Peter V'landys - New NRL/ARLC Chairman

[Mother Nature's Son]

Majority of people don’t want analysis. It’s boring and they don’t understand or care.

That really depends on who is doing the analysis.

You get a one trick pony like Andrew Johns who has about three insights which he just goes back to over and over, or someone like Billy Slater who seems to come up with something interesting and insightful every time he commentates.

 

[Perth Red]

I appreciate insightful analysis. It’s not like we need commentators to tell us what we are watching, we aren’t blind!
“Haas drives it up”.
you dont say, I’m watching the fricking thing I can see Haas drive it up.

 

[Trifili13]

I appreciate insightful analysis. It’s not like we need commentators to tell us what we are watching, we aren’t blind!
“Haas drives it up”.
you dont say, I’m watching the fricking thing I can see Haas drive it up.

I know. Like last night when the Channel 9 commentator said that if Paps wasn't there the Broncos would have scored from that early kick into the in goal area. It's like when they say 'if he didn't tackle him he would have scored' no shit.

On a bit of a tangent but I remember a friend going to inspect a unit to buy and as soon as he stepped in the real estate agent started going " this is the kitchen.." my friend cut him off mid sentence and said "I can see that". He says the role of an agent is the open the door and close it when you leave, and that he can make out the difference between a bedroom and a bathroom, don't need an agent to explain it to him. Sorry if any estate agents got offended.

 

[Warrimoo3]

Gal could have been a real estate agent if he didn’t get into boxing. Or so the blokey Sportsbet ad says. Cue laughter.

 

[Warrimoo3]

My favourite “captain obvious” commentary was when Mike Hussey first tried his hand at it. The ball rolled over the boundary rope and he said about 5 seconds later That’ll be four runs. Admittedly he has improved since then.

 

[Growthegame]

There seems to be some very cranky people in here today.

 

[Wb1234]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_MRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fsport%2Fnrl%2Fnrl-grand-final-smashes-afl-decider-in-alltime-tv-ratings-record%2Fnews-story%2F3c27b6ca53921defa99af4c33ac90dd8&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=ULTRALOW-Segment-2-SCORE

Feed em Pete



“The NRL, on the back of Reece Walsh and the Broncos, has cemented its place as the number one sport in the country - and ARLC Chair Peter V’landys let the AFL know about it.
Brent Read
Brent Read
@brentread_7
2 min read
October 6, 2025 - 4:20PM
News Sport Network

NRL: NRL CEO Andrew Abdo joined Fox Sports News to discuss the success of the 2025 Grand Final and what could be implemented in the future.
The AFL’s claim to be the country’s premier winter sport lasted one week. On Sunday night at Accor Stadium - and more pointedly in lounge rooms around the country - rugby league blew their rivals out of the water.
Left the AFL grand final in their wake as Brisbane ended a 19-year drought and the NRL smashed their grand final ratings record.
The Broncos’ win over Melbourne capped a momentous season in which rugby league was a ratings juggernaut. The longer the season went, the more ammunition the code was given as they prepare to ramp up talks with broadcasters over a deal beyond 2027.
The Broncos 26-22 win reached a national audience of 6.409 million people and an average audience of 4.46 million people - up 33 percent on last year.
The match also smashed streaming records with an audience of 1.316 million. The AFL’s decider a week earlier between Brisbane and Geelong reached 6.4 million people and a national total TV audience 4.18 million.
Reece Walsh and the Broncos helped smash all the ratings records.
Reece Walsh and the Broncos helped smash all the ratings records.
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys was understandably chuffed with the ratings result and couldn’t resist taking a swipe at the AFL.
“The way they (the AFL) have treated us is they have always looked down on us,” V’landys said.
“They have never taken us seriously. We have shown them that they need to take us seriously because we are serious.
“The numbers are showing that now. For someone that was laughing at us, it’s the reverse now. I am proud of the fact that rugby league has lifted so much to be doing what it is now.”
The ratings record arrived at the perfect time for the NRL - they are poised to ramp up broadcast negotiations in coming months as they look to secure a record-breaking deal that gazumps the AFL.
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“The results are going to be hard to beat in the future,” V’landys said.
“We have to look at doing things better. We have to keep innovating. Our players are doing the right thing.
“Players like Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange are coming through. They are going to keep coming. Of course we have the big guns like Reece Walsh and Nathan Cleary.
“The ability and skill of the players is like never before. It’s all about entertainment. We’re in the entertainment business.
“Success breeds success. The big one we need to get now is the bog oak tree called broadcast. That’s the final icing on the cake.”

 

[Warrimoo3]

So DAZN bought a 65% share in Foxtel for $3.4 billion. Foxtel has roughly 4.7 million subscribers. And DAZN hasn’t turned a profit so far .

So missing out on the NRL broadcasting rights would be like buying a car and losing the motor a few years later. DAZN simply can’t afford not to get the rights. And channel 9 would take a huge hit to advertising revenue if they lost the rights. So a lot will depend on how high channel 9 will be prepared to bid. Or possibly other bidders might appear out of left field. The latter would be the best case scenario.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

I struggle to understand how FTA is going to be able to compete at all going forward without a metric f**ktonne of advertising money backing it. Their power over the market has never been weaker, internet streaming of all kinds owns the field now.

