Nine blames NRL as it tries to win back female viewers, with a potential cost to the TV network

Channel 9 has blamed the NRL’s disastrous handling of the code’s ‘summer of shame’ for “trashing” its attempts to lure back more female viewers — already deserting them over Karl Stefanovic.

Exclusive: Channel 9 has blamed the NRL’s disastrous handling of the code’s ‘summer of shame’ for “trashing” its attempts to lure back more female viewers — already deserting the network over axed Today co-host Karl Stefanovic.

A four-week, on-air campaign, set to an Andra Day pop anthem ‘Rise Up’, had been designed to broaden league’s appeal already suffering after last season’s horror headlines, which began last January when Brisbane Broncos player Matt Lodge — disgraced over a violent home invasion in New York — was welcomed back into the game.

Network insiders have confirmed the “heartfelt and emotional” promotional push — which ran during the Australian Open and episodes of the female-skewed reality series, Married At First Sight — had “been trashed” in the mud now sticking to league after a series of disgusting off-field scandals — including Jarryd Hayne’s arrest over allegations of a brutal sex attack, Ben Barba’s domestic violence-related dumping and Jack De Belin’s court appearance on rape charges.

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Brisbane Broncos player Matt Lodge is seen during a press conference at the Clive Berghofer Centre in Brisbane. Picture: AAP

As one executive bemoaned: “it’s very hard to reset the expectations of rugby league when all this is going on.”

Ironically, Nine is set to launch its next NRL ad on-air from tomorrow — using a Panic At The Disco’s hit, ‘High Hopes’.

While NRL boss Todd Greenberg was finally pushed last week to call out the latest off-season as a “trainwreck,” the broadcaster is furious at the financial risks they now face from an audience and advertiser backlash — after paying a record $925 million for the free-to-air rights.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg addressing the media in regards to the sacking of North Queensland Cowboys player, Ben Barba on 1st of February. Picture: Adam Yip

One Nine boss said they “have no sympathy” for the game’s governance, which has lurched from one disaster to another, mocking former Queensland premier and ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie’s calls last week for yet another review into player conduct.

The governing body had to get consistent with punishments and “stick to it,” and more controversially, suggested players be offered an “amnesty” if they had sex tapes or other socially-unacceptable skeletons likely to further damage the game.

Ben Barba, former. NRL; North Queensland Cowboys player. Picture: Alix Sweeney

While it is not the TV industry’s responsibility to clean up the game’s act, the Nine executive said drastic measures and a “culture over talent” approach was the only way forward.

“The game needs to draw a line in the sand and say, ‘from now on, it’s not just about illegal behaviour that can bring a police charge, it’s about anything that can bring the game into disrepute.”

But sports marketing experts have warned the game and its TV partners will almost certainly pay a hefty price for its men behaving badly.

Jarryd Hayne leaves Burwood Local Court in Sydney last year. Picture: AAP

Ben Parsons, of Ministry of Sport marketing agency, told Fox Sports online that NRL administrators had failed fans and advertisers and blackened its own brand.

“No one’s actually showing (the players) what good brand is, the NRL are hopeless,” Parsons said, adding “I put them in my top five worst administrators for brand and reputation management for individual athletes.”

Jack De Belin training at WIN Stadium with team members. Picture: Simon Bullard

PR and crisis management specialist, Max Markson said clubs, some already grasping for revenue to stay afloat, would also suffer.

“It will affect every club in the NRL,” Markson said.

“It’s ongoing. It’s like Chinese water torture — drip, drip, drip, drip. It continues to erode the brand of the NRL. From a long-term perspective of a company, they’ll think ‘Do I want to get involved in the NRL? No, I’d rather get behind a sport that’s clean’.”

Originally published as Nine blames NRL as it tries to win back female viewers, with a potential cost to the TV network