WHAT Â sort of TV rights deal do you want?
Funny, isn’t it, that no one has ever asked you that question. Yet it is you, and I, and every NRL fan in the country (and the world) who has the most vested interest in how the NRL rights are divvied up.
Generally, the media has pushed some of the fans’ agenda prior to rights being negotiated, however, understandably, the limitations of the media landscape at the time of past negotiations has led to NRL bosses prioritising things other than delivering exactly the package the fans want. Surviving after the Super League War defined one media deal, competing with the AFL defined another while the past deal was all about the money and eclipsing the one billion dollar mark.
And as we now amble towards another right deal (in 2017), apart from the sudden shift in emerging technologies, the NRL sit at the table with a relatively secure base. The game has money, despite some doomsayers the ratings strong enough, again despite what you hear the game is as good as ever and the shifting media landscape is actually to the advantage of those who are currently selling large blocks of live sport.
So, for the first time, maybe ever, the game could perhaps negotiate into the media deal some things the fans and clubs want while not giving up tens of millions of dollars.
What are these ‘things’? Well you tell me… Shorter season, more day games, more free-to-air games, one live game a week ‘given’ to the ABC to broadcast (and get Warren Boland involved!), an Origin break, more choice in what games or game packages you can purchase (e.g. buying only Super Saturday).
Longer World Series, reintroduced Amco Cup, more internationals, expanded coverage of the NSW and Qld Cups, ‘Magic’ weekends, country weekends, the list could go on, and on, and on.
The important point is we CAN now ask for more freedom to shape our game. Gone are the days where the game feels like it is run by Channel Nine.
The game will have the power and the people need to have their say.
(twitter: @StevoGeoff)
