The TV rights thread

[andrew057]

I now have grave fears about the upcoming season. When Nine launched GEM they stated that "All of our sport coverage will be simulcast on GEM in HD as well as Nine" A week before the Ashes they changed their mind, so no cricket in HD for the summer. Will this be the same for league? Having purchased a big screen HDTV in the last twelve months, god I hope not.

Most of the four nations game werent shown in HD on GEM.

 

[adamkungl]

1. At least 4 of 9 games must be shown on free-to-air.

2. Games shown live nationally.

3. All games must be broadcast in HD.

These are the three most important points for the next TV deal. I believe the only FTA network that would abide by these terms is Network Ten via OneHD. While Nine has done a good job producing a great product, the way Nine executives have managed it has been disgraceful. Not showing games at a decent hour outside NSW & QLD, the huge ad breaks during the Sunday game that makes it very difficult to watch, not showing Four Nations games live in QLD and the list goes on.

I now have grave fears about the upcoming season. When Nine launched GEM they stated that "All of our sport coverage will be simulcast on GEM in HD as well as Nine" A week before the Ashes they changed their mind, so no cricket in HD for the summer. Will this be the same for league? Having purchased a big screen HDTV in the last twelve months, god I hope not.

all good points. Nationwide FTA is the most important thing. They have enough bloody extra channels to do it. Anything less is a disgrace, and will be an instant fail on the NRLs negotiations.

 

[El Diablo]

by the time the rights are up next TV channels will be allowed to have 2 HD channels afaik so HD Games shouldn't be a problem

 

[docbrown]

They don't tell each other what they will bid, but they will set an upper limit.

True, but that's why you need to get them second guessing one another as that collusion is only a verbal agreement - and technically - illegal.

Challenge Fox where it hurts - threatening to break up their Saturday stranglehold (which we don't want, but threaten it with either a 4:00pm F2A or 7:30pm F2A offer) & Monday night football (either shifting directly to 7/9/10, or played on Thursday/Sunday 7:30pm F2A - not saying we want that though). Then later give them Saturdays as trade off for a Sunday F2A doubleheader.

 

[chefman21]

True, but that's why you need to get them second guessing one another as that collusion is only a verbal agreement - and technically - illegal.

Challenge Fox where it hurts - threatening to break up their Saturday stranglehold (which we don't want, but threaten it with either a 4:00pm F2A or 7:30pm F2A offer) & Monday night football (either shifting directly to 7/9/10, or played on Thursday/Sunday 7:30pm F2A - not saying we want that though). Then later give them Saturdays as trade off for a Sunday F2A doubleheader.

Any look at an annual report/latest press releases/spending/losses etc will give you a reasonable estimate to what one can spend. You are right though, you still need to consolidate and strengthen your own position while limiting their own.

 

[smithie]

by the time the rights are up next TV channels will be allowed to have 2 HD channels afaik so HD Games shouldn't be a problem

The main network channels (Seven, Nine, Ten,etc.) won't be going HD until the analogue network is completely turned off nationwide. That is not until Dec. 31st 2013.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/sandow-sprung-by-souths/story-e6freye0-1225992916738

* CHANNEL Ten has shown it is deadly serious about chasing NRL television rights by launching its own rugby league show on Monday nights. State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart has been signed as the face of the show, which will be televised live at 9.30pm every Monday after the Fox Sports game.

The new show will run for an hour and be hosted by our old Sunday Telegraph colleague Adam Hawse, who has been kicking plenty of goals since switching to television. Stuart told us he was excited about the new role and was delighted to have the opportunity to show the game to a new audience. "Ten is setting it up very professionally,"

Stuart said. "They are determined to make it work and look at all the big issues in the game from the weekend round." Ten's sports production boss David Barham told us: "It will be a serious show about tactics and analysis without all the comedy. "It's a huge thing to sign Ricky Stuart because he is the Origin coach and is held in such high regard throughout the game."

 

[Perth Red]

Now if they put it on nationally they would be showing they were serious!

 

[El Diablo]

i'm thinking it will be on ONE HD, not the main channel. that would give it a good chance to go national although in WA and SA it wouldn't be seen directly after the game because of the different time zones

 

[Desert Qlder]

Fantastic concept but I do not hold Ricky Stuart in high regard.

 

[docbrown]

If 10 can't pick up the NRL club games rights proper, they should definitely consider picking up some representative games. To bolster that they could even pick up NYC rights or help reformat the state comps into a second tier national comp. I mean, there's more to Rugby League in Australian than just the NRL.

They have 61,320 hours of content to fill a year and people will tune in for local content first and foremost.

