Telstra "is plotting a multi-million-dollar bid for the Nine Network’s National Rugby League online streaming rights" amid continued fears the telecom "will ditch its title sponsorship, ending a 17-year association," according to Darren Davidson of THE AUSTRALIAN. Nine "has not ruled out surrendering the online rights as the fallout from the surprise five-year contract continues." Nine CEO David Gyngell "is said to be pleased with the terms of the new contract," and in no rush to make a decision as the agreement does not start until '18. But the code "could be on the verge of losing its main title sponsor because Telstra believes the remaining packages have been sharply devalued" unless Gyngell decides to defray his costs, offloading the streaming rights to Telstra. Leading the strategy, Telstra Head of Media & Marketing Joe Pollard "is also said to be eyeing the pay-TV streaming rights as part of a concerted effort to grab all the online rights." Pollard "has strong ties to Nine, having sat on the media company’s board until late last year." High-level Telstra execs "are furious NRL bosses failed to give them an opportunity to bid for Nine’s new streaming rights" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/27).
GYNGELL DEFENDS SMITH: In Sydney, John Stensholt wrote Gyngell "defended the conduct" of NRL CEO Dave Smith and rugby league administrators during recent broadcast rights negotiations. Smith "has come under intense fire" from News Corp. after the NRL moved to negotiate a free-to-air agreement instead of dealing with all rights. Gyngell said that Smith had "extracted the maximum value from Nine for the free-to-air rights," for which the network will pay A$925M over five years for four matches a round from '18 onward. Gyngell said, "I think Dave Smith did a good job with it but I saw that as someone who has made Nine pay more for rights than at any other time in the history of free to air television in Australia" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/26).
