No NRL Overseas in 2011

[BuffaloRules]

By the way - as the Australia Network is funded by the Australian Goverment I suggest that further complaints on this issue are directed to the Communications Minister Stephen Conroy...

Complaining to the head of Aust Network, Rod Webb ( who is a Perth boy) would be like complaining to your mother in law about your wife I suspect...

 

[El Diablo]

and Conhob would be no better

he's an idiot to start with and an AFL supporter. he doesn't have a lot going for him

maybe contact the opposition equivalent. Turnbull?

 

[chrisc101]

Wow, to be honest I cannot blame the NRL on this one, Aussie Network have stiffed us massively. Please direct all your anger at them. This is Australian tax payer dollars here.

Lets hope Setanta can really get things happening and expand their network throughout the region. Best thing we have on our side, is that they have a number of other major sporting rights which people will want to see.

 

[TeamSatan]

Hell I loved the fact that i could go to Thailand and relax with a game of football and a beer a couple of times a week.

Bars had many leaguies kicking back ......and now what?

*Bring back super league.....it would have been big in asia.*

* this was meant as a joke...not mean't to fire up anyone ancient enough to still care about arl vs SL.

 

[bazza]

Hell I loved the fact that i could go to Thailand and relax with a game of football and a beer a couple of times a week.

Bars had many leaguies kicking back ......and now what?

For the start of the NRL season Setanta will be available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Brunei – whilst discussion continue with Thailand, Indonesia and others

 

[samsamsiam]

Forget about Telstra helping us out. What vested interest do they have in prompting NRL in Asia. We are already blocked from viewing games on the NRL website cause Telstra or the NRL have sold those internet broadcasting rights to Aussie Sport TV.

 

[Bluebags1908]

Thanks to all those people who have deluged the NRL.

Anyway, I asked Annesley if he would give permission for me to distribute his comments and he did and here they are:

First of all I wrote:

Dear Mr Annesley,

I am emailing to register my disappointment at the complete lack of understanding that the NRL seems to have for the many thousands of viewers in the Asian region. The news that Australia Network will not be broadcasting games from Australia this year is horribly frustrating.

The NRL's choice of selling the rights to Setanta who only have a footprint in Malaysia and Hong Kong, and a very limited up-take at that, is very short sighted. What about China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and so on? Any idea how many hundreds of thousands of expatriates (and millions of potential rugby league supporters) you've cut out? Obviously not, but the AFL and Union realise it.

Australia Network is the most watched English-speaking news channel in Asia after CNN and the BBC but in 2011 the AFL and Union will have a shared monopoly. For rugby league fans who have promoted the sport in Asia, this is a huge slap in the face.

All the league communities that have grown around the Australia Network broadcasts will now disappear purely because we are too far away to get to games and the competition from more accessible sports is too great. If I can't watch the Titans (my wife, my son and I are paid-up members), I will have to watch the Suns - a poor choice I know but I enjoy my contact with home and be buggered if I'm going to take up knitting at this time in my life.

C'mon mate, please get on the phone and sort it out - Rod Webb from Australia Network says the door is still open.

regards

Then he replied

The following is a summary of the facts surrounding the outcome of negotiations in the Asia/Pacific region:


NRL 2011 INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION RIGHTS – ASIA/PACIFIC REGION

The NRL has reached agreement with Setanta Sports and Fiji TV to broadcast the 2011 NRL season in the Asia/Pacific region. These new partners replace the Australian Network arrangement in place over recent years.

The following background information is provided for the information of NRL fans throughout the region :

- The Australia Network agreement expired at the end of the 2010 season. Australia Network then had an exclusive negotiation period to renew these rights, however no offer was received during the exclusive negotiation period.

- An offer was eventually received from Australian Network on the 20th January for only two delayed games per week, plus live State of Origin and Grand Final. In addition to this significantly decreased coverage they offered just 25% of the 2010 rights fee. Regardless of the rights fee the decreased coverage in itself made it a very unattractive offer for fans.

- In the meantime NRL received offers from other interested broadcasters in the region to increase the amount of content for fans.

- The offer received from Setanta provided the NRL with an opportunity to get much more coverage of the NRL available into Asia. Whilst it’s true Setanta currently does not have the same reach as Australian Network throughout Asia they will be broadcasting a minimum of 5 live games per week, which is more than Australian Network aired in 2010.

- For the start of the NRL season Setanta will be available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Brunei – whilst discussion continue with Thailand, Indonesia and others.

- For territories where Setanta is not currently broadcasting every NRL match will be available live via Telstra’s broadband service.

