TV rights thread part 4

[Valheru]

I haven’t read through everyone’s comments but more people seem to be upset than are happy about the deal. For me I think that overall it is an ok deal but there was more that could have been done.

POSITIVES

The money – There is no two ways about it, $1b is an excellent result and ensures the game’s future over the next 5 years. The cap should significantly increase meaning less players will be inclined to leave and struggling clubs will get more money from the NRL

Schedule – 20 games scheduled ahead of time is a great result. I would have liked it to be more but 20 is a good start.

First and last rights – This clause being removed from the deal is a massive positive for future deals.

Stand Alone Rep Weekend – This was a great idea for this year and I am happy it will continue. I am hoping they add to it over the coming years and transform it into a big event

NEGATIVES

Daytime football – With 13 rounds out of 26 featuring Sunday night football it all but kills the 2PM Sunday slot unless of course they will move a Saturday night game when Sunday night is being played?

Expansion – I find it disturbing that not only is expansion now seemingly off the radar but channel 9 and Fox have basically said they have 0 interest in a 9th game. That is very concerning if that is the prevailing attitude amongst TV execs.

Schedule – I understand channel 9 wanting to have the best rating games but the fact that the NRL didn’t push them on this issue and we are still going to have to sit through Brisbane and souths games every Friday is disappointing.

Lack of live FTA games – it is just inexcusable that in this day and age rugby league will only have 1 live FTA game per week. At the very least I was expecting a 3:30PM live Sunday game on channel 9 with a half hour post-show leading into the news.

I am on the fence in terms of the origin scheduling. I don’t really have a problem with Wednesday matches but I also see the positives of a standalone weekend although if that were to occur it needs to be 3 consecutive weekends and a mid season break IMO.

Overall I find the apparent lack of interest by other TV networks disturbing. I don’t pretend to be in the know but for months there have been rumours of channel 7 offering this and channel 10 that and the offers just being too good for the NRL to refuse. What happened to the NRL and 9 (allegedly) being desperate have a Saturday night FTA match and stop giving the AFL a “free hit”? What happened to channel 10 being “desperate” to get Monday night football? What happened to the NRL selling the rights for origin separately thereby bringing channel 7 to the table? Were these things just myths or did channel 7 and 10 not offer enough?

For me the NRL has done well with the money with a couple of other good inclusions but it seems that they were desperate to get as close to the AFL as possible in terms of cash that they bent over on other issues. I would be happy to have $100m less if all the other issues were fixed.

 

[andrew057]

NEGATIVES

Daytime football ? With 13 rounds out of 26 featuring Sunday night football it all but kills the 2PM Sunday slot unless of course they will move a Saturday night game when Sunday night is being played?

One of the Saturday night 7:30 games will be moved to Sunday 6:30.

 

[babyg]

Fact check. The cash component of the AFL deal is $1.118b and up to $153m of that is for Telstra's online rights (which we haven't yet sold). The closer comparison is the ARLC's $925m cash to televise 8 games per week (995 premiership matches + 15 Origin + ~25 Tests + 5 City/Country) against the AFL's $965m cash to televise 9 games per week (1025 premiership matches + 165 pre season matches). And we still have more television rights to sell for New Zealand. We're at worst matching them and having to provide less content to do so. We're now indisputably the most valuable television sport across Australia and New Zealand.

Leigh.

In case people didn't read it the first time. This

 

[Stagger Lee]

Good summation Valheu

I have some questions if someone could find the time to answer.

1) Does channel 9 now have to show all it's games across Australia or is it just nsw/qld?

2) If the games are 'filmed' in full HD why would ch9 not want to broadcast them in HD? or is this part of the deal with Fox to give Fox a marketing edge?

 

[andrew057]

2) If the games are 'filmed' in full HD why would ch9 not want to broadcast them in HD? or is this part of the deal with Fox to give Fox a marketing edge?

Because Channel 9's main channel is not broadcasted in HD.

 

[franklin2323]

I am not having a go at Channel Nine or Fox numbnuts. The ARLC is supposed to get the best deal for the game and they have failed.

The last TV deal which was considered a failure was a 65% increase on the one before it - but it gained us an extra game on FTA including a new live game on Friday night, had 11 rounds fixed scheduling (which was more than prior), etc.

This one is a greater increase in terms of cash value but we have lost out on so many other things - We gain nothing extra on FTA, don't gain in terms of scheduling, add another two night time fixtures (thursday/sunday), move the GF back to night time, and schoolboy footy is taken off FTA and put on Pay TV.

This is only a slight increase on the last deal in terms of value. But then again, it was the ARLC so it must be good!

