Nine Entertainment Co announced this morning it had secured NRL broadcast rights for the 2018 to 2022 seasons.
Advertisement
The new contract, which puts games on free to air in Australia four nights a week, has led to the removal of the Anzac test window, which had been in place since 1997.
Channel Nine has rights to broadcast Thursday, Friday and Saturday prime time matches, as well as Sunday 4pm matches.
‘We will be able to schedule the best games when fans want to see them and ensure all clubs receive the coverage they deserve on free-to-air television, ‘ Smith said.
‘There will be more live and free rugby league on television and that is what the fans want, ‘ Smith said in a statement announcing the new deal.
However, more live games could further adversely affect the NRL’s attendance figures, which are down six per cent this year and are the worst since 2004.
NRL boss Dave Smith welcomed the news as helping to secure the game’s long-term future.
“It is a constant tension, and I think it is partly solved by having a strong game-day proposition”.
But as the Kiwis rarely play in New Zealand these days, and won’t have a test on home soil at all in 2015, it’s a positive to have in place an opportunity to play one test mid year – and a game against Samoa or Tonga would be sure to draw a huge crowd in Auckland.
In addition, global rugby league matches will be played following the completion of the premiership competition.
Under the new deal the second match in each State of Origin series will be played on a Sunday night as part of a stand alone weekend of representative football which will also feature Pacific Nation Tests.
Smith says the Origin switch is to preserve the unique occasion of Origin, while minimising disruption to the NRL season – which is set to be trimmed from 26 weeks to 25 under the new arrangement.
‘This will not only improve player welfare but it will be fairer for the clubs and fans.’.
David Gyngell, CEO of NEC, said: “Rugby League is part of Nine’s DNA”.
Advertisement
While some suggest the announcement of the free-to-air component of the deal weakens the NRL bargaining power with Fox Sports over the remaining four matches per week, others argue that the pay-TV broadcaster could not afford to forego the NRL rights as subscriptions are already impacted by the emergence of streaming networks such as Netflix and Stan.