- The NRL is still hopeful of concluding a deal with Australia Network for our weekly highlights show.

- Pacific countries will get more exposure than ever before with a 3 games per round broadcast free-to-air into Fiji , Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, America Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue and Tuvalu.

- In addition to the free-to-air coverage, Fiji TV will also broadcast all 8 matches live (where no games clashes) on their Pay TV service SKY Pacific.

The NRL has always endeavoured to make as much live content as possible available to fans around the world. These new arrangements enhance that objective. The Australia Network offer would have delivered a far inferior outcome for the majority of fans in the region.

Regards,

Then I wrote again

Thank you for your prompt and frank reply. I do raise the following issues.

1. Setanta, as you rightly point out, does not currently address the major Asian viewing audiences and my sources tell me that they are unlikely to in the foreseeable future.

2. Australia Network, irrespective of their managements openly AFL-esque policy are what they are ... the most popular, most attractive, most influential bridge between the rest of Asia and Australia. To ignore their drawing power and the resultant goodwill that they have developed can only be an error.

3. The Pacific nations as a revenue generating solution are small bickies, mind you, I am totally in accord with the need to service them if not in the least because of their connection to the roots of so many NRL players. But the Islands are not the focus of my complaint - good luck to them.

4. The sporting markets of China, South Korea and Japan (I disregard the Philippines and others on economic grounds) are saturated with US sport but are so immense that even a small gain would be significant for the NRL. Mainland China especially as the Chinese generally prefer league to AFL but have little in frames of reference. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that they will be broadcasting AFL on their own CCTV. Those inroads have been levered off expatriate support so for the NRL to ignore that support can only be a backward step.

5. I for one, as a Chinese government employee and the senior expat in this, the most affluent of all Chinese provinces was invited to and attended the farce that was the AFL in Shanghai match. How the NRL cannot find the energy to approach this market is in itself amazing but to ignore it is a travesty.

Mr. Annesley, I would hope that Telstra will "unlock" access to the other territories as you have stated because at this time they cannot be accessed from here and judging from the flood of emails I have received from Japan not there either.

Furthermore, I pose the question, will Telstra provide the same promotional vehicle for the NRL in Asia that Australia Network has developed over many years?

Finally, thank you again for your response - with your permission, and not before, I will broadcast it amongst the expatriate community throughout Asia.

Then he replied again

Thanks for your response to my earlier email explanation. I do understand your frustration but as I pointed out the Australia Network offer, when it was finally received, of just 2 delayed games per week was the sort of offer you make when you don’t really expect it to be accepted. For some reason best known to themselves they did next to nothing to attempt to renew the agreement. I assure you we are not trying to make life difficult for fans living overseas.

I am unaware of the Telstra issue in relation to China and Japan but I will investigate that matter further. I will leave it to you to decide who you share this information with.

And here is Australia networks cop-out (I do not have much faith in these guys at all)

I wrote (not realising what had happened)

As much as I am grateful for the improved NRL coverage over recent years, the absence of the Indigenous/All Stars game is mystifying. This promotion of Australian sport AND culture would seem to be clearly in line with Australia Network's mission. And while having a whinge, why not Monday night NRL in Hong Kong? Thank you for your consideration.

And got this shock (arseholes)

I'm afraid we'll be showing no NRL on Australia Network this year.

I understand that the entire package has been licensed to Setanta.

Sincerely,

Rod Webb
Head of programming.

Have you thought about writing back to this Rod Webb arsehole and hitting him with these facts, and see what his response is? And ask him why the AFL and Rugby Union is still on their channel when NRL isn't?

 

[Perth Red]

mate find a Indian website to watch it on and frick the lot of them! I stayed up and watched the Mill Magic all weekend on just such a website, cost me 20 bucks for 3 months subscription and it was a great quality with no drop out at all. I am sure you can watch every game if you have a decent internet connection. Doesn't sort out the general mass exposure for the game but at least you can wacth them!