 

[El Diablo]

I wonder if ESPN wil bid for rights for Pay Games?

Austar will be now getting 2 ESPN channels in March http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/01/espn-for-austar-but-still-no-speed.html

 

[applesauce]

Wow, sounds like the "mad monday" show 9 rolled out late last year, but after the Monday game and at a decent time.

On a side note on OneHD's new ad for all of it's sport coverage the only words spoken in it are "here is Rebecca Thompson with all the latest Rugby League news". It was nice to see.

 

[nrlnrl]

If 10 can't pick up the NRL club games rights proper, they should definitely consider picking up some representative games. To bolster that they could even pick up NYC rights or help reformat the state comps into a second tier national comp. I mean, there's more to Rugby League in Australian than just the NRL.

They have 61,320 hours of content to fill a year and people will tune in for local content first and foremost.

Good first suggestion, but I don't agree about the last statement. If the quality isn't up to standard ( like that new format of golf they showed yesterday ), people won't watch. They had no big names & not even a golf fan would have known half of the last 16.

If they did broadacast a 2nd tier comp, the standard of play & production would have to be of a certain level to attract more than just diehard fans.
From the very rare occasion I've seen it, the NSW Cup & QLD Cup shown on Fox Sports via ABC & other production companies is a very basic coverage & from what I've heard the ratings are very small. ( even allowing for limited access via Pay TV )

 

[Perth Red]

I'm surprised there isn't more interest in showing English SL.

 

[Quidgybo]

I'm surprised there isn't more interest in showing English SL.

If the Sunday afternoon 2pm to 6pm double header does come from the next TV deal, then you'd think that an 11am or 12pm replay of the Saturday night SL match would be a perfect lead in (ie. immediately before or after an hour long panel show).

Leigh.

 

[docbrown]

Good first suggestion, but I don't agree about the last statement. If the quality isn't up to standard ( like that new format of golf they showed yesterday ), people won't watch. They had no big names & not even a golf fan would have known half of the last 16.

If they did broadacast a 2nd tier comp, the standard of play & production would have to be of a certain level to attract more than just diehard fans.
From the very rare occasion I've seen it, the NSW Cup & QLD Cup shown on Fox Sports via ABC & other production companies is a very basic coverage & from what I've heard the ratings are very small. ( even allowing for limited access via Pay TV )

Well NYC gets 50,000 to 75,000 on Fox but I've seen it get 150,000 for bigger games. Those kind of numbers can beat the numbers that the digital F2A stations get at the moment.

As for a 2nd tier national comp, what I've suggested before is that at the end of the season all the grand finalists at 2nd tier level come together for a Challenge Cup style knockout to determine the best 2nd tier team in the country. That said, if you can turn NSW & QLD into genuine reserve grade with players from NRL filtering down, then it boosts the appeal. Also, there are a lot of local derbies in the 2nd tier comps that generate crowds and fierce contest throughout the season that can be structured for the TV schedule. It would be kind of similar to the College bowl system in American football where they focus on specific rivalry games.

I mean that's anywhere from 26 (1 a week) or 52 games (2 a week) for the regular season and potentially up to around 32 finals games that could be televised, though I suspect not all would.

It would require vision, determination and co-ordination to pull it off, but it would be worth it.

 

[docbrown]

If the Sunday afternoon 2pm to 6pm double header does come from the next TV deal, then you'd think that an 11am or 12pm replay of the Saturday night SL match would be a perfect lead in (ie. immediately before or after an hour long panel show).

Leigh.

I was actually starting to get used to watching it at midnight ;-)

 

[El Diablo]

not much love for 9 here

14% :lol:

 

[nrlnrl]

Well NYC gets 50,000 to 75,000 on Fox but I've seen it get 150,000 for bigger games. Those kind of numbers can beat the numbers that the digital F2A stations get at the moment.

As for a 2nd tier national comp, what I've suggested before is that at the end of the season all the grand finalists at 2nd tier level come together for a Challenge Cup style knockout to determine the best 2nd tier team in the country. That said, if you can turn NSW & QLD into genuine reserve grade with players from NRL filtering down, then it boosts the appeal. Also, there are a lot of local derbies in the 2nd tier comps that generate crowds and fierce contest throughout the season that can be structured for the TV schedule. It would be kind of similar to the College bowl system in American football where they focus on specific rivalry games.

I mean that's anywhere from 26 (1 a week) or 52 games (2 a week) for the regular season and potentially up to around 32 finals games that could be televised, though I suspect not all would.

It would require vision, determination and co-ordination to pull it off, but it would be worth it.

Interesting ideas, do you work for a tv station - maybe you can make it happen ? Where did you get those ratings figures from ?