NRL Channel 9, TV broadcast deals: Pacific Tests bumped from mid-season schedule
The NRL’s bumper new free-to-air TV deal has forced a reshuffle for one of the year’s most popular matches.
NRL
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The NRL’s new free-to-air deal has delivered a blow to the mid-season Pacific Test matches, after killing off the Sunday night State of Origin experiment.
Nine Network and the NRL agreed to a five-year deal worth $575 million on Monday that included the return of Origin to Wednesday nights.
The stand-alone Sunday Origin game paved the way for the NRL to hold a mid-season representative round, showcasing a number of Pacific Test matches and women’s Origin.
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But the new TV deal will now likely see the Pacific Test matches played in October or November.
“We’re not scrapping them, because we are returning to three Wednesday Origin games we are not going to have the stand-alone representative weekend in the middle of the season,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said. “It’s about creating a dedicated international window calendar after the grand final.”
The NRL’s decision to move the Pacific Test means the “dedicated window” won’t be introduced until 2023, with the rescheduled Rugby League World Cup to take place from October 15 next year.
There is a chance the mid-season Tests could be played once more in 2022, but that would be dictated by the border restrictions and security protocols in place at the time.
The mid-season Pacific Tests had been growing in popularity before Covid but have not been played since the pandemic.
Abdo is confident moving the Test matches until after the season won’t put a dent in the support for international football.
“Not at all, I think it’s the opposite,” he said. “Coming out of Covid we want to make sure that the international game continues to grow.
“The rivalry that exists, particularly among all the southern hemisphere countries, like between Australia and New Zealand, Fiji, PNG, between Tonga and Samoa as well, is gaining momentum.
“For us, it’s about investing in a really prominent, strong and very clear international window … which creates regular competition and fixtures between these countries.”
But Abdo did stress any planned changes would require approval from the ARLC.
“It is subject to the Commission’s sign off on Australia’s perspective on the international window and working with the IRL,” he said. “Nothing is set in stone. But moving these matches is going to create a bigger opportunity to grow the international game.”
Moving the Test matches means a player can choose to play for their state without giving up the chance to play for their Pacific nation.
Abdo confirmed clubs are obligated to release players for post-season international duty.
“There are requirements that clubs must release players for international duty,” he said. “We are protected in that sense. The clubs are supportive.”
Other changes to the NRL calendar will likely include the expansion of the women’s State of Origin from one game into a series.
The NRL is hoping to have at least one more women’s Origin match added by 2023, with the option of a three-game series also on the table.
“We’ve got some work to do with the respective parties, but our goal is to continue growing the women’s game and that also extends beyond Origin and includes state leagues, NRLW and even Test matches, the full elite pathways,” Abdo said.
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The NRL has agreed to a new TV deal with Channel 9 that is set to be the death knell for the Sunday night State of Origin experiment.
After trailing a single stand-alone game in the 2021 series, Nine’s latest broadcast deal will see every Origin match on a Wednesday night over the next five years.
The Nine free-to-air deal will run until the end of 2027 and is worth $575 million.
It means the NRL will rake in around $2 billion in broadcast revenue from its deals with Nine, Foxtel and Sky TV New Zealand in the next five years.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys said the broadcast deals would provide the game with long-term financial security.
“The Commission has now secured increased commitments from all three broadcast partners until the end of the 2027 season,” V’landys said. “These long-term deals highlight the strength of our game and the confidence broadcasters have in investing in rugby league.
“Broadcast deals generate the largest revenue for our game and having all three broadcasters committed until 2027, at a record level for the game, provides long term financial certainty to invest and plan for the game’s future and the futures of our clubs.”
Under the deal Nine will retain hosting rights for the grand final and the Origin series. Nine will also broadcast three matches per round plus the NRLW. A Saturday afternoon game will be broadcast on free-to-air for the final five rounds leading into the finals series.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the new free-to-air deal would ensure Australians all over the country would be exposed to the NRL.
“Part of this deal is ensuring we work together to grow the game and provide greater exposure to all levels of rugby league across a variety of media platforms. That’s an exciting outcome for our fans and our participants,” Abdo said.
Negotiations between the NRL and Nine had been strained at times but chairman Peter Costello labelled talks between the parties as ‘constructive’.
“This is a major deal for our business to bring this exciting sport to the Australian public across our platforms. The negotiation has been constructive and in the spirit of partnership across our businesses and we thank the NRL for the positive engagement in the process for an outcome that benefits all Australians and fans of the game,” Costello said.
Nine will continue to hold radio broadcast rights for its stations 2GB and 4BC in Sydney and Brisbane respectively. The audio and radio agreement will include exclusive rights to the 4pm game on Sunday.
“We are very pleased to have locked in our 30-year partnership with the NRL for a further five years. This certainty will enable both Nine and the NRL to further develop the game for the clubs and the broader NRL community. This is an outstanding result and enables us to participate in a strong media partnership delivering quality, and free, NRL coverage for all Australians for the next 6 years,” Nine CEO Mike Sneesby said.
Foxtel will also broadcast every round game live on Fox League until at least the end of 2027. The subscription provider brokered a new deal with the NRL during the Covid-19 suspension of the 2020 season in May.
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