Brave game plan in fight with Nine
CHANNEL Ten has shown its determination to wrench the NRL television rights from Channel Nine by launching its popular rugby league show, The Game Plan, on to the main free-to-air channel.
Starring Steve 'Blocker' Roach, Andrew Moore, Joel Caine and our very own Dean 'Bulldog' Ritchie, the show will go to air at 8.30pm - an hour before Channel Nine's Footy Show.
The show will kick off on the main channel on June 21 and go for one hour, but it could run into The Footy Show.
Ten's chief executive James Warburton revealed the show would go live into Brisbane and Sydney and be shown live on One HD in the AFL states.
"Fans have been telling us they wanted The Game Plan in prime time, on Thursday night, so we are giving them what they want," Warburton said.
Ten's league loving board member and former acting CEO Lachlan Murdoch was believed to be involved in the decision.
Mr Murdoch is also working alongside Ten's negotiating team in their talks with the NRL.
David Gallop welcomed news of the show switching to the main channel. "It shows Channel Ten is stepping up as a serious contender for the TV rights," he said.
"To have a rugby league show on prime time is a great sign of the interest in our game and the issues it throws up."
Still, it's a huge gamble by Ten considering Channel Seven tried primetime with the Matty Johns Show three years ago but cut it after just one season. It will be up against shows such as Grey's Anatomy on Seven and Crime Scene Investigation on Nine.
It will be the first time Ten has had rugby league on prime time in 20 years. They lost the rights to Channel Nine in 1992.
The Game Plan is supported by Harvey Norman, Sportsbet and Krispy Kreme doughnuts as the major advertisers.
It is a fast-paced, family friendly and informative show and has been attracting audiences approaching 100,000 on One HD.
At the same time, The Footy Show has improved out of sight this year under the direction of executive producer Glenn Pallister and will welcome the challenge.
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