The T.V Rights Thread Part III

[Dresden Dan]

Isn't the upcoming Anzac Day game on Fox only? It will show how lame the current deal has been. Terrograph will probably stir it up that we don't get to see the game especially as Dragons & Roosters are going ok this year. The AFL will have Anzac Day all to themselves this year on fta tv. The new deal must ensure these marquee games are on fta nation wide.

 

[DC_fan]

Isnt this what Fox does with the AFL coverage?

 

[HAL]

Re: The T.V Rights Thread Part III




channel 10 want all 8 games.

channel 9 want at the most 4 games..

i think thats a big difference

 

[Quidgybo]

f**k I hate nein. If I have I sit through another 5 years of 80 minute games being extended by 40 mins of ads I will lose it!!

Well if every game, including simulcast of free to air games, is live on Fox you won't have to. Frankly I don't care if Nine keep the rights or which network gets them as long as the contract screws them out of everything we want. Guaranteed equal coverage into the minor states, fixed scheduling, four or more games per round FTA, standalone rep weekends, expansion into Perth, money to burn etc etc. Sure if Nine lose them I'll have a laugh but I'm not interested in retribution for the sake of punishing past deeds, I'm interested in the game getting the best deal possible.

Leigh.

 

[docbrown]

So Doc, to me at least, 9 allowing Foxtel to simulcast games is very bad news for rugby league. It basically means unless 7 puts up an honest bid for all eight games, Foxtel can basically get everything they want for very cheap. That would severely decrease the amount of money the ARLC would get for tv rights. The fact that rugby league is at the whim of 1 tv network worries me a lot.

Exactly I said that the other week.

Fox + Ten vs Nine = $$$$$
Fox + Nine vs Ten = $$

Fox can save money by not going to war with Nine. I don't see how they would negotiate with ten if all ten can offer is what Nine are apparently offering now.

Again I this is a guestimate based on my severe ignorance of how things work

Except that's not really the set of equations.

PMG for 4-5 exclusive games, 4 simulcast + Nine for 4 simulcast

will generate less advertising revenue than

PMG for 8-9 simulcast games + Ten for 8-9 simulcast

and then all that is under a cloud with 7 playing the others against each other

Nine & Foxtel were always going to come to some agreement because PMG has always wanted simulcasting. It is to PMG's benefit that they work all sides.

The most important thing to take out of it though is that 9 may have to concede simulcasting, something they said they never would do. This just highlights the amount of pressure being exerted by 10 & 7.

 

[RLNY]

I am not really worried about the FTA side of things; I am just worried about a potential 9/PMG reducing the leverage that the ARLC has over PMG.

Also, doc, what is the Aussie media missing about the tv rights negotiations?

 

[RLNY]

And is it 9/PMG vs. 10/PMG vs. 7 for the current FTA package and 10/PMG vs. 7 for the other 4/5 games per week?

 

[Ray Mosters]

I was under the impression that the ACCC and Conroy were going to be enforcing non-collusion between FTA and Pay providers during the negotiations.

Im pretty sure they did it for the AFL. Contacting Fox and warning them in writing that they werent to collude with any FTA network.

Hmmmm

 

[undertaker]

Isn't the upcoming Anzac Day game on Fox only? It will show how lame the current deal has been. Terrograph will probably stir it up that we don't get to see the game especially as Dragons & Roosters are going ok this year. The AFL will have Anzac Day all to themselves this year on fta tv. The new deal must ensure these marquee games are on fta nation wide.

Your sentiments summed up perfectly in this thread (and I 100% agree with you):

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=356474

 

[Ray Mosters]

I dont like it (9 and Fox Sports joining forces, I mean).

The first and last bid rights then transition to the Pay TV provider, making it even tougher for a competing bid to trump it, as they have no guaranteed PayTV contributor. 7 would have to purchase the whole lot, every game, and just trust that they will come to a deal later with Fox. It makes it tough to ensure profitability.

Plus we want to be playing 9 and Fox off against each other, not having them put up a united front. I daresay it makes unbundling Origin tougher as well.

Hmmm, my gut feel is that fragmentation, through unbundling and seperately negotiated Pay and FTA deals, will be better for the competitiveness of the process.

Doing one big deal, with only one serious customer, is the worst of all possible scenarios for us.

 

[nrlnrl]

Except that's not really the set of equations.

PMG for 4-5 exclusive games, 4 simulcast + Nine for 4 simulcast

will generate less advertising revenue than

PMG for 8-9 simulcast games + Ten for 8-9 simulcast

and then all that is under a cloud with 7 playing the others against each other

Nine & Foxtel were always going to come to some agreement because PMG has always wanted simulcasting. It is to PMG's benefit that they work all sides.

The most important thing to take out of it though is that 9 may have to concede simulcasting, something they said they never would do. This just highlights the amount of pressure being exerted by 10 & 7.

trivial to most, but just in case it slipped through to the 'keeper - no longer PMG.

http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2012/02/28/premier-media-group-rebrands-to-fox-sports-australia/

 

[docbrown]

I am not really worried about the FTA side of things; I am just worried about a potential 9/PMG reducing the leverage that the ARLC has over PMG.

If 9/PMG were the only ones interested you might have cause to be concerned.

