Channel Nine eyes AFL rights, heaps pressure on NRL

[Beaussie]

Interesting. I’ve noticed the ramping up of AFL content on Channel 9 of late too. Footy Classified weekly and the Sunday Footy Show every Sunday morning in Sydney/NSW and I assume Australia wide.

Nine never wins the Friday night timeslot against Channel 7’s AFL since loosing the AFL. Makes good business sense to try get back in on the AFL broadcast rights.

A bidding war for the AFL between Channel 7 and 9? Kaching

Channel Nine eyes AFL rights, heaps pressure on NRL
By Sam McClure and Michael Chammas
May 5, 2020

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive Hugh Marks has expressed a willingness to walk away from NRL if the sport does not significantly reduce its broadcast fee, stoking suggestions the network could make a play for AFL beyond 2022.

The NRL and its two broadcast partners, Foxtel and Channel Nine, are at loggerheads over the value of the sport, both in a reduced 2020 season and in future years.

An industry source said Nine, the publisher of this masthead, had a genuine interest in securing rights to AFL when both codes’ deals expire in 2022, if the network was unable to come to an agreement with NRL for an extended deal at a cheaper rate.


AFL footy on the box.CREDIT:GRAPHIC: PHIL CARRICK

The Age reported last month that the AFL was working behind the scenes on a two-year contract extension through to 2024 with its free-to-air broadcast partner, Channel 7, and pay TV operator Fox Sports at a marginally reduced rate, and this would have to be shelved for Nine to enter negotiations for AFL matches.

The AFL is also negotiating a new 2020 rights package dependent on its revised fixture.

Nine has strategically ramped up its AFL content in recent times, screening stable program Footy Classified two nights a week in Melbourne and significantly increasing its digital AFL content.

The current six-year, $2.56 billion deal, is worth about $418 million a season.

The expectation of reduced broadcast dollars, and no crowds for the remainder of the home-and-away season, plus the huge debt the AFL will be carrying as a result of COVID-19, will lead to a reduced salary cap and cuts across the board.

Marks, speaking with analysts and investors as part of the Macquarie Australia Conference 2020 on Tuesday, provided an insight into Nine’s hard-nosed approach and gave the strongest indication yet the network could relinquish its rights to rugby league.

‘‘It’s not a given that NRL has to be part of our future,’’ Marks said on the conference. ‘‘It has to just pay its way like all of our content does, and if it doesn’t, well ... again, we are less reliant on that as a revenue source.’’

Marks has reiterated his concerns to ARLC chairman Peter V’landys in recent negotiations, with The Age reporting that Nine want to pay $28 million less than the $118 million they were due to pay in 2020.

Sources close to negotiations have since told The Age that Nine is seeking a further reduction as part of the company’s reassessment of the value of live sport, but is willing to provide the NRL with the long-term security of an extended rights deal until the end of 2025, an additional three years on top of the current arrangement that expires at the end of 2022.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/channe ... 54q4z.html

[AFLcrap1]

Lol
Ch 9 are full of it .

[Fred]

The jealousy in the bum sniffers is rampant lol

[Terry]

Ah beatup lololololo!!!!!!! Who woulda known its another ummm..............beatup!!!!!!!!

So for the real story read the attached from an independent voice. Both codes are in the same position. Broadcasters all want more for less. Broadcasters all want the codes digital. If there even was a bidding war it wouldn't be an upwards one. They would be offering less for more.

Ch 9 is making a lotta noise at the moment. But 7 are actually in a far worse financial position. Neither can continue on their current models. Ch9 appear to be playing hard ball but PVL doesn't seem at all perturbed.

Watch this space!!!!!!!!!!!

https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/05/ ... ed_id=1672

[AFLcrap1]

I wonder if we will see Rupert declaring his love for AFL

[Beaussie]

Lol
Ch 9 are full of it .

Yep of course and by extension Fairfax for reporting it as it’s always rubbish whenever it could be seen as a negative for the NRL right?

Back to the topic at hand, I’d like to see Channel 9/10 broadcasting footy again. 10 in particular as I enjoyed their coverage of the game in the past. Channel 7 back then struggled for a long time without the nations number one sporting code.

[Beaussie]

I wonder if we will see Rupert declaring his love for AFL

Australia’s Game

Murdoch, whose company is yet to negotiate a deal with the NRL, said he believed the AFL was Australia’s “premium” football code.

