The NRL radio rights thread

[Brutus]

I'd love 2UE to return to their old 12-6pm footy format on Saturday and Sundays.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Please go non exclusive on commercial radio... ffs


The NRL feels like a rudderless boat at the moment...

 

[Once Dead]

Radio is still a great and effective medium.....FM / AM / Digital Radio coverage is a necessity.......exclusive rights are a rort.......we need live league coverage left, right and centre!

 

[Mr Saab]

If the commision screw this up then they are no better than David Moffett

 

[herbert henry1908]

Paul Murray has had a dig at 2GB about the radio rights this arvo on his 2UE show.

Called it a disgrace that they buy the rights then sit on them. He was reffering to the 7.30 game mostly.


God I hope we can get rid of 2GB. Cant wait for the dummy spit from hadley.

 

[PaddyBoy]

Battle of Sydney airwaves set to resume over NRL rights
Date
August 16, 2012

Glenn Jackson

THIRTEEN years after 2UE lost the radio rights to the NRL to bitter rivals 2GB, the network has started a bold move to win them back.
The Herald understands that 2UE, which lost the AM rights to current holders 2GB in 1999, was keen to secure them again, a plan likely to reignite hostility across the airwaves between the two radio rivals.
The ARLC is seeking expressions of interest in the radio rights alongside the much publicised battle for television broadcast rights. The acting chief executive, Shane Mattiske, said yesterday that interest in the radio rights had been positive. ''We're talking to commercial and non-commercial broadcasters across the AM and FM networks,'' Mattiske said. ''We've now drafted the request for proposal - that's gone out to the market and we've seen keen interest, similar to what we've seen with the television broadcast rights. That's a great reflection of the game at present.''
Asked about 2UE's interest in the NRL rights, Adam Lang, the CEO of Fairfax Radio network, said: ''[It] is busily assessing commercial options and is aware that the NRL rights expire at the end of the year.''
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Radio 2UE, which is owned by Fairfax Media, the publisher of the Herald, is understood to have already held talks with officials from the ARLC over the radio rights.
Currently, the Macquarie Radio Network's 2GB holds the commercial AM rights to the NRL, while Triple M has covered Monday night matches via the FM band.
But those arrangements end following this season. It's hoped that the ARLC will finalise the rights holders for 2013 and beyond by the end of the season.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-nrl-rights-20120815-2494q.html#ixzz23ctDrWsM

 

[cleary89]

Radio stations 2GB, 2UE and Triple M fighting for right to cover NRL
Dean Ritchie
The Daily Telegraph
August 16, 2012 12:00AM

IT'S not just the television rights that are up for grabs, four radio stations are ready to engage in a war over rugby league - but it could mean the incumbent rights holder walks away.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal 2UE has formally told the NRL of its intention to call games from next season with Triple M now wanting to expand its role by covering multiple matches each weekend.

Incumbent commercial rights holder 2GB wants to retain the rights but is cautious about calling matches alongside too many rivals.

Like the television broadcasting deal, the NRL's radio rights expire at the end of this season, with the ARL Commission deciding whether to have an exclusive commercial partner or allow several stations to call games. As national broadcaster, the ABC will be awarded a contract.

Macquarie Radio chairman Russell Tate confirmed his station's interest. "We have an intention to remain the rights holder," he said.

"We would like to be and hope to be."

Then asked if 2GB would continue calling matches alongside rival commercial stations, he said: "I think it would be difficult with too many rights holders. This is different to AFL in Melbourne.

"That would be a decision for the (ARL) Commission. We hope to retain the (exclusive) status we have enjoyed for the past couple of years."

Radio 2GB's Continuous Call team cover matches on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and dedicate up to 20 hours each weekend to rugby league - but that won't stop 2UE bidding to call games.



"We are very interested in all commercial opportunities and are aware the NRL rights are up at the end of the year," said Fairfax Radio Network CEO Adam Lang. "We are assessing all options."

Triple M already calls Monday night football but wants to broadcast more games.

NRL interim chief executive Shane Mattiske said the process to determine who calls games on radio has begun.

"We have now started requesting proposals from AM and FM stations," Mattiske said. "We're seeking details around the stations' metropolitan and regional coverage. We are expecting some formal arrangement with ABC and are talking to other commercial broadcasters about the services they can deliver to NSW and Queensland. Triple M have demonstrated, at this stage, they would like to extend their coverage.

"We certainly see FM radio as important in making the younger demographic more accessible to our game."

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/ra...ght-to-cover-nrl/story-fndujljl-1226451254821

I would f**king laugh if Hadley wasn't calling any footy next year.

 

[Mr Saab]

You can laugh. hadley does not call football on radio any longer. i hope there are 5 stations calling the game

 

[miguel de cervantes]

What a difference an independant commission makes.

 

[Brutus]

I would completely ignore 2GB's threat to walk away if they didn't get the commercial rights.

There is no way they will do that. They like harp on about how great they do in the ratings so they won't
all of sudden cut their RL coverage just because they are no longer the exclusive commercial rights holders.

