192 words launch a war worth millions
ADRIAN PROSZENKO
March 7, 2010
IT'S the 192-word snippet that has sparked a feud between National Rugby League boss David Gallop and Nine Network chief executive David Gyngell and could hijack delicate negotiations for rugby league's television rights.
The powerbrokers are at war over an article that appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, in which Mr Gallop lent his support to former Footy Show host Matthew Johns, who is launching a rival league program on the Seven Network.
''We're going to do what we can to help Matthew make that show successful and be successful for him personally,'' Mr Gallop told the Herald.
The comments infuriated Nine executives. Footy Show producer Gary Burns said he was ''hurt and a bit bewildered'' that Mr Gallop would plug a rival network when Nine, the broadcast rights holder, pumps an estimated $50 million into the game.
A source told The Sun-Herald that Mr Gallop's comments hit a raw nerve because ''he was the one who demanded Matthew be stood down from Channel Nine - and now he's spruiking him on an opposition network''.
Asked if he told Nine to stand down or sack Johns, Mr Gallop replied: ''I make no bones about the fact that I discussed the Matthew Johns situation with David Gyngell.
''I thought we agreed that it was in Nine's, the game's and Matthew's interest for him to be off air for a period.
''That was right, then and now, particularly for Matthew.
''I'm surprised at the suggestion that I have the ability to dictate who works at Channel Nine in rugby league.''
The slanging match has the potential to undermine rugby league's next broadcast rights deal. Nine has the rights until the end of the 2012 season and will be engaged in a bitter bidding war with Seven to retain them.
It's understood that Mr Gyngell shot Mr Gallop a fiery email over the matter - to which Mr Gallop replied - and that the Nine boss was considering releasing the details to the media.
Mr Burns said he was disappointed that Mr Gallop would talk up a rival league show given that Nine held the broadcast rights. He said the comments could ''possibly'' impact on the next television rights negotiations.
''I don't want to get into a slanging match with the CEO of the NRL but it's fair to say we were all disappointed to read such a strong message of support for an opposition show on an opposition network - not good,'' he said.
''Bitter disappointment to read it. I've never read such an endorsement or strong message of support [for us] in our 16 years of The Footy Show.
''I don't see how that really helps us continue with rugby league. Really, Seven is a network strongly associated with AFL.
''I don't think anyone at Nine is happy, including the CEO.
''We're all hurt and a bit bewildered by it.''
Told of Mr Burns's comments, Mr Gallop fired back: ''I am even more bewildered. What I said was that it would be good to have another great piece of rugby league programming on television.
''I hope that anything that features our game on television is successful. Why would I say something other than that?
''I have been at the forefront of supporting The Footy Show for many years now, often at times when many of our clubs have not wanted me to.
''Again, I did say another great piece of rugby league programming. You can infer from that that The Footy Show is good for our game as well.
''In our discussions with Seven we have indicated there will be no-go areas due to our rights arrangement with Nine.
''I'd love to see rugby league shows on every channel, subject of course to the restrictions that our rights holders would have.''
Asked if the latest developments would affect upcoming broadcast rights negotiations, Mr Gallop said: ''I would certainly hope not. We have said for some time that we're interested in a transparent auction of our rights so that all stakeholders - clubs, players and grassroots - can feel pleased with the result at the end.
''I certainly hope Channel Nine are ready for that.''
Johns didn't want to comment on the spat, saying only: ''I'm getting on with my life.''
