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Nine wants more ads in NRL

Nine says it will expect more places for ad breaks in games if NRL bosses expect to match the hefty rights of the AFL.

The Nine Network is sending a message to the NRL that it will expect more places for ad breaks in games if sports bosses expect to match the hefty rights of the AFL.

Nine CEO David Gyngell says the AFL offers broadcasters more commercial breaks.

“We’ve got to be comparing apples to apples if everyone is going to put pressure on the NRL to get the big numbers. If we are talking about big money then it needs to be more commercial for free-to-air.

“You look at scrums and goal-line drop-outs … we only need 15-second grabs.”

But he is mindful such moves would anger fans.

“You need to look at everything without damaging an incredible product,” he said.

“We are looking for subtleties that buy us a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes per hour could work out to $50,000 more (in ad revenue) per game.”

Meanwhile NRL officials are contemplating offering exclusive coverage of all eight weekly games to the three free-to-air TV networks from 2013, fearing that Foxtel may undervalue the broadcast rights, after it shelled out a record $650 million to cover AFL for five years.

NRL boss David Gallop will put forward changes including switching State of Origin to Monday night, scrapping City-Country and playing Test matches after the NRL season.

Nine is expected to bid fiercly to retain the rights to the NRL.

“This is going to be an extraordinary time for rugby league if we get it right. We will be paying extra money,” Gygnell said.

“But we have to get it right (otherwise) the AFL will kill us.”

Source: Herald Sun, smh.com.au

30 Responses

  1. K, I completely disagree with what your’e saying. They can’t play the NRL in quarters to solve the problem! I watch at least 6 games of NRL a week and don’t want to see the games be split up for more breaks for the players. To do this we would have to reduce the interchange, as there are already to many opportunities for players to stop getting tired. If we go to quarters, the players will then be able to play the full 80, and the front-rowers will not be able to tire the players out by hitting the ball up.

  2. Looking at Gyngell’s comments here and elsewhere you would think 9 was running the NRL – 9 are against SoO being spun off,the NRL having control of their own scheduling,9 wants a second Brisbane side.
    Funny how there is no mention of live broadcast Australia wide of all games and no HD info.
    Best thing for the NRL would be to give 9 the boot and to never allow any FTA network the last right of reply.
    Controversially i will say the best thing that could happen is that Foxtel get control of all games including SoO……then all games live,in HD and Australia wide.

  3. They experimented with four 20min quarters at the All-Stars game a couple of years ago and it sucked – the match had a “blink and you’ve missed it” feel, and lessening the fatigue factor somewhat unbalanced the game in favour of the forwards. If anything the current push is to increase the fatigue factor and advantage the backs by decreasing the number of interchanges. I don’t have a problem with inserting more breaks during natural stoppages if it encourages Gyngell to cough up what rugby league is entitled to, but taking a sledgehammer to the subtleties of the game is not the way to go.

  4. THe problem with sports like the Rugby League and Union for that matter and the World Game is that the game is too long. League, Union and Football all have halfs not quarters. Which means that their are less oportunities to incert ads. The only way to incert more ads is to wait for a stop in play or when a goal or try has been scored. THe only way i can see around this is if the Commercial Networks do what their american counterparts have done. Where they just sell naming rights to parts of the on air broadcast. I think 7 kind of do that with their Afl coverage with the Half Time report. In the NBA broadcasts on TNT for example the Starting lineups and the Stats and the Pregame and halftime and the post game shows have a naming right sponsor, i know it kind of cheapens the broadcast but if the network want more money i think they will have to get creative. Another example is One’s NBL coverage last season during the Time out breaks One showed a graphic at least 2 sponsors names on it and even the commentators mentioned it at the start of every time out break so maybe thats the only way as well as the regular ad breaks that the networks will be able to recoup their money.

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