Daytime NRL grand final back on cards after bumper TV ratings | Monday Buzz
An overwhelming majority of fans wants to see the end of night time Grand Finals, so will the NRL take note and change things?
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Blockbuster Saturday afternoon TV ratings have reignited the debate for a daytime NRL grand final.
The Penrith v Melbourne cliffhanger qualifying final on Saturday afternoon attracted almost two million viewers on Nine, Fox Sports, Foxtel Go and Kayo – a far bigger audience than Friday night’s Manly Sea Eagles v South Sydney Rabbitohs game (1.5 million).
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo say they will review the scheduling with broadcasters Channel 9 and Fox Sports at the end of the season.
The overall audience on Saturday afternoon was up more than 30 per cent on the same game last year that was played in the 7.50pm timeslot. Obviously, being in lockdown helps.
For Foxtel it was their highest rating finals game in history.
BLOG WITH BUZZ AHEAD OF THE GRAND FINAL
Watch Fox Leagues’s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, half-time and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >
V’landys was blown away by the figures.
“We’ll talk to our broadcast partners, listen to our fans and review it with everything else during the off-season,” V’landys said.
“It was a fantastic game of football and there are some who think the quality of football is better in the daytime. We’ll have a look at it.”
Abdo and V’landys are already in talks with the networks around expansion and a future free-to-air deal. The blockbuster ratings give them huge bargaining power with Channel 9.
Asked about future afternoon kick-off times, Abdo refused to rule it out.
“This was a unique opportunity because of the circumstances (clash with AFL) to play in the afternoon,” he said.
“And it was a wonderful game.
“We do have a contract with Channel 9 and Fox Sports for evening games.
“That’s worked well. Without Covid, families have community sport commitments in the afternoon and then are at home at night for the football.
“Afternoon football is a bit faster when it’s dryer. It was a great game. There are benefits in both.”
The NRL last year extended its broadcast deal with Foxtel for another five years, taking in the 2027 season. Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany on Monday morning said the company would take a fans-first approach into any discussions.
“We’ve always worked with the NRL in terms of scheduling with particular emphasis on what’s best for the fans — our audience,” Delany said.
“What is good for the fan is good for Fox Sports. So we’ll gladly work on it with the NRL as we always do. It’s exciting.”
Monday Buzz: Ref’s inexcusable miss in Cleary controversy
Sports Editor-at-Large Phil Rothfield runs the rule over the preliminary finals and delivers all the best gossip from the sporting world in his Monday Buzz column.
HIGHLIGHT
Nathan Cleary has needed a shoulder operation for weeks. He again ignored excruciating pain to lead the Panthers to a colossal victory over Melbourne Storm on Saturday. Whatever happens in the grand final, we should be raving about his courage.
Watch Fox Leagues’s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, half-time and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >
HIGHLIGHT II
The announcement from Deputy Premier John Barilaro that the Matildas are locked in to play Brazil at the newly named CommBank Stadium at Parramatta on Saturday October 23 and Tuesday October 26. It will be Sydney’s first international sporting event since the Covid lockdown and open only to double-jabbed fans.
HIGHLIGHT III
Who says afternoon footy doesn’t rate on TV. The total audience for Saturday’s Storm v Panthers qualifying final was 1.7 million – up an extraordinary 30 per cent on last year. It was the second highest Fox Sports finals audience in history.
LOWLIGHT
An advertisement break after every goal in the AFL grand final on Channel 7. We understand the network has got to commercialise the coverage on the game’s biggest stage but when the Demons kicked three goals in one minute it actually ruined the telecast.
SHOOSH
One NRL player agent says that three of his star players will refuse to have Covid jabs during the off-season. This is going to be a massive issue for Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo over the summer months.
SPOTTED
Referee Gerard Sutton allowed Nathan Cleary kick to take a conversion attempt at least 10 metres closer to the posts than from the position where Brian To’o actually scored. Lucky it missed.
This is outrageous https://t.co/WUzXWra3gb
— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) September 25, 2021
SPOTTED
Townsville bound halfback Chad Townsend at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday to cheer for his brother-in-law Scott Sorensen for the Panthers against the Melbourne Storm.
SPOTTED
NRL employee and medical guru Craig Catterick running the water for the Penrith Panthers following the suspension of their regular trainer Pete Green for the remainder of the season.
360 VIEW
Catch you Monday on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm with Yvonne Sampson, Paul Kent and James Hooper to discuss the issues leading up to the grand final and the Dally M Awards that are televised after the show.
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