Golden point has become too valuable to get rid of
The Australian
October 7, 2015 12:00AM
Stuart Honeysett
Sports reporter
The media adviser who worked with the NRL on the previous broadcast rights deal believes that golden point has become too valuable a commodity for the code to consider getting rid of it.
Global Media and Sports managing director, Colin Smith, joined the debate yesterday over the merits of golden point, which was sparked by Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett after the Broncos lost the grand final to North Queensland in the first minute of extra time. It was 16-all after 80 minutes.
Bennett has never been a fan of the concept since it was introduced in 2003 and said it wasn’t the right way to determine a club’s season. He would have preferred to replay the game the following week.
Smith could not put a dollar figure on what golden point was worth to the code but said the excitement at the end of Sunday night’s decider would have been responsible for the gulf in television ratings between the NRL and AFL.
The NRL grand final was the second most watched program all season with a peak audience of 4.48 million for the Nine Network, while the AFL’s decider between Hawthorn and West Coast peaked nationally at 3.99 million for Seven.
“It’s a huge fillip because all of a sudden it’s must-watch television,’’ Smith said.
“It becomes absolutely critical and it not only increases the spike but it also increases the average.
“Quantifying that is more problematic but you would argue that the (number) they were in front of the AFL ... a key driver of that would have been golden point. It’s fantastic for television. It enthrals the fan. I was glued to it. You had to watch it.’’
Bennett was invited to raise his objections to golden point at the next meeting of the competition committee, which determines the rules of the game, but the NRL has said it has no plans to change the current system.
Smith said he would resist any urge to tinker with the concept. Bennett suggested the return of grand final replays, while other proposals have included having extra time followed by golden point, or making it golden try.
He added that while the code could generate additional revenue from staging another grand final in terms of ticket sales, there would be no additional income from Nine, with the broadcast deal locked in for two more years.
It is understood the NRL would oppose the idea of a grand final rematch on the sole basis that thousands of interstate fans had already spent hundreds of dollars to visit Sydney expecting an outcome on Sunday night.
“I think it’s fantastic and differentiates the NRL from the other southern code,’’ Smith said.
“It’s highly valuable because it’s a key differentiator and the fans know there’s going to be a result coming out of it.
“In terms of the Australian sporting calendar, it is totally unique and it gives that special sense there is going to be an outcome, and whoever does it first has got it.’’
The Cowboys continued to celebrate the club’s first premiership in Townsville yesterday amid speculation chairman Laurence Lancini could pay for the players to enjoy a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas as a reward.
