Rugby Australia yet to secure TV rights for Shute Shield as it seeks to sell ‘whole of game’ package
Rugby Australia want to include Sydney club rugby matches in their next broadcast deal, but their plans almost went horribly awry.
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Update: Rugby Australia officials misinterpreted the contract to the Shute Shield and nearly blew their negotiations to fold the competition into their broadcast package.
Cool heads prevailed and “a united” code is now moving towards a new deal with Optus and Network Ten from 2021-25.
The television rights to Sydney’s club rugby competition are owned by Club Rugby TV, who took over the running of the Shute Shield in 2015 after signing an agreement with Sydney Rugby Union and NSW Rugby Union.
RA is negotiating to take the rights from Club Rugby TV owners Nick Fordham and John Murray, so they can present a “whole of game” package that includes club, provincial, women’s, Sevens and Test match rugby to the open market next week.
The Shute Shield is a critical element of RA’s offering, and so a deal with Club Rugby TV vital, therefore putting Fordham and Murray in a powerful position.
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But RA officials mistakenly believed Club Rugby TV only had rights to one Shute Shield game a week – the match of the round shown live on Channel 7 each Saturday – and even contemplated taking the remaining four games of the 11-team tournament if a deal with Fordham and Murray could not be reached.
The problem was Club Rugby TV indeed holds the rights to all games until the end of 2024, and after RA discretely floated the notion through media on Friday that not all Shute Shield matches were covered by the contract, the tactic backfired.
Frantic back and forth calls between Fordham and RA officials on Friday night and Saturday morning staved off a breakdown in talks.
An RA insider told The Sunday Telegraph that a misinterpretation had occurred because the contract is “very complex”, however made clear that the governing body now understands that Club Rugby TV owns full rights and all parties are aligned.
A deal is expected to be finalised in days.
However, it can be revealed that even if a deal can’t be struck with Club Rugby TV, RA has guaranteed Shute Shield clubs $1.4 million over the next four years, solidifying their financial position five years after the competition was abandoned by the game’s powerbrokers and left on the brink of ruin.
RA came in with the guarantee after Fox Sports had attempted to buy the Shute Shield rights from Fordham and Murray – the SRU voted unanimously on Friday to accept RA’s offer instead.
It’s a remarkable turn of fortune for the Sydney competition and speaks volumes for the marketing ability of Club Rugby TV, which is why RA intends on keeping Fordham involved in their strategic planning for the term of their next broadcast deal.
RA’s broadcast package is being orchestrated by Shane Mattiske and Michael Tange, and will be offered up by chief executive Raelene Castle within days.
“We have been working really well with Shane since the end of last year, and our discussions with Shane on behalf of Rugby Australia have been outstanding,” Fordham said.
“For the people involved in the actual negotiation, there is no confusion within our group.
“Sydney Rugby Union has made a decision, Club Rugby TV is completely aligned with that, and we’re working in good faith to reach an agreement.
“We hope everyone can get behind rugby and support this direction - the whole reason John and I got involved in the first place is that we’re rugby fans.
“We’re very proud of the Shute Shield and we want to make sure it’s protected and continues to grow.”
Industry insiders are tipping that RA will end a 25-year partnership with Fox Sports and take the game to Optus and Ten in a deal that includes Super Rugby on free-to-air television for the first time.
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Originally published as Rugby Australia yet to secure TV rights for Shute Shield as it seeks to sell ‘whole of game’ package
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