Thanks for this Wookster! Just for clarity: Rupert didn't over-pay for the AFL's rights simply because he hated the NRL. He was pissed off because Dave Smith made his network secondary when he signed a record deal with 9 including 4 FTA games. It was about business and money. Not hate.The_Wookie wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:41 pmIn large part because AFL clubs were fully franchised with colours and logos owned by the league and had been since 1985, and the league had exclusive arrangements with most major foootball grounds around the country during the winter. Morever the AFL had already lived with the threat of a superleague and proven its ability to adapt to the circumstances in 1986 by expanding, increasing its media rights and licensing incomes, and the introduction of the Independent Commission in 1993.pussycat wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:20 pmpoint 6.) Exactly Leeroy, Fred was waffling on about how good a business man Rupert Murdoch is, yet neglects to tell us why Murdoch chose Rugby League to spearhead his new PTV business. Would seem a strange decision if AFL was a more valuable product.
And I mean sure Rupert bid high only because he hated the NRL Commission, just like the AFL got more the time before that because Packer was trying to screw them on his deathbed and the time before that for some reason, and the time before that because...i dont know but probably superleague related or some bullshit....
Fact is since the late 80s theres only been a 2 year period in the late 90s were the NRL were getting more for their media rights than the AFL.
And the only person big Kerry was trying to screw was his broadcast nemesis Kerry Stokes. The NRL and AFL were just pawns. Kerry wanted to break 7 by forcing him to pay 'overs'. Fortunately for your fave sport they were beneficiaries and Stokes didn't go broke. Although 7 is drowning in red ink at the mo.
And superleague.............and who got the best deals...........all speculative my friend!!!! Probably better not to interpret history at this time. Needless to say though Fox has more subscriptions in NSW and Qld than the other states and RL gets Fox's biggest numbers year on year. Rather instructive I would think!