I will be extremely filthy if the ARLC takes any bullshit from 2GB on this one.

It's about time rugby league fans and the game as a whole were put first. It would be awesome for Triple M to call multiple games and 2ue to provide a proper commercial AM coverage.

I have faith in the ARLC on this one, but if they f**k it up...

 

[Brutus]

Radio 2GB dedicate 20 hours of coverage to rugby league on a weekend.

Yeah right lol

 

[cleary89]

You can laugh. hadley does not call football on radio any longer. i hope there are 5 stations calling the game

Still on 9

 

[Mr Saab]

Still on 9

Not for too much longer if channel 9 lose the tv rights...and it is looking likely that they will

 

[Panfas]

It would be good if stations get rights to their own teams, in their regions. for example
Triple M Melbourne to do all Storm games (like Triple M sydney do Thwans games)
Triple M Brisbane to do all Broncos games
Triple M Sydney to do ther Sydney match of the round games on Sunday
Hawkesbury Radio to do all Panthers games (they currently do Windor games) + local stations for Canberra, Newcastle etc.

The main thing that must happen is all games need to be broadcast into all areas nationwide, even if it is on the small stations that do not pay for it if the big stations dont want to call it.

 

[carlosthedwarf]

Hopefully there are no blackouts for ABC radio, the fact they can't do Monday night games is disgraceful

 

[Brutus]

Hopefully there are no blackouts for ABC radio, the fact they can't do Monday night games is disgraceful

Absolutely woeful situation that one.

We need comprehensive radio coverage in the digital age.

The money for exclusive rights is friggin nothing compared to the promotion the code could get by opening up the rights.

The boofhead self-promoters on 2GB can have their show, just not at the expense of networks that want to provide proper alternatives for RL fans.

 

[undertaker]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/ra...ght-to-cover-nrl/story-fndujljl-1226451254821

I would f**king laugh if Hadley wasn't calling any footy next year.

I'd pay front row admission to see the look on that dirty, filthy face of his if the announcements are made that Ch9 lost the tv rights and 2GB lost the radio rights. The look on his face will go from something like this:

to this:

I still can't get over (although I suspect the reason why, as has been discussed on this forum) how HE, of all people, was chosen to replace a knowledgable, reputable caller like Andrew Voss who ACTUALLY loves, eats and breathes rugby league 24/7 and genuinely cares about the game rather than using the game as a vehicle to promote his own self-interests (e.g. the recent attacks Hadley's had on his segment on TFS regarding the Parramatta board when he's buddies with Dennis Fitzgerald).

In saying that, I don't know why Hadley worries about 2SM. They don't participate in the ratings - he seems obsessed with Laws. Triple M also are not really a threat to his station. Meanwhile he is all chummy with the ABC, who are his biggest competitors in the ratings. Go figure.

Because Laws taught Hadley everything he knows and it was because of Laws that Hadley got a break into morning talkback radio (filling in when Laws was sick) before he got a permanent morning position at 2GB in 2002. Before 2002, he was just simply known as a RL commentator who occasionally filled in for Laws.

Now, he just bags out Laws at every opportunity. Love him or hate him, Lawsy is an iconic figure and when both him and Hadley are dead, we know which one people will remember and talk about...and it's certainly not Hadley

 

[undertaker]

Regarding comments of 2GB's joke of a coverage (and how the CCT is more like a marriage counselling service rather than talking about the game), I think this picture pretty much sums it up:

 

[El Diablo]

why doesn't Ritchie's article say that he works for 2GB?

i would have thought that's required

 

[undertaker]

I'd love 2UE to return to their old 12-6pm footy format on Saturday and Sundays.

Brutus, you forgot to add "...and without the members of the CCT"

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/eagles-relying-on-brotherly-love/story-e6freye0-1226047628388

Although this article is from over a year ago, I must say that the excerpt on the radio rights from this article is one of the very few occasions where I have agreed with the main point of one of Slothfield's articles. The only parts I disagree with is:

"This is not a criticism of 2GB, who have done a good job to open the game up to a whole new audience with their madcap weekend show"

and

"And that's the way it should be, particularly now it's an acceptable practice to save costs by calling out-of-town matches off the television. The next radio contract is up for renewal in 2012. "

I noticed that 2GB have been calling a lot of matches off the tv monitor in their Pyrmont studios. Even some games in Sydney have been called off the monitor. To me, that's just plain laziness and shows just how "committed" the station is to RL

Does anyone know how 2UE is rating since the new shockjocks have arrived?

The weekends on 2ue during the day actually rate very well thanks to george moore & paul b. Kidd. However their night ratings on the weekend are ordinary , hopefully they see the NRL as a way to change that.

Stan Zemanek OWNED that nighttime slot on Sydney radio for years. No surprise 2UE's ratings went down the gurgler in the evening timeslot after he went off air. Shame he's no longer around; he'd teach people like Hadley, who act tough but do a very poor imitation of Stan, a thing or two (irrespective of ppl's opinions about Stan as a person, he was a passionate league supporter).