fox, plus its almost certain buyback of the Saturday night game, would reduce the cost to Nine of screening NRL over the five year contract from $925 million to around $650 million.
If Fox Sports gets everything that it wants, it could now be paying somewhere $900 million for the rights. Once other rights are taken into account, including digital and international rights, the NRL is expected to reap up to $1.85 billion.
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