aarondoyle
Juniors
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Maybe I should have pretended I was psychic.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrls-finals-overhaul/story-e6frexnr-1226136180949
Should be two Sunday games. 1.30 and 4
Maybe I should have pretended I was psychic.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrls-finals-overhaul/story-e6frexnr-1226136180949
Threat to AFL millions
Lucy Battersby
September 15, 2011
TELSTRA is threatening to tear up its new $153 million broadcast rights deal with the AFL after a copyright dispute erupted over rival Optus providing football telecasts to its internet and mobile phone customers.
Telstra chief executive David Thodey has told The Age that if a court allows Optus to continue showing football matches virtually live, it will ''throw everything up in the air'' regarding Telstra's AFL deal, and its planned deal with the National Rugby League.
The Federal Court will tomorrow hold a hearing on a request by Optus to restrain the AFL and NRL from suing it for breach of copyright for its TV Now service, which was launched on July 19. The service allows Optus phone and internet customers to watch AFL games on an effective delay of as little as two minutes.
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It could prove to be an important test case for content rights in the era of internet television and multimedia devices.
Telstra recently agreed to pay the AFL $153 million for exclusive rights to stream matches live over the internet from 2012 to 2016 and is negotiating a new rights deal with the NRL.
''It is going to put a big question mark over how rights management is done,'' Mr Thodey said. ''We have worked under a set of assumptions that we thought was right, and if it does change then we will review it. If you start having too open an environment, then it throws everything up into the air.''
Optus customers can use the TV Now service to program a recording, which is then stored in a data centre. The recording can be downloaded to a mobile phone, tablet or computer shortly after - or while - it is broadcast. Customers with iPhones can watch the games on a two-minute delay, while those with Android devices can watch after the broadcast finishes.
Copyright lawyers say Optus is relying on exemptions to the Copyright Act that allow individuals to record broadcasts to watch at more convenient times - known as ''time shifting''.
Telstra is not involved in the current legal case, but could become involved if the sporting bodies file a cross claim.
Optus launched court action against the AFL and NRL after they sent legal letters accusing it of copyright infringement.
The Copyright Act allows Optus to ask the court to declare the threats unjustifiable. ''Optus believes these claims are groundless and is seeking a declaration from the Federal Court that the threats of legal proceedings for infringement of copyright are unjustified,'' an Optus spokeswoman said.
''Optus TV Now is a cloud-storage service which enables customers to play back free-to-air programs that they have recorded at a previous time, similar to a personal video recorder or services such as TiVo and Foxtel IQ. Optus is confident use of Optus TV Now in accordance with the terms and conditions of the service does not result in any copyright infringement.''
Intellectual property lawyer Scott Buchanan, a partner at DLA Piper, said Optus's product was similar to a video recorder or internet TV recorder, except that the content is stored in a data centre and downloaded to different devices.
He said TV Now was likely to fall within the time-shifting exemption as the provision was ''expressed in entirely technology neutral language''.
However, this is the first time device-shifting - watching television on mobile phones - has been tested in court.
''What the Optus service does is it potentially undermines the value of Telstra's offering if people can record to the cloud and then download on their mobile phone even though they can only do so for personal use,'' Mr Buchanan said.
Similar products such as myTVR and EyeTV for Apple also show AFL telecasts while they are in progress - putting these services in direct competition with Telstra's content as well.
The Telstra deal is part of the record-breaking $1.25 billion, five-year media rights package recently negotiated by the AFL.
And here's an interesting follow up to what I was talking about a while back with Optus entering the fray. This time it may even affect the AFL's much publicised rights deal if it does go into long term court territory: [/LEFT]
I love how league is now being used to piggy back union in Australia. After trying for so long to kill us off now we're being used to help them out.
In fact it feels like league is always used as a vehicle for 9's other programs whilst they can't be bothered actually promoting their number 1 program.
This is bad news for league as well. If optus is able to win this in court, telstra will not give the NRL any money for phone rights (should be a similar deal to the AFL about 155 million). That is why the NRL and AFL are going into court against Optus together (I think).
btw did anyone else watch the Barefoot Rugby League show the other night?
Roy Masters was on saying he'd heard 9 would like a second Brisbane side in for the next deal
Maybe if they actually pay us what we're worth (i.e. more than the AFL) than we should give them what they want.
Also i still don't understand why we are going to delay expansion. As far as i can tell having a team in Perth and a second Brisbane team (not too mention having an extra game a week) makes our rights much more valuable. We can still give struggling clubs just as much money as there will be much mroe coming in.
Maybe if they actually pay us what we're worth (i.e. more than the AFL) than we should give them what they want.
Also i still don't understand why we are going to delay expansion. As far as i can tell having a team in Perth and a second Brisbane team (not too mention having an extra game a week) makes our rights much more valuable. We can still give struggling clubs just as much money as there will be much mroe coming in.
The market will decide.
Here's a tip, princess. You don't get to decide what the TV rights are worth, no matter how long you stick your fingers in your ears and hold your breath. The market will decide.
And despite my taste in footy and your taste in footy, I think the AFL will be comfortably ahead when the market does decide..
btw did anyone else watch the Barefoot Rugby League show the other night?
Roy Masters was on saying he'd heard 9 would like a second Brisbane side in for the next deal