 

[siamsam]

As another person that lives in Bangkok this is a huge blow it shows the lack of commitment and short sightedness when the people in charge of the game are not doing enough to promote this great sport. The tens of thousands of Aussie expat living in Thailand will now have no outlet to watch the NRL while having a beer at the local. Yet if you watch AFL or Union you can watch as many games as you like, it is no wonder our code is losing ground and supporters to these other two inferior codes. I support my team and buy NRL merchandise every year to the tune of a few hundred dollars a year, this sends a message that my support and hard earned $ is not needed or wanted. I contacted Setanta about when or if they will be available in Thailand they said they are working on it but not to expect anything this year if at all. Despite being told by Mr Annesley that Setanta would be televising a minimum of 5 nrl games a week I was told by Setanta they would televise an average of 4 games week so he is not very well informed. I do not mean to sound ungrateful but the Setanta service is very flaky and the quality of their internet product well below par making it very hard to watch. I have a 6Mbit connection and have watched various streaming channels in the past with much better results so the problem is not my end. I mentioned it to setanta and they told me to uninstall and reinstall silverlight directly from the Microsoft website, which I had to do so I could preview the setanta demo in the first place. Setanta really have no idea. For those that do not know including Mr Annesley if you are outside of Australia apart from a few places in the British Isles you can not view the games from the NRL website. The Australian Network is bundled with most expat residential blocks and most bars have it on so expats can watch their favorite sport and for the NRL to no longer be shown is a real kick in the teeth. Perth Red if you have a link I would not mind trying the site you view I do not mind paying money within reason if I can watch the game in good quality. End rant ( apologies for the bad spelling and punctuation )

 

[rooster25]

This is such terrible news and i can tell everyone here that its just not in Asia that its happening.The NRL was sold to sentana instead of sky in Europe last year and there was no NRL in any country i went to. I couldnt belive that in places like Italy and france i could watch AFl but not NRL even though we have much more of an international game.

The NRL should not be thinking of revenue for there matches when getting exposure is the most important thing.

It is so sad that in places like Bali and Thailand that have huge expats and tourist areas will not be able to sit in the bars and watch the Rugby League.What a huge kick for the AFL,they must be laughing once again at us.

For people to talk about,Mr Annasley included,watching games on the net they just dont get it.Yes die hard fans will try and find a way to watch games on the internet sitting in a hotel room but the majority of people wont do this and will just sit in the bars watching AFL and Rugby.Any new potential new fans now lost due to this short sightness.

 

[Galeforce]

i believe the NRL should be selling the TV rights to highest bidder , no problem. however SHOULD always include an arrangement that ABC gets a certain amount of games a weekend free for TV/radio coverage , as part of national interest and this will also ensure the highest coverage of the game , locally and internationally. Any reduction this may cause in the TV rights money , should be seen as promotional expense. However i see no reason why there should be any significant reduction .

 

[El Diablo]

it's the ABC that f**ked up by not wanting to show NRL

 

[applesauce]

The NRL had no choice, ABC didn't even want to continue to rights...

 

[Whoosh]

Australia Network have also advised that they no longer hold the rights to Super 15 rugby. So it's all AFL, all weekend, every weekend.

 

[El Diablo]

ABC love AFL

 

[Gaseous Clay]

I too wrote to Graham & John about this and got the same response, with the exception of this interesting news release. I also agree that the main fault lie with the Australian Network, not the NRL. Also icluded my initial email underneath.
Dear Mr Clay

Thanks for your email. Whilst I can understand your disappointment NRL management felt there was little option in this case. Below is a summary of the circumstances surrounding the change of broadcasting rights in the Asia/Pacific Region.

Ironically with advertising banned from news and current affairs programs, Mr Rudd wants sport, the one area that has managed to attract significant revenue, wound back because it is more attractive to expatriates than the government's target audience. In future, sport must not be allowed to dominate weekend viewing, and programming schedules across the whole week will be vetted by the department.
The tender process closes on March 25.

Dear Graham

Although based in Australia, I spend a great deal of time in S/E Asia each year as an expat.

I have recently been told that the Australian Network no longer holds the international rights and have been sold to SANTANA? Is this true? If so, please be aware that most of S/E Asia has no access to SANTANA and therefore no tv access to Rugby League!

FYI, you can still watch Super Rugby, AFL and pretty much any other sport (including womans basketball)live in these countries, but not Rugby League. All the other NRL supporting expats are just as baffled/angered as myself. There are many expat AFL teams and communities in countries I have lived in (Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and more) and with short sighted decisions from the NRL like this one you can understand why! (apart from a short-sighted money grabbing exercise for the NRL).

Also, if this isn't bad enough, why is it that expats and overseas supporters have to pay to access NRL based content off the web (NRL.COM) when Australians get free access to it? For the good of the game (or "product", as I believe you describe it), wouldn't it be a smarter idea to make NRL available to as many supporters (and potential supporters) as possible instead of denying and charging for it? Simply baffling!

I don't want to spend September watching AFL finals and "hearing" about NRL results days later....

Kind regards
Gaseous Clay

 

[Nugby]

Wait, KEVIN Rudd wanted Sports coverage of the NRL rolled back in Asia?

