I'll be watching be watching the AFL finals live on Channel 7 in any case. What a dilemma for Channel 9. Will be smashed by the AFL on Channel 7 no matter what choice they make.
Channel Nine facing scheduling clash with Wallabies and NRL semi-finals
Dean Ritchie
From:The Daily Telegraph
July 14, 201112:00AM
CHANNEL 9 will be forced to decide between its traditional rugby league fans or the station's multi-million dollar investment in rugby union's World Cup when the two rival sports clash dramatically this year.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a week-two NRL semi-final at the SFS on September 17 will be played concurrently with a World Cup Pool C Test between the Wallabies and Ireland in Auckland.
Nine will logistically be unable to telecast both games live.
Rugby league's semi-final is scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm, while the Wallabies Test is to start at 8.30pm in Auckland, which is 6.30pm in Sydney.
The rugby union Test would overlap the rugby league semi-final by up to 30 minutes.
NRL officials have already met Nine management to talk about the dilemma, while Australian Rugby Union chief John O'Neill told The Daily Telegraph last night he would seek urgent meetings with Nine CEO David Gyngell and managing director Jeff Browne.
Souths chief executive Shane Richardson yesterday predicted the rugby union Test would attract just 50 per cent of those watching the NRL semi-final.
Officials from the NRL and ARU are terrified their codes might be embarrassed publicly by being shunted or switched to Nine's digital channel, GO!
The NRL could be asked to push back its kick-off by 30 minutes, although an 8.15pm start would be unsuitable for many children and pensioners.
Nine, which has an agreement to show every NRL finals game live, is under pressure to choose between its loyal NRL fans or rival supporters who are desperate to watch the World Cup. Channel 9 and Fox Sports are the two Australian World Cup television broadcasters.
"I will have a chat with David Gyngell and Jeff Browne about how we can overcome this," O'Neill said.
"But we want every game the Wallabies play in the World Cup to be live on Channel 9 and simulcast on Fox Sports. It is a dilemma and we need to get to the bottom of it.
"I will ask for all the details from Peter Jenkins (ARU head of media and communications). Nine is committed to showing all our domestic Tests this year on free-to-air."
The NRL will outrate the rugby union, but the World Cup does carry a certain prestige.
"We are aware of the issue and have had informal discussions with Channel 9," NRL director of football operations Nathan McGuirk said. "We are confident the live broadcast of our semi-final will be unaffected."
A Channel 9 spokesperson was contacted yesterday to provide information on the cross-code drama but did not return calls before deadline.
Richardson said the impending decision by Channel 9 was obvious.
"The bottom line is ratings. Who would rate better? That would be rugby league," Richardson said.
"It is as simple as that. It's not a tough decision. Australia versus Ireland would rate 50 per cent of what the rugby league would rate. To cover the union Test, from a commercial point of view, would be crazy."
Simon Poidevin, the former Wallaby who played 59 Tests, outlined why Nine should cover the World Cup match live.
"By the time the Ireland match is played, the World Cup will have a very high profile in Australia," Poidevin said. "And that pool game is our most important pool game. We have to beat Ireland to stay on the right side of the draw.
"Ireland always give Australia big trouble. They finished the Six Nations on fire. It will be a very tough game and one we will need to win."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6094256255
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