2 replies to this topic

[lionwolf]

With the Premier Sports deal up for renewal and BT starting up their BT Sports service in August 2013 I wonder what will happen with the NRL playing from March to October which in the middle of the season between May and August coincides with the close season in Premier League Soccer (signed up in June) and Premiership Rugby Union (which was signed today) which are both played from late Summer to early Spring.

Which would mean BT wanting sports that they can show in the summer my ideal summer content for BT Sports would be Rugby League from Australia and importantly for BT Paralympic sport. However if BT were to go for the Australian RL the BT deal would most likely be from 2014.

Which would mean that the NRL/ARLC would have to do a 12 month deal for 2013 (assuming BT bid for the UK rights)

Also would BT want to go for the whole thing.
The AllStar Game
The NRL regular season
NRL Finals Series/Grand Final
City v Country (not currently shown in this country but could be included in any future UK broadcast deal)
State of Origin
The ANZAC test.

Or a NRL only deal with the Regular Season/Finals Series/Grand Final with the Representative games sold separately.

The reason that I have included the Grand Final in with the finals series is that to show the NRL Grand Final live
you have to show the whole season regular and finals live which Sky don't currently do

[G Las D]

Premier Sports coverage of NRL is very good in that it consistently shows the majority of games usually 5/8 on a full 8 game week, sometimes 6 a week. It also has taken up the British Cooperative Championship RL and their coverage is much more even handed than Sky's was taking Co-op Championship and Championship 1 games.
The fact that Sky currently cherry pick the NRL Grand FInal is irksome. They have reduced their interest in the NRL to highlights at the end of the week.
I must admit I know little of BT Vision.If they've any sense they ought to be interested in the NRL, the very best Rugby League competition there is for their summer timetables.
I can't see them taking the Co-op Championship though. Premier Sports have stepped into what could have been a void of RL coverage in this country. I know money talks ultimately but Premier Sports intentions have been genuine and they've delivered on their promises and even developed the coverage more.

Would BT not be interested in Super League first? Maybe even the old Super League and NRL approach that Sky once had

Interest from BT for our game is just speculation isn't it?. Do we know if they are aware of our great game?

Edited by G Las D, 13 September 2012 - 08:23 AM.

[dcc]

Whilst it's available online for free and legally (http://www.rlbet.co....e-nrl-streaming) I can't see to main broadcasters paying much if anything at all