 

[Rugby XIII Fan]

Wait, KEVIN Rudd wanted Sports coverage of the NRL rolled back in Asia?

For me this is a set back for the Pacific countries. As someone that regularly travels the Pacific islands I have seen the growing interest in RL over the years. The issue with this deal for the Pacific is that not all Pacific countries use Fiji TV, they have their our networks. These own country networks use to replay the games from the Australia Network beam. With this change, I think that there maybe a few Islands out there now who wont see any RL from now, just VFL.

On KRudd, now that he's no longer PM and is gunning for a UN job, I think in the mean time he wants to control the world via Australia Network.

theaustralian.com.au / business / media / rudd-to-vet-asia-tv-guides/story-e6frg8mf-1226005380659 (just add wwwdot to the front of the link)

Rudd to vet Asia TV guides

THE federal government-owned international television service, Australia Network, will undergo an overhaul authorised by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.
The highly ambitious strategy gives Mr Rudd sweeping powers to influence program selection for this service that broadcasts to 45 markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis.
Tender documents released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reveal that future operators of the service will have to comply with strict guidelines on programming and other operational issues.
Potential tenderers for a new 10-year contract to run this service will have to provide DFAT with a programming schedule for every timeslot over a seven-day cycle, which will be assessed by the department to determine whether it represents an " intelligent mix of the best of Australian content".
This includes news and current affairs where DFAT will require a detailed quality and quantity breakdown to enable it to decide whether this and business programming supports the government's regional objectives.
The operator will also have to pay an annual "contribution" to the government and agree to running it on a non-exclusive basis.
Meanwhile, it says China is a high-priority potential market for the government and the operator of the service must report regularly to DFAT on opportunities to penetrate this target.

 

[ali]

Pathetic

Setantas coverage here in the UK was disgraceful!

Never really got to experience it. Premier Sports is looking good so far, though they are pretty much Setanta under a different name.

 

[CougarSaint]

I was pretty dirty on Aus Network as is pretty much everyone else on here. I wrote to them a few times and eventually received a response from the CEO as posted below. Seems there's two sides to every story however the last paragraph is the most pertinent. Once the AFL contract is up I'm guessing we'll see very little of that on Aus Network as well. Anyway, here is what he wrote...

Dear Mr Tuck,

Thank you for your interest in Australia Network. Please allow me to clarify the position of Australia Network with regards the broadcast rights of National Rugby League (NRL) games in order to correct inaccurate representations of our position currently circulating on the web.

Australia Network’s agreement to broadcast NRL games into the Asia-Pacific expired at the end of the 2010 season. While the channel had an exclusive negotiation period to renew these rights, we were unable to do so as the Australian Government had, at that time, not committed to the continued funding of Australia Network beyond August 2011. As a publicly funded broadcaster we are, by law, prohibited from entering into legally binding contracts that would put tax-payers’ funds at risk. This was explained at considerable length during a meeting with the NRL’s intermediaries, International Management Group (IMG), at a meeting in Hong Kong on Wednesday 27 October 2010.

At that same meeting IMG stated that Setanta has indicated it would make a substantial offer for the NRL rights in order to bolster its proposed Rugby Pay Channel to be launched in 2011. It was again explained that as a publicly funded broadcaster with limited funds, Australia Network was unable to enter to any bidding war. Up until 2010 we had delivered NRL games to 46 countries across the Asia Pacific free to air – and at a loss to what we paid for those rights. We continued to do so as a public service to NRL fans across the region and to support the promotion and growth of the game. We are extremely disappointed not to be able to continue that service.

It was further suggested we should consider negotiating an arrangement with Setanta for rights to territories it was unable to deliver a signal to. We explained that it was technically not possible for satellite television signals to be “geo-blocked” in order to target individual nations.

However, given Setanta’s current restricted distribution in the Asia region, we believed we should seek to make at least some games available to NRL fans outside the expatriate hubs of Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. As such we made an offer to pay for non-exclusive rights to two games a week – that would be delayed for a up to a couple of hours in order that they were shown in prime time for Asia-based viewers – as well as live coverage of the State of Origin matches to ensure the greatest possible exposure of these games. This offer was rejected by the NRL through the IMG intermediaries.

The Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has subsequently indicated that it will go to tender for the continued provision of the Australia Network service. DFAT has indicated in the associated tender documents that in any case in the future, sports programming on the channel should be limited, as “much of the Sports [football] historically shown appeal more to the expatriate community rather than the target audience.” Consequently, sports programming – be it NRL, rugby or AFL – will be significantly restricted on the channel after August 2011.

Sincerely,
Bruce Dover
Chief Executive.