OT- Fox Sports set to follow Nine and pull the pin on NRL payment

[TruSaint]

The NRL's parlous financial state in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis could be about to get a whole lot worse with sources close to the game's broadcast negotiations saying Fox Sports does not intend to make its quarterly payment next month.

Just hours after the Herald reported Channel Nine, the publisher of this masthead, would not meet its financial obligations to the NRL as a result of the suspension of the competition, the NRL is now forging ahead with plans without the support of Fox Sports.
The broadcasters, both Fox and Nine, pay the NRL close to a combined $400 million a year for the rights to the NRL season, finals series and State of Origin series.

The next quarterly instalment, which is paid in advance of matches played, is due next Wednesday and without the financial support from the broadcasters, the NRL faces massive financial trouble if it is not able to play another game this season.


The sources said the game's key stakeholders had been told Fox Sports would not help prop up the game next week, despite NRL powerbrokers privately holding onto the view that the pay-TV giants would offer help.

Like Nine, Fox Sports is understood to want to renegotiate its existing deal, although there is reluctance from head office to do so.

The NRL has $104m in the bank, $60m of which has been guaranteed to the clubs over the next three months. The players have been told if the competition doesn't return in 2020, there is about $12.4m assigned to them.

The RLPA is yet to agree to a proposal, although players are facing the strong possibility of having to accept an 87 per cent pay cut.


The NRL was meant to send clubs a proposal on Thursday night that outlined four contingency plans revolving around a June, July, August and September start to the season.

That, and a crisis meeting with all 16 clubs that was originally scheduled for today, has been postponed.

It's understood that plans for a June and July season recommencement have all but been scratched, with September now looking like the earliest date the NRL could return.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/fo...l-the-pin-on-nrl-payment-20200327-p54emn.html



https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we...-t-make-its-next-payment-20200326-p54ecv.html

 

[thebigredv]

Wouldn't there be some kind of insurance for scenarios like these?

 

[HenryTatana]

If memory serves me correct, when the last rights deal was negotiated fox sports pulled out and 9 bought the rights. It then onsold games which they didn’t broadcast I.e. Friday 6.00 pm, super Saturday and the 2 o’clock Sat game to fox. So if 9 doesn’t pay the nrl, fox won’t pay channel 9. The 2 go hand in hand.

To summarise, the NRL are cactus.

 

[Father Ted]

The NRL are Titanic and I hated that bloody movie.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Given it’s a certainty that should a move take place, and many Foxtel subscribers would subsequently cancel their accounts, I would’ve thought such a stance would prove disadvantageous.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

So, the Penn family are saying they can prop Manly up and see it through.

Where the fudge are the Dragons board in advising the fans?

They truly are pathetic in keeping us up to date.

 

[Puff]

So, the Penn family are saying they can prop Manly up and see it through.

Where the fudge are the Dragons board in advising the fans?

They truly are pathetic in keeping us up to date.

See this is where you are mistaken. You actually assume they intend to keep us informed. Where you didn’t realise they actually don’t give a f**k. Had they gave a f**k about the fans do you think Mary would still be coach?

 

[Puff]

Given it’s a certainty that should a move take place, and many Foxtel subscribers would subsequently cancel their accounts, I would’ve thought such a stance would prove disadvantageous.

I actually agree with foxtels position. They aren’t getting a product. As is probably the case with most other sports it shows. So it would be suffering. So as a whole. I don’t think they have much choice. It’s a business not a charity for the nrl. Foxtel subscribers will cancel anyway as the nrl isn’t being played, it’s not that Foxtel can’t show it. It’s not something Foxtel can help. They are just cutting variable costs where they are not getting any benefit.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I actually haven’t canceled my Kayo account yet. I was considering keeping it if they kept supporting NRL. They aren’t so adios. They should can all the NRL shows too then like NRL 360.

 

[Gareth67]

So, the Penn family are saying they can prop Manly up and see it through.

Where the fudge are the Dragons board in advising the fans?

They truly are pathetic in keeping us up to date.

