Australian Rugby Union To Finalize Negotiations For New Broadcast Agreement

The Australian Rugby Union is expected to finalize negotiations for its new broadcast agreement in the next couple of weeks "and it could include one Super Rugby game a week on free-to-air ­television," according to Bret Harris of THE AUSTRALIAN. While Fox Sports will continue to show Super Rugby, it is understood that "the ARU is deep in discussions with Channel 10 to televise games as well." The ARU "is pushing for one live Super Rugby game a week on a Friday night, but the likely outcome is a delayed telecast." The games "are likely to be local derbies between high-profile teams such as the NSW Waratahs, Brumbies and Queensland Reds." Super Rugby has been the ­exclusive property of Fox Sports since the code went professional in '95, "but it has become financially imperative for the ARU to secure some free-to-air coverage for Super Rugby, which would help Australia’s five teams to negotiate more lucrative sponsorship deals" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/11).