Storm brewing over NRL delays in Melbourne
NRL fans in Melbourne are campaigning for Nine to screen a match between Melbourne Storm and Manly earlier than 11:30pm on Friday.
- Published by David Knox
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NRL fans in Melbourne are campaigning for Nine to screen a match between top teams Melbourne Storm and Manly earlier than its scheduled timeslot of 11:30pm.
Instead it will screen Two and a Half Men, The Mentalist, CSI and CSI: Miami.
On its Wide World of Sports Facebook page, fans have let fly:
Andrew Blair: Wide World of Sports? Obviously not wide enough as apparently GTV9 don’t think Rugby League is a worthy sport to show live! Show the Melbourne Storm vs Manly Sea Eagles game live on Friday!!!
Brad Hopkins: Wide World of Sports (If you live in NSW or Qld)…
Aaron McConnell: C’mon 9 – Manly v Melbourne is a top-of-the-table clash and a likely grand final preview. Surely it’s worth putting this live in Melbourne?
Nick Smith: channel 9 are a disgrace to rugby league !! cant wait to you lose the rights!!
Quan Dang: What a joke…. Re-runs of two and a half men over Melb V Manly… U folks at channel 9 continue to neglect Rugby League in Melb at ur own peril!
Melbourne Storm has also issued a statement to its members: “It goes without saying that we too are deeply disappointed that this game will not be broadcast live on the Nine Network Friday.
“Unfortunately the decision is not ours, it rests solely with the Nine Network. We have been in constant communication with Nine again this week in an attempt to get the match broadcast, but to no avail. There is nothing more this Club can do in this instance.”
On Saturday the Tri-Nations rugby union match will screen live on GEM, but fans are upset the NRL won’t get the same multichannel treatment. Such a move would require an exemption from the Minister for Communication, Stephen Conroy.
While Nine is in a crucial ratings fight with Seven this week, it isn’t taking any risks with bold programming moves.
Media buying guru Harold Mitchell says parties negotiating the next TV rights deal had to be realistic.
“They have to work on that flexibility rather than try for the impossible, which just won’t be done. If you try and make too many demands of the network, you won’t get anywhere,” he told the Herald Sun.
“The high watermark is the AFL, and they achieved their result with a great sense of co-operation with their media partner.”
Source: A-Team Sport
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- Tagged with AFL, CSI, CSI: Miami, NRL, The Mentalist, Tri Nations, Two and a Half Men
41 Responses
in a few weeks time, when the west coast eagles play collingwood on a friday night in the first week of the AFL finals, whats the bet that channel 7 perth show it on delay…. from 6:30pm.
if they do, the pressure will need to be there for it to be live on 7 mate…….
Luke: thanks for the explanation.
Still the question: was the Storm v Dragons game live last week?
Nine tries to claim they are Melbourne’s own, tries to pass themselves off as a Melbourne channel and yet they deliberately ignore Melbourn’s NRL team – despite our success, record membership, record match attendance, and growing viewing figures.
What a joke.
@DF. Because GEM is the Nine Network’s HD channel and GEM was originally going to broadcast all their sport on GEM, simulcast with Nine. If there are any programs that should be shown in HD it is sport, not Antiques Roadshow.
GEM is being marketed at a girlie channel, as opposed to 7maaaaaaaaaate being a blokey channel. Why show any football on GEM at all and not go to the main station? (and yes I say this as an NRL tragic).
Was the Storm V Dragons game shown live last week?
Channel 9 need to wake up and show Storm’s away games Live into Melbourne/Victoria. How do they expect to grow the game when they show Friday night games at midnight? It doesn’t need to become an AFL v NRL debate. Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia and there is plenty of room for all codes.
@David. The Collingwood vs. Fremantle game is in Perth, not Melbourne. Will be broadcast live into Melbourne at 8:40pm (6:40pm Perth time). While the Storm vs. Sea Eagles from Sydney will be on at 7:30pm (Syd & Bris).