You silly Billy , they are sending their emails out asking the fans to buy their merchandise so as they , the fans , can do their bit in this crisis.

As usual they are completely on top of the situation.

 

[FlameThrower]

I actually haven’t canceled my Kayo account yet. I was considering keeping it if they kept supporting NRL. They aren’t so adios. They should can all the NRL shows too then like NRL 360.

NRL360 - I stopped watching that years ago. All Kent and and Co. the ever did was bag the crap out of the NRL. The Home of the NRL Ch9, did everything possible not to promote the game outside of NSW/QLD. And the Telegraph seemed to have an agenda to tarnish the game it was supposed to be promoting. All these chickens have come home to roost now. What will Fox have to entice subscription- reruns of past games? So at a time when the game needs help, they walk away -
I’m not even sure we will have 16 teams next year, the days of $900K for a 21 year old kid are gone and the excess of NRL clubs and spending like a drunk sailor also are gone. Our Club has no guarantee it will survive, as WIN has shown little in the way of leadership and a plan to invest and modernise the Club. Sorry about the off the tangent rant ...but FFS the final nail in the coffin is McGoose survives - this is truly the zombie apocalypse

 

[Dragons4me]

Given it’s a certainty that should a move take place, and many Foxtel subscribers would subsequently cancel their accounts, I would’ve thought such a stance would prove disadvantageous.

I'm definitely cancelling my Foxtel if it pulls out of Rugby League. $100.00 a month for reruns of Beverley Hillbillies, Mash and redneck right wing American Christian channels (as well as Hillsong) who only want your dollar?? Let's not forget the over abundance of commercials that are shown??

No thanks!!

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I'm definitely cancelling my Foxtel if it pulls out of Rugby League. $100.00 a month for reruns of Beverley Hillbillies, Mash and redneck right wing American Christian channels (as well as Hillsong) who only want your dollar?? Let's not forget the over abundance of commercials that are shown??

No thanks!!

I only have Kayo but it’s laggy and pretty expensive compared with other streaming services

 

[Saint52]

My $100Plus will also go

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Plenty of people lost their shit after Foxtel lost the EPL, letting the NRL slip would be catastrophic.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Plenty of people lost their shit after Foxtel lost the EPL, letting the NRL slip would be catastrophic.

They have also let Rugby go so that rules out the white collar crowd also. Letting go of league would be the final nail in the coffin for Fox to go the way of the dodo.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

They have also let Rugby go so that rules out the white collar crowd also. Letting go of league would be the final nail in the coffin for Fox to go the way of the dodo.

No more rugby yawnion? I must’ve blinked.

 

[TruSaint]

They have also let Rugby go so that rules out the white collar crowd also. Letting go of league would be the final nail in the coffin for Fox to go the way of the dodo.

Yes they let RU go, the Premier League and the Champions League..

Optus picked up the latter two. Massive "global" audiences. Foxtel is depending on a dated subscription model that offers very little. As new streaming services expand, and develop, Fox will rely on the elderly for their movies and sitcom repeats ( with ads as their main source of income).

We have multiroom outlets at my home, and will be getting rid of the lot. Between Optus Sports, Netflix and Amazon, Fox is now redundant.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Yes they let RU go, the Premier League and the Champions League..

Optus picked up the latter two. Massive "global" audiences. Foxtel is depending on a dated subscription model that offers very little. As new streaming services expand, and develop, Fox will rely on the elderly for their movies and sitcom repeats ( with ads as their main source of income).

We have multiroom outlets at my home, and will be getting rid of the lot. Between Optus Sports, Netflix and Amazon, Fox is now redundant.

I agree, I have Netflix, Amazon and Kayo which I realise is fox but it’s clunky and if league is gone I and many people are gone.

 

[FlameThrower]

On Foxtel subscription- tried to call them twice yesterday, get recorded message they busy working to solve customers issues, get transferred and another recorded message and line drops. Then get a text to try online, and went in massive loop and I can’t get to remove sports. I thought it was just me but on SMH heals people venting the same issue —- what a joke paying for a service, no sport and can’t get rid of it....