NRL clubs won’t be pushed into victory song for TV cameras
It is a tradition in the AFL but some NRL clubs are resisting an NRL directive to sing the club song in front of TV cameras, for fear it will come across as staged or fake.
NRL
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Six NRL clubs are resisting an NRL directive to introduce the AFL tradition of winning teams singing the club song in front of television cameras within 25 minutes of full-time.
All clubs are prepared to allow host broadcasters — Fox Sports and Nine — into the dressing rooms to film but want flexibility around the deadline.
Some clubs claim players are still on the field — celebrating, finding family, talking to teammates and opposition players.
If pushed to sing within 25 minutes of full-time, clubs claim the victory song would be rushed, staged and contrived.
The issue will be raised at Friday’s NRL chief executives conference in Melbourne.
“I’m sure when Nine and Fox bought those rights, they wanted it to look as authentic and spontaneous has it can be,” said Rabbitohs chief executive, Blake Solly.
“They don’t want it to be orchestrated or stage managed because it would take away from the editorial value of it.”
Souths, Canterbury, Brisbane, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra all asked the NRL to be more flexible.
Clubs told the NRL that dragging blokes from the field and forcing them to sing inside the 25 minutes would be challenging.
Some officials claim their team may not sing the team song until 40 minutes after full-time when all players are back in the dressing room and the coach has spoken.
It was agreed that vision of team songs would be compelling and emotional.
The new directive comes as the NRL introduce new media rules this year to give journalists quicker and better access to players.
“Our issue was never about access — it was around a couple of issues, one being about having to sing the team song at a particular time. It is very hard to script that at a particular time,” said Bulldogs CEO, Andrew Hill.
Clubs were told the team song vision had been sold to broadcasters back in November.
The NRL has indicated it will show some flexibility.
“We’re really supportive of Channel and Fox Sports getting the access they deserve under the contract — we have been really clear, given their investment in the sport, that whatever is in the contract, we will deliver,” Solly said.
“What we said was that we expect the broadcaster to show some flexibility on that. One of the reasons we believe they want to broadcast it is that they want it to be genuine and authentic; to be spontaneous for want of a better word.
“So we expect that flexibility after a game if it’s a huge win with a big crowd at the business end of the season — we know the players will want to be on the field longer celebrating with members and fans.
“We just want a degree of flexibility according to the circumstances of every match.”
Nine is expected to show the vision when their coverage doesn’t run into a second game on the same night or when they telecast Nine News.
Fox Sports would be expected to telecast the vision after each game they televise.
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Originally published as NRL clubs won’t be pushed into victory song for TV cameras
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