“This is a very significant investment for us. We’ve always believed that this is the premium code in Australia – it’s the national game,” Murdoch said.

http://www.footyindustry.com/?page_id=1822

[AFLcrap1]

Lol
Lol lol
We will see

[AFLcrap1]

Interesting. I’ve noticed the ramping up of AFL content on Channel 9 of late too. Footy Classified weekly and the Sunday Footy Show every Sunday morning in Sydney/NSW and I assume Australia wide.

Nine never wins the Friday night timeslot against Channel 7’s AFL since loosing the AFL. Makes good business sense to try get back in on the AFL broadcast rights.

A bidding war for the AFL between Channel 7 and 9? Kaching

Channel Nine eyes AFL rights, heaps pressure on NRL
By Sam McClure and Michael Chammas
May 5, 2020

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive Hugh Marks has expressed a willingness to walk away from NRL if the sport does not significantly reduce its broadcast fee, stoking suggestions the network could make a play for AFL beyond 2022.

The NRL and its two broadcast partners, Foxtel and Channel Nine, are at loggerheads over the value of the sport, both in a reduced 2020 season and in future years.

An industry source said Nine, the publisher of this masthead, had a genuine interest in securing rights to AFL when both codes’ deals expire in 2022, if the network was unable to come to an agreement with NRL for an extended deal at a cheaper rate.


AFL footy on the box.CREDIT:GRAPHIC: PHIL CARRICK

The Age reported last month that the AFL was working behind the scenes on a two-year contract extension through to 2024 with its free-to-air broadcast partner, Channel 7, and pay TV operator Fox Sports at a marginally reduced rate, and this would have to be shelved for Nine to enter negotiations for AFL matches.

The AFL is also negotiating a new 2020 rights package dependent on its revised fixture.

Nine has strategically ramped up its AFL content in recent times, screening stable program Footy Classified two nights a week in Melbourne and significantly increasing its digital AFL content.

The current six-year, $2.56 billion deal, is worth about $418 million a season.

The expectation of reduced broadcast dollars, and no crowds for the remainder of the home-and-away season, plus the huge debt the AFL will be carrying as a result of COVID-19, will lead to a reduced salary cap and cuts across the board.

Marks, speaking with analysts and investors as part of the Macquarie Australia Conference 2020 on Tuesday, provided an insight into Nine’s hard-nosed approach and gave the strongest indication yet the network could relinquish its rights to rugby league.

‘‘It’s not a given that NRL has to be part of our future,’’ Marks said on the conference. ‘‘It has to just pay its way like all of our content does, and if it doesn’t, well ... again, we are less reliant on that as a revenue source.’’

Marks has reiterated his concerns to ARLC chairman Peter V’landys in recent negotiations, with The Age reporting that Nine want to pay $28 million less than the $118 million they were due to pay in 2020.

Sources close to negotiations have since told The Age that Nine is seeking a further reduction as part of the company’s reassessment of the value of live sport, but is willing to provide the NRL with the long-term security of an extended rights deal until the end of 2025, an additional three years on top of the current arrangement that expires at the end of 2022.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/channe ... 54q4z.html

"There's a contract in place": V'landys hoses down Nine speculation

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has allayed concerns about the Nine Network walking away from the game in the near future, saying the broadcaster has a contract to fulfil.

V’landys’ response comes after Nine chief executive Hugh Marks on Tuesday claimed it wasn’t a “given” the NRL was a part of the network’s future.

Marks promised to continue to be “hard” in delicate talks with the league over how much it will pay to broadcast this year’s re-jigged season.

He said the NRL re-starting this season would prove to be a net negative, but V’landys insisted he wasn’t concerned by the comments.

“Hugh’s been totally transparent but I’m still very confident that we will come to an arrangement with Channel Nine,” V’landys told AAP.

“Hugh’s a very good negotiator and uses strategy exceptionally well.

“But I’m not concerned about it.”

What might cause apprehension for the league was Marks’ thoughts on the free-to-air broadcaster’s long-term partnership with the game.

Marks said the network was less reliant on the NRL as a revenue source and the coronavirus had prompted a re-think of sports rights.

“If we don’t take that change now like we are in all other aspects of our business and we wait until the contract expires in two years, everyone’s in for a rude shock,” Marks said at a Macquarie Conference call on Tuesday.

“Now’s the time when we need to make the changes necessary to make these sports rights more sustainable.”

