Wrote a longer message but lost it when computer played up. Don't have time to rewrite it all now.
The gist is Telstra are trying to bring all the parties together to get it sorted as NRL won't sell streaming rights unless its done simultaneously with pay TV rights.
Why do they want to sell them at the same time.
Because selling streaming rights erodes their bargaining position with Fox, can't pretend players like Google are an alternative to fox if you have already sold your digital rights to Telstra. This will probably be the last deal where the two are seen as separate rights properties, the future of all STV is online.
The foxsports office party, The DallyM's, could be awkward this year, and not just because swimmers & random soap actors are presenting awards to footballers.
http://www.2ue.com.au/news/new-nrl-...h-monday-nights-scrapped-20150910-gjjz0s.htmlChannel Nine stunned the Rugby League world when they signed a deal with the NRL to broadcast live matches on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
However the deal left Fox Sports out in the cold.
John Gibbs has revealed efforts are being made to bring a compromise which would see the new arrangements begin next season.
The new deal would see the following
* Thursday Night - Channel Nine
* Friday Night - Channel Nine - one match only
* Saturday Night - Fox Sports - Nine would give up their right to broadcast Saturday night
* Sunday - Channel Nine live double header
* Monday Night scrapped
* All games simulcast on Fox Sports Live.
Gibbsy says the deal has not been agreed to however meetings will be held to bring all parties together to bring to deal forward to 2016.
Sounds a little nutty to me, the NRL wanted all games live and an extra game on FTA, why would they then turn around and scrap all that?
Sounds a little nutty to me, the NRL wanted all games live and an extra game on FTA, why would they then turn around and scrap all that?
A deal starting next year would mean the current 5 year deal would be terminated, with both networks likely having to pay more for the remaining 2 years of current deal then they otherwise would.
If this were to happen it would either be, an admission that Smith stuffed up negotiations and had to backtrack significantly, or Smith played it this way and it would be the most intricate negotiation strategy in history of Australian TV.
http://www.2ue.com.au/news/new-nrl-...h-monday-nights-scrapped-20150910-gjjz0s.html
Sounds a little nutty to me, the NRL wanted all games live and an extra game on FTA, why would they then turn around and scrap all that?
A deal starting next year would mean the current 5 year deal would be terminated, with both networks likely having to pay more for the remaining 2 years of current deal then they otherwise would.
If this were to happen it would either be, an admission that Smith stuffed up negotiations and had to backtrack significantly, or Smith played it this way and it would be the most intricate negotiation strategy in history of Australian TV.
http://www.2ue.com.au/news/new-nrl-...h-monday-nights-scrapped-20150910-gjjz0s.html
Interesting.
If the above were true, then bringing forward the negotiations sounds like a master stroke. There's definitely untapped value for the remaining 2 years on current deal to be had..
They haven't really scrapped it.. Still an extra game on FTA. Just a double header on Sunday instead of the game on Saturday night
I might be missing something but that only covers 7 of the 8 games
1 - Thursday, 1 - Friday, 3 - Saturday, 2 - Sunday
I wonder if this was the strategy the whole time.
Fox need the NRL as we know, and we want all games live with more on FTA. Fox need the super Saturday. Fox gets blindsided, and all their premier games taken away. Fox scramble to negotiate a new deal to get their Saturday 7.30 game back. NRL agrees, along with channel nine who prefer Sunday's. The condition, start the new deal straight away at the approx $400m/year as we are expecting (FTA, Fox, digital, NZ etc).
$400/year over 7 years (still ending in 2022) is $2.8billion. Bam! everyone is happy.
I wonder if this was the strategy the whole time.
it's no different to friday night double headers the NRL got rid of in the new deal.
Sunday fox game at 2pm.
They're just options. Unlike previous admins they now put every scenario under scrutiny rather than just going with the status quo.
To be honest I'm not sure why people are surprised, I said as much before the deal was signed that it was either going to be Saturday on F2A or a Sunday F2A DH.
You're right, for 9 there's more value in the Sunday DH. The idea is that across the 4-5 hour broadcast with clever scheduling from the NRL they can target say 2 big sydney sides, a Queensland side & 1 other market. Unlike Fridays both games would be live and there'd be a stronger follow through. I'd say if they did it right they'd increase the audience 15-30% on the already increased current live audience. The pay off is at 6pm and into the night.
Gyngell is willing to renegotiate with NRL, Fox Sports, Telstra etc. The pressure is really on Fox Sports to come to the table. With Saturday & Sunday Nights on the cards and simulcasting there's few excuses other than bruised egos. Delaying it & low-balling works to their disadvantage.
As for reformatting the existing deal so the contract can start in 2016, that's news to me but although it's improbable it's also not impossible.
it's no different to friday night double headers the NRL got rid of in the new deal.