What’s the Buzz: Peter V’landys seeks meeting with Channel 10 over NRL rights
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys is seeking a meeting with the new Channel 10 owner, who is worth $265 billion, to talk about the future broadcasting rights of the NRL competition.
Peter V’landys will try to convince one of the world’s richest men to buy the NRL’s free-to-air television rights in the game’s next broadcast deal.
The independent commission boss wants a meeting with US businessman Larry Ellison, the new Channel 10 owner, who is worth $265 billion.
The Ellison family’s Skydance Media company recently purchased the struggling TV network with hopes of lifting it off the ratings scrapheap.
“Naturally we’d like to have talks with the new owners,” V’landys said.
“We have to look at every option to maximise broadcast revenue. It would be negligent of us not to. A man of his (Ellison) stature could lift us to another level again.”
For a man who has dined with the Queen, King and US president Joe Biden, it is a realistic goal he will get a meeting with one of America’s most powerful media families.
Having an American owning the rights in Australia would also be enormously beneficial to the NRL’s investment into the Las Vegas season-opener.
Reaching out to Channel 10 is a crucial move in uncertain times for all sports in Australia.
Channel 9 has parted with chief executive Mike Sneesby, there has been industry speculation around the possible sale of Foxtel, while Channel 7 is struggling financially and facing cutbacks rather than purchasing more sport on top of cricket and AFL.
The timing is good for the NRL in the week when Foxtel announced a Kayo Sports viewership surge of 30 per cent and record numbers across all platforms.
Channel 10 has a rich history in rugby league, having broadcast the old midweek Amco Cup and premiership between 1983 and 1991.
V’landys has the connection to set up a meeting with the Ellison family in America.
“We’ll find a way,” he said. “It’s no secret free-to-air TV is going to be very dependent on news, sport and reality TV because other content is going to streaming services.
“The whole future of free-to- air TV will be around sport and right now rugby league is attracting record crowds and highest TV ratings in history.
“We’re very happy with our current broadcast partners but we have to seriously look at every opportunity.”
The NRL has a $2 billion five-year-deal with Fox Sports and Channel 9 until 2027 but will kick-off negotiations for the next deal in the near future.
That deal was locked away at the height of Covid.
This time V’landys wants to blast his way past the AFL’s $4.5 billion deal over seven years through until 2031.
Nine’s long-term future with the NRL will be determined once a Sneesby replacement is named.
Channel 10 has been light on mainstream sport for a long time. They have the Socceroos, Matildas, the NBL and Formula 1, but nothing that regularly attracts big numbers.
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