V’landys shrugged off any suggestion that Nine would walk away from the game before its current broadcast deal expires at the end of the 2022 season.

Nine is understood to be tipping in about $120 million into the NRL a year, but that number could reduce if a renegotiated deal is extended.

“There’s a contract in place, a legally binding contract. And even Hugh himself would understand that,” V’landys said.

“So basically, he would have to get out of the contract. There’s a long way to play yet. He’s playing a strategic game and it’s working well for him.

“So I’m not going to criticise it. We’ll keep moving forward with them. I’m still confident we’ll come to a resolution.

“But never-the-less, as a good partner, we’re looking to assist them in these harsh economic times. We don’t want our partner to suffer significant losses.

“Naturally, we’re at the table talking about it.”

AAP

[leeroy*NRL*]

Would love a channel swap
Channel 7 to NRL
channel 9 to AFL

But i would perfer Ch10 to NRL

The amount of print that has been done
Around this whole saga with
NRL and relaunch and broadcasters

Wow Oh wow

[NRL&NFLweLaughATafl]

Interesting. I’ve noticed the ramping up of AFL content on Channel 9 of late too. Footy Classified weekly and the Sunday Footy Show every Sunday morning in Sydney/NSW and I assume Australia wide.

Nine never wins the Friday night timeslot against Channel 7’s AFL since loosing the AFL. Makes good business sense to try get back in on the AFL broadcast rights.

A bidding war for the AFL between Channel 7 and 9? Kaching

Channel Nine eyes AFL rights, heaps pressure on NRL
By Sam McClure and Michael Chammas
May 5, 2020

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive Hugh Marks has expressed a willingness to walk away from NRL if the sport does not significantly reduce its broadcast fee, stoking suggestions the network could make a play for AFL beyond 2022.

The NRL and its two broadcast partners, Foxtel and Channel Nine, are at loggerheads over the value of the sport, both in a reduced 2020 season and in future years.

An industry source said Nine, the publisher of this masthead, had a genuine interest in securing rights to AFL when both codes’ deals expire in 2022, if the network was unable to come to an agreement with NRL for an extended deal at a cheaper rate.


AFL footy on the box.CREDIT:GRAPHIC: PHIL CARRICK

The Age reported last month that the AFL was working behind the scenes on a two-year contract extension through to 2024 with its free-to-air broadcast partner, Channel 7, and pay TV operator Fox Sports at a marginally reduced rate, and this would have to be shelved for Nine to enter negotiations for AFL matches.

The AFL is also negotiating a new 2020 rights package dependent on its revised fixture.

Nine has strategically ramped up its AFL content in recent times, screening stable program Footy Classified two nights a week in Melbourne and significantly increasing its digital AFL content.

The current six-year, $2.56 billion deal, is worth about $418 million a season.

The expectation of reduced broadcast dollars, and no crowds for the remainder of the home-and-away season, plus the huge debt the AFL will be carrying as a result of COVID-19, will lead to a reduced salary cap and cuts across the board.

Marks, speaking with analysts and investors as part of the Macquarie Australia Conference 2020 on Tuesday, provided an insight into Nine’s hard-nosed approach and gave the strongest indication yet the network could relinquish its rights to rugby league.

‘‘It’s not a given that NRL has to be part of our future,’’ Marks said on the conference. ‘‘It has to just pay its way like all of our content does, and if it doesn’t, well ... again, we are less reliant on that as a revenue source.’’

Marks has reiterated his concerns to ARLC chairman Peter V’landys in recent negotiations, with The Age reporting that Nine want to pay $28 million less than the $118 million they were due to pay in 2020.

Sources close to negotiations have since told The Age that Nine is seeking a further reduction as part of the company’s reassessment of the value of live sport, but is willing to provide the NRL with the long-term security of an extended rights deal until the end of 2025, an additional three years on top of the current arrangement that expires at the end of 2022.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/channe ... 54q4z.html

I would actually be happy if Ch9 took the AFL rights and NRL went to Ch7 or Ch10.

I can't stand Andrew John's & Brad Fittler. So full of themselves. And the Ch9 coverage is rubbish compared to Fox.
Not only that, Ch 9, John's & Fittler want to cut teams in the NRL. My team being one of them.

They have no vision for the sport.

When Ch7 hosted the RLWC, it was the best free to air coverage I've seen.

Honestly this will be a blessing if they cut ties with Ch9.