Push for Saturday night free-to-air NRL games

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Berkeley_Eagle

Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Push for Saturday night free-to-air NRL games
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/free-to-air-nrl-games-on-saturday-night/story-e6frexnr-1225943882797

THERE is a push for Saturday football on free-to-air television after NRL research revealed it's what the fans want.

While Fox Sports enjoy stellar ratings for their extended Super Saturday coverage, fans are calling for free-to-air coverage on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The development comes amid speculation that current rights held by Channel 9 may be carved up in the next broadcasting deal with rival Network Ten.

"While Super Saturday is very successful on Fox Sports, our research suggests a big appetite for a free-to-air game on a Saturday night," NRL boss David Gallop said last night.

"It would be great to have coverage on free-to-air over Friday, Saturday and Sunday."

Under the current deal, Nine has two matches on a Friday night and a third on Sunday afternoon. A change could lead Nine to sacrifice a Friday night match for one on Saturday. But that may have to wait until the new TV deal is reached for 2013 because Fox Sports is not ready to give up one of their Saturday time slots.


Television industry sources yesterday said Ten would be reluctant to bid for the NRL on its own and may search for a partner.

Nine CEO David Gyngell and good mate James Packer, who launched a $245 million raid on Network Ten last week, could join forces.

Asked whether he thought Nine and Ten could combine to cover NRL, Gallop said: "It's too early to say but no doubt the whole landscape is fascinating."

Seven remained committed to bidding for rugby league as well.

"I wouldn't be shocked if Nine and Ten got together, but Nine hasn't made a habit of sharing," said one source.

Meanwhile Fusion Strategy managing director Steve Allen last night expressed doubts whether the NRL could obtain its anticipated $1 billion for the next broadcasting rights.





I Submitted this about 6:30am this morning but it wasnt published
 
I  may actually be one of the few here but leave it as it is (unless 9 pay's a ****load more for it).
The only thing I would alter is this either have 2 NRL games on a Sunday (instead of a Monday) or a ESL game and then a NRL game
 
If Foxtel lose anymore games the first thing I'll do will be ring up and cancel it. There is bugger all on it anymore aside from Fox sports news, and the only reason I got it was to watch Manly games.
My misses whinged and biatched about me getting it put on and now guess who watches it more than me....dam you Grand Designs- so boring!
 
Bugger off Channel 9.  You treat fans with contempt.  Keep the games with Foxsport who at least give fans what they want.
 
I know people aren't that happpy with CH9 and they are far from perfect but when you compare how they do live sport, I think they crap over most of the competition.  Compare the pre-game and post game stuff 9 do with friday night footy and compare with ch7s AFL stuff.  CH7 production values at times are very amateur hour.  9s footy coverage in terms of camera work, angles etc is excellent at times their commentators miss the mark but thats personal opinion and we can be just as biased if they say something bad about the Sea Eagles. :)

I'm happy with the current arrangement but just share around the monday night football side of it.  Its too tough on teams backing up and to have some teams play a lot more than others just isn't fair.
 
2 games on Fri night is ok due to state teams. Just play the 2nd highest ranked match of round fri night and 1st ranked match of the round Sunday arvo. Free to air game 630pm Sat night and pay tv game at 830pm all live. Still have Mon night game but shared EVENLY. Other games on Fox at 230pm Sunday and 4pm live on free to air Sunday. ABC game 3pm Saturday arvo.
 
Saturday night on Free to air would be sensational. Not all of us have Foxtel. It would certainly promote the brand. Get rid of the 5.30 pm and have two or three at 7.30 pm. One on free to air and one on Fox.
 
If the Saturday night was on the same basis as the current Sunday telecast and the second Friday night telecast - that is, on delay and chopped to pieces to fit in mega-minutes of rivetting advertising - forget it.

What 9 do to the game with those broadcasts is a travesty.
 
ABC won't get a game, they won't pay for it and the NRL want money and LOTS of it.

TBH can't see the format changing too much.....BUT...if you think Packer bought Ten for anything else other than a gigantic pitch for NRL then you need to think again.

I see the next round of TV rights worth MEGA dollars.

And for those of us with Foxtel (incl me) I reckon we'll be forking out another $20 a month at least to continye the service.

Really I don't care who gets it AS long as we get the dates in advance like the AFL does.
 
Canteen Worker link said:
Saturday night on Free to air would be sensational. Not all of us have Foxtel. It would certainly promote the brand. Get rid of the 5.30 pm and have two or three at 7.30 pm. One on free to air and one on Fox.

The way I read this, instead of 2 live games (not over lapping) at 5.30 and 7.30, then a delayed game on tv ..... you want all 3 games at 7.30 and have FTA and Fox show a game each in competition with each other ???

If that is correct, then that is madness, you want to have people being able to watch all games if they choose, not channel flicking between 2 stations to keep an eye on 2 games, or worse just not watching one.

That is no good for sponsors of teams.

I'm all for more games on FTA if they get shown live where possible, and not crazily chopped up to meet advert requirements.

The other point with Fox is they show the games in all areas at the same time, not just NSW/QLD, FTA just isn't interested in showing the game across the whole country. Once again bad for sponsors etc.

End of rant for now ;-)
 
What would be wrong with All games live

7:30 Friday nite Free to Air


3:30 Sat (simulcast to ABC tv to promote the game Australia wide)
5:30 Sat Foxsports
7:30 Sat Foxsports & (Free to Air)

2:00 Sun Foxsports & ABC tv
4:00 Sun (Free to Air)
6:00 Sun Foxsports

Fox
7:00 Monday (we get told it rates great)

the aim of the above is to give max exposure to Australia wide
 
PJ link said:
If Foxtel lose anymore games the first thing I'll do will be ring up and cancel it. There is bugger all on it anymore aside from Fox sports news, and the only reason I got it was to watch Manly games.
My misses whinged and biatched about me getting it put on and now guess who watches it more than me....dam you Grand Designs- so boring!
its always the case mate that story is common among us sports lovers, shIIt fight to get it on & when you finally do.. you cant even watch what you wanted to watch , you have to wait for the delayed replay ..
 
A 24 hour Rugby league station for an extra $5-$10 a month would be great  There would be heaps of content
 
Screw Free to air the coverage is ****, they wont play the u20s and they won't have a pre or post game show, don't get me started on the "Best rugby league commentators in the game"

This is all just a ploy to get more money form Foxtel, there is no way Foxtel will not spend overs to keep its current Saturday and Monday RL games (they are a gold mine).
 
I personally don't mind how it is at the moment. But no matter what changes they make in the future you're not going to be able to please 100% of people.

The Saturday afternoon sounds like a decent idea for tv but I question how the crowds would be to that game bearing in mind a lot of people work Saturdays. Bit like Monday night I guess.

I'm one of the few by the sounds of it but don't mind the Nine commentary. Having said that I have little idea on how they are when Manly are on Nine because i'm at the games.
 
For mine I need it to remain of Fox as Channel 9 over here in Perth will not show NRL on free to air at a decent hour.
It is always on between midnight and 2.00am in the morning
 
They had a RL channel back in the optus vision days when C7 had the rights to the ARL it ****ing rocked, Livve games, replays classic games and replays of the talk shows as well!
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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