How was it not the best deal? We don't know. We have the same coverage as now. Just twice as much money. So we aren't any worse off. That's the main thing

 

[DC_fan]

NEGATIVES

Daytime football ? With 13 rounds out of 26 featuring Sunday night football it all but kills the 2PM Sunday slot unless of course they will move a Saturday night game when Sunday night is being played?;

I think you will find one of the Saturday 7.30pm games moving to Sunday.

Expansion ? I find it disturbing that not only is expansion now seemingly off the radar but channel 9 and Fox have basically said they have 0 interest in a 9th game. That is very concerning if that is the prevailing attitude amongst TV execs.

I am very disappointed with expansion being taking off the board. But in saying that I believe an 18 team NRL is two teams too many. For mine expansion to areas like Perth falls in with the culling of some Sydney teams.

 

[docbrown]

if Ten were clearing the decks to get the NRL and desperate for content then why was their bid the lowest of the three networks?

especially knowing 9 and Fox had last rights options

It hasn't all been made public yet and of course people are still bound by confidentiality clauses but early on Fox Sports were 10's partner. 9 and Fox have always had a content sharing agreeing and there was heavy speculation that after Murdoch's takeover of 10 that this would cease and that 10 would become the new F2A partner - not just sports but all content.

As such ages ago - at least 18 months or more - it was discovered that David Gallop & Lachlan Murdoch had discussed a strategy of a 10/Fox Sports package for every game in simulcast which early this year came out in the papers with confirmation that 10 were pursuing every game.

After Williams took over his new role it is evident that he was skeptical as to what positive impact that would have for Fox. Rather than doing the heavy lifting for 10, they stuck with the same old trying to keep the status quo with their existing package. As 10 & 7 were both expecting to carve up Fox's blocks and also expecting them to pay more for privledge whereas 9 also wanted to keep the status quo, it does make sense why 9 & Fox came out on top. They both wanted to keep their existing content arrangement.

It is also clear that Williams has been reticent to become involved in a partnership with 7 given the upcoming potential share offering. 10 were obviously hoping that Fox would 'see the light' and return to the company fold whereas instead Williams acted in what he thought was the best interest of the pay operator rather than the heir apparent.

As for why 10 couldn't get more cash from inside the network itself, there may have been internal issues there. As I said though, early on Fox was 10's partner and they were going to act as guarantors.

 

[franklin2323]

1) Does channel 9 now have to show all it's games across Australia or is it just nsw/qld?

Yeah. Just like it is now GEM in the non League states.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Good summation Valheu

I have some questions if someone could find the time to answer.

1) Does channel 9 now have to show all it's games across Australia or is it just nsw/qld?

2) If the games are 'filmed' in full HD why would ch9 not want to broadcast them in HD? or is this part of the deal with Fox to give Fox a marketing edge?

1. My understanding is they have given a guarantee that the fri night live game will either be shown on their main channel or gem across Australia live ( Perth could be an exception for live?) I'm pretty sure this would apply to the sunday game as well. The question mark could be over the 2nd fri game.

2. On this question I can give you a more certain answer. From their perspective it's all about multi channeling. Because the HD channels are yet to be their main flagship channels they would prefer to show something different on their HD channel. Something which appeals to another segment of the market ( read: something that appeals to the ladies)

However the counter to that is the current viewership of the multi channels is still very small and with rugby league arguably being their most important product they should treat the viewers with more respect.

This will all change once the HD channels become their flagship channel. Which should happen within the life of this contract.

 

[beads6]

Well Broncos will get every Friday night which is just another reason to hate this deal. It is rubbish and I won't be changing my mind. f**k I hope there is a good online deal coming so I can buy a season pass or something. f**k 9 and f**k the NRL for running this game like a pack of clowns.

 

[Perth Red]

West Coast Pirates 2015/16, bring them in as a 17th club. Solves the Sunday night problem with the 2 hour time difference, doesn't add the 9th game that TV doesn't seem to want to pay for, staggers expansion in terms of player depth and $'s, doesn't waste 5 years of hard work priming Perth and the WA govt, gives the comp a new look and buzz with addition of a whole new State into the comp, primes us ready to bring the 18th team (Brisbane2) in for 2018 when we can sell the 9th game as a definate.

 

[beads6]

West Coast Pirates 2015/16, bring them in as a 17th club. Solves the Sunday night problem with the 2 hour time difference, doesn't add the 9th game that TV doesn't seem to want to pay for, staggers expansion in terms of player depth and $'s, doesn't waste 5 years of hard work priming Perth and the WA govt, gives the comp a new look and buzz with addition of a whole new State into the comp, primes us ready to bring the 18th team (Brisbane2) in for 2018 when we can sell the 9th game as a definate.

Mate it is a shame that expansion is now dead until the next tv deal. The Perth Pirates were gathering steam. All this extra money will do is keep a float the shit Sydney teams that are broke and can't get a decent amount of people to see games.