Ok I was right and wrong regarding AFL info. Seven will play Collingwood v Geelong live in Melbourne, but on Sept 2nd not this week. Apologies for any confusion.
Why would anyone listen to Harold Mitchell as a source?
He’s the owner of Melbourne’s Super 15 franchise, of course he’s going to downplay the Storm.
@ Adam
not sure what game your thinking about but the last storm game that aired in melbourne was on a sunday arvo live into melbourne and got 80,000.
I cant remember the last time there has been a live friday night game into melbourne.
and storm games into melbourne rate better than what afl games into sydney do.
What a joke – the biggest NRL game so far of the season & Channel 9 want to show old re-runs. How can that be? I’m sure both Manly & Storm supporters in Victoria will think twice about watching 9 in the future. I’m bewildered.
last time the Storm was broadcast into primetime they got 38,000 viewers in Melbourne haha
And Mr Gallop tells Foxtel/PMG that if they don’t pay the right $$$ for NRL rights he will sell to Nine.
The best team in the competition and the only team in town can’t even get priority over Two and a Half Men re-runs from 2005.
Why not on GEM? It does not make any sense at all, beyong belief in 2011!!!
Watching Rugby League in Melbourne is a joke. Usually you’ll have to track down a pub somewhere which airs a delayed feed from the NT late at night. Okay, so AFL rules the roost in Melbourne – that’s fine. But to not show any league games at a reasonable hour is a double standard when AFL is available in every other state to watch, including NSW and QLD, traditionally bigger followers of league than AFL. I don’t think it’s asking too much for one game a week to be shown at a reasonable hour. The Storm are on top of the ladder and have a legion of fans down there.
The broadcaster holds the rights to the code with the Number 1 team in the league playing the Number 2 and cannot play that game live in competition leaders city.
I can’t wait to see how “ohyeah” would respond to this one, after reading his mindless rants regarding the helicopter he may actually injure himself if he reacted relative to Nines ineptitude over this one.
Ps Everyone needs a nemesis and this clown could be yours sort of like Batman and the Joker, Kerry Packer and Paul Barry, Julia Gillard and the Australian public.
Now Melbourne sport fans know what Sydney AFL fans have been treated like for years and years by Seven
Ahh more proof that channel 9 literally have no idea how to run a tv station
It’s not Collingwood vs. Geelong on Friday, it’s Collingwood vs. Fremantle in Perth which will be another lop sided game. The perfect night to show the Storm vs. Sea Eagles live on GEM.
The so called transmission rules are still in the 19th century and must have been created shortly after the first fleet landed. Everyone involved needs to move quicker in this rapidly changing environment. Internet based smart tv is going to wipe out traditional fta if all parties involved do not step up to the plate soon.
Melbourne has fremantle collingwood live at 8.40 this Friday. Even more reason to shoe the game live
I can’t believe Nine surely the NRL game featuring Melbs own team would rate better than sitcom repeats?!?!?
Melbourne and number 1 and manly number 2 it’s going to be a big big game
I am a huge Storm fan and live in NSW, which I am glad at as the only time the game is delayed is when WIN show the double header. I hope FOX Sports do buy all the NRL rights next year as it is about time this country got the same programming – no matte their position and timezone.
Getting Harold Mitchell to comment on the Media right is crap. He is part of the Rebels Rugby Union Camp.
Being a storm Supporter
I do not want it live. I want it on at a reasonable hour (ie 9:30pm). Even on Go or GEM.
If Brisbane Fox Sports games are played at 10:30pm that night, Why Can’t the Storm?
Storm get there games shown on Sunday this year but Why Friday?
It is wrong, I am sick of excuses
@David. It’s Collingwood v Freo this Friday
NRL fans are very vocal. A NRL game would never rate higher than AFL in VIC, SA or WA and surely NRL fans know that. NRL would only ever be live in these states on Foxtel.