Rugby league fans "would have access to two live Friday night games under a proposed broadcast deal designed to break a negotiating deadlock" between the National Rugby League and pay-TV channel Fox Sports, according to Jake Mitchell of THE AUSTRALIAN.
The proposal involves Fox Sports "broadcasting a 6pm Friday night game, which would be often played in Auckland, Brisbane or Townsville, while free-to-air network Channel Nine would televise an 8pm game."
Under the deal, which is in the early stages of being considered, Fox "could secure as many as five live games," which could deliver the NRL A$1.85B ($1.3B), including the free-to-air and digital rights.
The deal "would be contingent on Nine giving up its Saturday prime-time game to Fox" for about A$30M a year, or A$150M over five years. The free-to-air network "has not been approached with the proposal yet." But Nine "is believed to be open to selling games to cut its NRL spending" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/11). In Sydney, Phil Rothfield reported 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." The proposal for a new 6pm kickoff timeslot "is a huge gamble."
It will work well out of New Zealand with 8pm kickoffs in Auckland but Sydney clubs "would face a battle to get fans through the gates at the end of a work day." The deal "should ensure the long-term future of all 16 clubs" from extra funding of around A$3M a year each (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/10).
