NRL Radio Rights Will Be Less Than $2.1M, But Bargaining Becoming 'Confusing'

The battle for next year's National Rugby League radio rights will be less than A$2M ($2.1M), a mere 1/500th of the TV rights agreed to in August, but the bargaining has been "far more protracted and confusing," according to Roy Masters of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Macquarie radio network, owned by John Singleton, is "expected to retain the rights" in conjunction with Triple M radio network, although they have been called ''preferred tenderers,'' rather than outright winners. The ''non-preferred'' bidder is a consortium of 2SM and Fairfax Radio, which owns 2UE, together with leading Brisbane and Melbourne stations, 4BC and 3AW, respectively. However, rights value and games coverage "has doubled from last season's payment" of less than A$1M for a broadcast of four games a week (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/9).