This reads like a desperation move from 9 and a safety move by Fox.

I was under the impression that the ACCC and Conroy were going to be enforcing non-collusion between FTA and Pay providers during the negotiations.

Im pretty sure they did it for the AFL. Contacting Fox and warning them in writing that they werent to collude with any FTA network.

Hmmmm

You are correct.

Note though that the article has no direct quotes, no official announcements.

How do you police two individuals talking at a cafe? That's how these things go down. Still it's worthwhile referring it to Conroy's office just to f**k 9 over.

9 & Fox only have the F&L Rights to their existing packages. They cannot legally redefine that until after they successfully conclude these negotiations. Now they may say "this is what we would offer under a simulcasting arrangement" but as that's a redefinition of the original agreement they have no F&L Rights for that scope.

If the the individual parts of the original packages are beaten than it goes to blind auction.

I dont like it (9 and Fox Sports joining forces, I mean).

The first and last bid rights then transition to the Pay TV provider, making it even tougher for a competing bid to trump it, as they have no guaranteed PayTV contributor. 7 would have to purchase the whole lot, every game, and just trust that they will come to a deal later with Fox. It makes it tough to ensure profitability.

Plus we want to be playing 9 and Fox off against each other, not having them put up a united front. I daresay it makes unbundling Origin tougher as well.

Hmmm, my gut feel is that fragmentation, through unbundling and seperately negotiated Pay and FTA deals, will be better for the competitiveness of the process.

Doing one big deal, with only one serious customer, is the worst of all possible scenarios for us.

As I said above though Foxtel do not own F&LR for said simulcast games unless the terms are rewritten in this negotiation (something I can't see 9 or the NRL agreeing too) then they would only maintain F&LR for the 5 games as current (unless that is broken in this negotiation).

 

[docbrown]

trivial to most, but just in case it slipped through to the 'keeper - no longer PMG.

http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2012/02/28/premier-media-group-rebrands-to-fox-sports-australia/

Just used to calling them that. There's too many Fox BLAH BLAH BLAHs.

 

[Perth Red]

After enduring a weekend of footy on nine I really hope fox get all games live, worth every $!

 

[Paul J]

Thanks for all your insights on this Doc.

Looks like things are going well...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...t-have-rights-deal-in-bag-20120402-1w8um.html

ARL COMMISSION officials are not surprised Channel Nine and Fox Sports have entered into a consortium that is expected to offer more than $1 billion to retain the free-to-air and pay-TV broadcast rights.
However, it is understood no decision will be made until the ARLC has an opportunity to consider formal bids from rival broadcasters beyond this month.
Nine and Fox Sports, which is owned by News Ltd and Consolidated Media Holdings, whose biggest shareholders are James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings (45 per cent) and Kerry Stokes's Seven Network Ltd (22 per cent), hold the first and last rights of refusal on the broadcast rights and began a three-month exclusive negotiating period on February 1.

Advertisement: Story continues below

It is thought the consortium hopes to finalise a deal before May 1 that is likely to involve Fox Sports being able to show all games live on pay-TV and Nine broadcasting up to four free-to-air matches per week. Both may also televise State of Origin and Test matches.
However, the ARLC is believed to be prepared to offer representative matches, as well as games on Friday nights, Saturday nights, Sunday afternoons, Sunday nights and Monday nights to different bidders.
ARLC chief executive David Gallop said yesterday officials were keen to look at any option that generated more money for the game. ''We are in an exclusive negotiating period with the incumbent rights holders and the fact that they have come together to look at our rights is not particularly surprising,'' he said.
''We are continuing to look at the opportunities to maximise the value for our product. While there is curiosity about how that is going, it is difficult to make comment about the details along the way.''


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...deal-in-bag-20120402-1w8um.html#ixzz1qvAU9Tkb​

 

[LESStar58]

I hope we just don't roll over and take the billion dollars-even from the Nine/PMG consortium.

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

I hope we just don't roll over and take the billion dollars-even from the Nine/PMG consortium.

Smart business people do not become successful by taking the first option.
They will look at all bids/options,etc.
I think as DOC said 9 are getting desperate.

 

[TimmyB]

Just as long as the consortium doesn't put its best bid forward first. I'd hate to see a situation where we go to the market only to find there's no interest. It could drastically change the balance of relative barganing power and leaves us with less than the original offer.

 

[docbrown]

I hope we just don't roll over and take the billion dollars-even from the Nine/PMG consortium.

Even then that wouldn't include naming rights and internet/mobile media.

 

[Canucks]

I posted this on the TV ratings thread but it is relevant here.... We need a similar deal to this. I think we get lost in the 1.2billion but the real success for them was getting the following free to air exposure:

AFL have seen a jump in their ratings but lets look at why

Sydney v GWS Live nationally FTA
Richmond v GWS Live nationally FTA
Hawthorne v Collingwood Live nationally FTA
Brisbane v Melbourne Live into QLD FTA, rest Fox
GC v Adelaide Live into QLD, SA FTA rest Fox
Freemantle v Geelong Live into WA & Geelong FTA rest Fox
Nth Mlb v Essendon (Fox)
Western Bulldogs v WC Eagles Live into WA FTA, rest Fox
Port Adelaide v St Kilda 30 min delay into SA FTA rest Fox