NRL fans could get a smorgasbord of eight live television games under a revamped proposal for Channel Nine and Fox Sports to share a $1.8 billion broadcasting deal.
Fox Sports would show every game live — three of them simulcast with Channel Nine — including a proposed new Friday night timeslot at 6pm.
The 6pm game would replace Monday night football.
NRL sources revealed the new schedule could come into play as early as next season if the independent commission can finalise the broadcasting deal by the end of next week.
It will be the first time in history that fans will get the chance to see every game live.
DOING THE DEAL
The day it was reported on the back page of this newspaper that former CEO Dave Smith had packed up his offices a month early was the trigger for a resumption in negotiations.
While he was still at Moore Park headquarters, there was a reluctance among TV executives to even talk, let alone finalise a deal.
At Channel Nine, departing CEO David Gyngell was always happy to give up Saturday nights.
He only bought the prime time spot as a tactical move to stop one of his rival free-to-air networks from getting a share of the rights.
He always knew Fox Sports would buy it back to protect their Super Saturday brand.
FRIDAY NIGHTS
The proposal for a new 6pm kick-off timeslot is a huge gamble.
It will work well out of New Zealand with 8pm kick-offs in Auckland but Sydney clubs would face a battle to get fans through the gates at the end of a work day.
No doubt the clubs would want some form of compensation.
There is also the problem of worker getting home in time to watch the game on TV.
Still, anything is better than having to sit up until midnight to watch an advertisement-filled and delayed second Friday night game on Channel Nine like we have had in recent years.
NRL v AFL
The battle between the AFL and NRL will finish close enough to a draw.
The AFL got more cash — $2.5 billion but over six years that averages out at $416 million a season.
But they have an extra match each week and their games go for around 45 minutes longer.
The NRL could get $1.8 billion over five years at $360 million a season.
THE CLUBS
The deal should ensure the long-term future of all 16 clubs from extra funding of around $3 million a year each.
The clubs are currently negotiating with the NRL to get grants of $2 million more than the salary cap to end years of running at losses.
One chairman told
The Daily Telegraph: “No one will sign the participation agreements until this TV deal is locked in and we get our share of it. The sooner that happens the better.”
The extra money will help compensate the clubs for a predicted fall in gate takings because every game will be shown live on television.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-every-game-live/story-fnp0lyn3-1227603788576