 

[Perth Red]

1. My understanding is they have given a guarantee that the fri night live game will either be shown on their main channel or gem across Australia live ( Perth could be an exception for live?) I'm pretty sure this would apply to the sunday game as well. The question mark could be over the 2nd fri game.

2. On this question I can give you a more certain answer. From their perspective it's all about multi channeling. Because the HD channels are yet to be their main flagship channels they would prefer to show something different on their HD channel. Something which appeals to another segment of the market ( read: something that appeals to the ladies)

However the counter to that is the current viewership of the multi channels is still very small and with rugby league arguably being their most important product they should treat the viewers with more respect.

This will all change once the HD channels become their flagship channel. Which should happen within the life of this contract.

At the moment Perth gets the 1st Friday game live and the 2nd game straight after and the Sunday game on delay (4pm Perth time) on GEM. Hopefully the deal has set this in concrete, maybe adding the Footy show into the Thursday night 7.30pm slot in perth as well would be good.

Disappointing thing with the Sunday game is we used to get it live on main Ch9 and was building the audience but moving it to delay and on GEM killed the ratings for it in Perth.

 

[Perth Red]

Mate it is a shame that expansion is now dead until the next tv deal. The Perth Pirates were gathering steam. All this extra money will do is keep a float the shit Sydney teams that are broke and can't get a decent amount of people to see games.

TBH I am not so sure until I hear it from the horses mouth. If it is the game is going to have burnt some serious bridges over here after the NRL was involved in getting the WA govt to include a third home team dressing room in the new nib stadium development amongst other Govt support they are starting to pump into the game. It is hard to belive the ARLC will be so stupid as to throw all that work away, makes me think there is something going on that we are not yet aware of. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they announce no expansion but give the WARL a nod and wink to keep going with the Jnr stuff and Govt relationship and teh Pirates are brought in as the 17th team some time in the near future ala what happened with the last expansion and the GC.

 

[Dragonwest]

Now that first and last rights are gone what's stopping the introduction of Perth/Bris2 in 2015 and the ninth game being sold free to air on a Saturday to either 7 or 10?

 

[Ray Mosters]

Fact check. The cash component of the AFL deal is $1.118b and up to $153m of that is for Telstra's online rights (which we haven't yet sold). The closer comparison is the ARLC's $925m cash to televise 8 games per week (995 premiership matches + 15 Origin + ~25 Tests + 5 City/Country) against the AFL's $965m cash to televise 9 games per week (1025 premiership matches + 165 pre season matches). And we still have more television rights to sell for New Zealand. We're at worst matching them and having to provide less content to do so. We're now indisputably the most valuable television sport across Australia and New Zealand.

Leigh.

Aargh!

Why doesent millions in contra count toward the value of the rights now? Because it doesent suit your argument?

And your discounting the internet and mobile rights of the AFL and counting the internet rights of ours, which with IPTV and tablet gone only leave mobile phones to go. And why doesent that all count again?

Its a closer comparison alright, closer to outright bullshit.

.......

.......

This is what its come down too then. Another 5 years of twisting figures into bullshit to somehow show that we are not the number 2 sport. That we somehow win.... something because it can be shown, with careful trimming and addition of figures, that our deal, worth many millions less and with terrible coverage, is "pound for pound", "dollar per minute", or "c**k-inch per billion" better than some other who-gives-a-f**k code.

In the meantime there is no league on TVs in development states, we still dont get a f**king team in WA, every non-broncos fan has to shell out 100 a month just to watch their team run around, and Gyngell feels its his right to do anything he f**king wants with the code because he has paid what he considers an outrageous sum.

Look, its a huge improvement, im stoked about getting rid of the F+L rights, we got plenty of money, and that is going to be amazing for the bottom line of clubs and players, for our stadiums and hopefully a bit for the admission costs and grassroots, and thats great, but the development and growth of the code is something I am passionate about, not least of all because I live in WA and was relying on it to have my team finally admitted to the comp and to have my code on FTA TV on the weekend. Gah i want to be able to talk about league at work and not get f**king blank stares, I want to be able to enthuse about a game coming up on TV and the mates that take me to Force and Eagles games I want to be able to reciprocate and take them to Pirates games.

Its something I am now going to have wait 5 long years to see any progression in.

 

[Stagger Lee]

I'm not sure how the game still can't expand. If an extra team was brought in (say 2016) there would have to be a bye each round ..... and so still the same number of matches per round.

 

[El Diablo]

In the meantime there is no league on TVs in development states,

other states get the Friday and Sunday footy shown on GEM

 

[Quidgybo]

A cynic might call that a bit of careful trimming to suit a certain argument.

Leigh.