Wallabies, Super Rugby TV deal: Channel 9 secures rugby rights
The fiercest of cross-code rivals will join forces on Channel 9 after the Network secured the broadcast rights for rugby on a cut-price deal.
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Nine will use its league talent to promote rugby from next year, after paying $100 million to secure broadcast rights for union up to 2023.
It’s expected that NRL commentators and experts will be asked to plug Saturday night Super Rugby and Wallabies Test matches during Nine’s league games on Friday nights from next season.
Nine’s deal with Rugby Australia has guaranteed that one game of Super Rugby will be shown on their free-to-air channel each weekend, followed by Wallabies Test matches.
The rugby games will be sandwiched between Nine’s Friday night and Sunday afternoon league games, and while the two codes have traditionally been fierce competitors, network boss Hugh Marks said they’ll be promoting each other from 2021.
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“I think you’ve got a lot of cross-promotion of talent, and obviously the slots are different,” Marks said.
“There’s nothing to stop us investing in more sports. We’ve got a platform that provides that audience to sports. And if we can monetise that, then they can get the revenue from us.
“I don’t think there’s any conflict at all. In fact, I think there’s probably cross-promotional opportunity.”
Amid a big drop in ratings, Nine renegotiated its broadcast deal with the NRL during the COVID-19 pandemic, with reports suggesting they will save $80 million from this year until the end of the deal in 2022.
The new $100 million, three-year deal with rugby has an option in Nine’s favour to extend a further two years should they wish.
Nine is setting up streaming service Stan as a major rival to Foxtel’s Kayo Sport.
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Stan Sport will be launched with rugby as its first asset, but Nine would not disclose how much it will cost. Existing Stan customers will have to pay the additional fee to access Stan Sport.
Marks said while Stan Sport will look to add to its content beyond rugby, he does not expect to poach the full rights of the NRL, AFL or cricket within the next three years.
“I think the investment in Foxtel has in those sports, it would be very difficult for Stan to come in and really compete on that broader basis, no,” Marks said.
“We’re going to put together a package of sports that makes a good customer proposition for a subscriber. And that will certainly be where Stan will be.
“What happens over the next 50 years will remain to be seen.
“We now have the optionality to play as far as the market evolves over that timeline. Since I’ve been involved in Nine, it’s not what’s going to happen in the next three years, it’s ‘Do we have a business now? What does that business look like over the next 50 years?’
“And we can see that now. And that’s what gives me a lot of excitement.”
Nine will show all Wallabies Tests, plus one game of Super Rugby each weekend on free-to-air, as well as some Shute Shield games per year.
It’s expected that other Rugby Championship Tests not involving Australia will be behind the Stan Sports paywall, as will Wallaroos games, and most Sydney and Brisbane club rugby matches.
Stan has also taken New Zealand’s ITM Cup and South Africa’s Currie Cup from Fox Sports.
Nine Entertainment offered more cash to Rugby Australia than Fox Sports, and so the 25-year association between the News Corporation and rugby, that started when the game turned professional in 1996, will finish after the final Tri Nations match between the Wallabies and Argentina on December 5.
RA’s board agreed unanimously last Thursday to take the game to Nine.
Foxtel Group chief executive Patrick Delany said: “On the field performances and off the field challenges have seen a decline in rugby’s popularity with fans over the past five years.
“In addition, the competitions that were offered for rights sales have changed markedly.
“While the Wallabies have always been non-exclusive to Fox Sports with every game on free TV as well, the new Super Rugby competition is very different with fewer games overall and fewer games involving Australian teams.
“While we would have preferred to retain rugby, we said earlier this year that we would maintain discipline in relation to sports rights – and we have.”
RA interim chief executive Rob Clarke orchestrated the deal, having taken over after the resignation of Raelene Castle.
It’s understood the new deal is on par with the existing contract worth around $34 million a year, however with the free-to-air aspect Nine gives to Super Rugby, Clarke declared this “a superior” deal.
The RA board decided last Thursday night to give the rights to Nine, but Clarke told Delany in person on Saturday afternoon.
“The opportunity to get Super Rugby in particular on free to air TV was a very, very significant factor,” Clarke said.
“We believe that both for our commercial partners in the game and for Super Rugby clubs in particular, and their commercial partners to be able to have the extended reach that free to air provides, will enable them to drive more income out of their assets. And I think it’s an important part of just helping to fund the whole rugby economy.”
Originally published as Wallabies, Super Rugby TV deal: Channel 9 secures rugby rights