 

[Captain Apollo]

I struggle to understand how FTA is going to be able to compete at all going forward without a metric f**ktonne of advertising money backing it. Their power over the market has never been weaker, internet streaming of all kinds owns the field now.

Yes but the anti-siphoning list has legislative backing which porevents subscription TV/streaming services from acquiring exclusive braodvcast rights over certain events (e.g. State of Origin, AFL and NRL Grand Finals) which is what keeps the FTA broadcasters in the picture.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Yes but the anti-siphoning list has legislative backing which porevents subscription TV/streaming services from acquiring exclusive braodvcast rights over certain events (e.g. State of Origin, AFL and NRL Grand Finals) which is what keeps the FTA broadcasters in the picture.

With the ubiquity of smart Tv`s ( 75% and growing of Australian homes currently) we may see this rule circumvented in the near future by streamers putting the type of events you refer to in front of the paywall. That`d be a game-changer.

 

[siv]

Yes but the anti-siphoning list has legislative backing which porevents subscription TV/streaming services from acquiring exclusive braodvcast rights over certain events (e.g. State of Origin, AFL and NRL Grand Finals) which is what keeps the FTA broadcasters in the picture.

Be good to see the actual list of events

 

[Dogs Of War]

With the ubiquity of smart Tv`s ( 75% and growing of Australian homes currently) we may see this rule circumvented in the near future by streamers putting the type of events you refer to in front of the paywall. That`d be a game-changer.

Which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And I could see PVL suggesting something like this to maximise money.

The only issue is that you lose all the contra advertising for your sport. Or just those who can't be bothered changing channels or searching for the game, that audience might be lost. Not everybody would have Kayo installed. So you would need to educate your fans where the games are held.

 

[Captain Apollo]

With the ubiquity of smart Tv`s ( 75% and growing of Australian homes currently) we may see this rule circumvented in the near future by streamers putting the type of events you refer to in front of the paywall. That`d be a game-changer.

Nope. The legislative requirements are incredibly clear I'm afraid. They won't be able to circumvent it that way due to the definitions embedded into the Broadcasting Act 1992.

I loathe Australian FTA TV and I think the anti-siphoning legislation just props it up and should be done away with. Thing is no politician in this country has the courage to do so. They all suckle on the FTA channels proverbial teats.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Be good to see the actual list of events

Seek and ye shall find -

Broadcasting Services (Anti-Siphoning List) Instrument 2024 - Federal Register of Legislation

www.legislation.gov.au

This just explains how the system operates -

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications-arts/television/anti-siphoning

 

[Cactus]

Be good to see the actual list of events

This isnt absolutely event specific but it is the list of the 10 sport types subject to anti syphoning:

"The Australian anti-siphoning list includes the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the Melbourne Cup, AFL and NRL grand finals, the State of Origin series, and all matches of the Rugby World Cup and FIFA World Cup involving the senior Australian representative teams. Other events like Test matches in cricket and rugby union, and the Australian Open tennis tournament are also listed"

 

[Wb1234]

Nope. The legislative requirements are incredibly clear I'm afraid. They won't be able to circumvent it that way due to the definitions embedded into the Broadcasting Act 1992.

I loathe Australian FTA TV and I think the anti-siphoning legislation just props it up and should be done away with. Thing is no politician in this country has the courage to do so. They all suckle on the FTA channels proverbial teats.

Nah it’s good for league that origins and grand finals don’t disappear behind a paywall that’s the game future

 

[Dogs Of War]

Nah it’s good for league that origins and grand finals don’t disappear behind a paywall that’s the game future

You don't want to end up like Rugby Union, out of sight out of mind. It's not helped there sport at all.

But I could see something like PayTV saying this event is free on Kayo. They get people's info out of it, and Kayo already do this for some events. If the money was right, I see someone like PVL pushing the right politiciansto make those language changes to the anti-siphoning list so that something like a free event on Kayo is allowed to do this.

 

[Wb1234]

You don't want to end up like Rugby Union, out of sight out of mind. It's not helped there sport at all.

But I could see something like PayTV saying this event is free on Kayo. They get people's info out of it, and Kayo already do this for some events. If the money was right, I see someone like PVL pushing the right politiciansto make those language changes to the anti-siphoning list so that something like a free event on Kayo is allowed to do this.

Think nine and Fox will be both showing origins and gf in the next tv deal

 

[Captain Apollo]

The anti-siphoning list and its legislative underpinnings are unique to Australia. Many have looked at it, to the best of my knowledge, none of them have copied it.

All it has done is propped up FTA TV to the detriment of the sports and events contained in the list. It ensures that the FTA channels can minimise their costs as effectively there are only ever 3 bidders (mx) for the event. Its only if they don't want to televise it that it comes off the list.

I mean do people serious think that the English Premier League is disadvantaged by not being on free to air TV in the UK? In the US, noty having such a scheme ensures they can maximise TV revenue by having subscription TV services compete with FTA networks there.

Until things change here, you will wind up with the plodding coverage we get on FTA networks, whether it be Nine, Seven or Tenas they have little competition giving them incentive to improve.