NRL attempts exploit global sport shutdown by selling product to ESPN

[Taniwha Jacob]

3 hours ago, DoubleD said:

I wondered where you’d been YK/Barnaby. Glad the virus hasn’t caught up with you

What?

[emesssea]

26 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

That’s besides the point being discussed. They have made it abundantly clear that their decisions thus far have been financially influenced ones. What is being said is they’re attempting to exploit a global pandemic by using the current conditions brought forth by the virus to gain more money. At a time like this, health and welfare should paramount. If they weren’t considering showcasing the game when times were normal then it is exploitation of the current climate pure and simple.

 

I'm sure the NRL would have loved for ESPN to come with a dumptruck full of money for the broadcasting rights, but there was never a demand for it hence why it was on some backwaters channel called Fox Soccer Plus that most people don't even know exist.

I doubt much comes of this, but I do hope one day ESPN will want the NRL, Super League, and AFL content for their ever growing portfolio of ESPN+ (5 dollars a month vs 165 a year for just the NRL, no brainer)

[emesssea]

26 minutes ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

That’s besides the point being discussed. They have made it abundantly clear that their decisions thus far have been financially influenced ones. What is being said is they’re attempting to exploit a global pandemic by using the current conditions brought forth by the virus to gain more money. At a time like this, health and welfare should paramount. If they weren’t considering showcasing the game when times were normal then it is exploitation of the current climate pure and simple.

 

I'm sure the NRL would have loved for ESPN to come with a dumptruck full of money for the broadcasting rights, but there was never a demand for it hence why it was on some backwaters channel called Fox Soccer Plus that most people don't even know exist.

I doubt much comes of this, but I do hope one day ESPN will want the NRL, Super League, and AFL content for their ever growing portfolio of ESPN+ (5 dollars a month vs 165 a year for just the NRL, no brainer)

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

What?

Games up gutterfax. Time to get another alias

[Copa]

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

That’s besides the point being discussed. They have made it abundantly clear that their decisions thus far have been financially influenced ones. What is being said is they’re attempting to exploit a global pandemic by using the current conditions brought forth by the virus to gain more money. At a time like this, health and welfare should paramount. If they weren’t considering showcasing the game when times were normal then it is exploitation of the current climate pure and simple.

 

Absolutely they should exploit the current sports marketplace. We need the economies of the world to keep ticking over.

[The Future is League]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/calliope-calling-the-tiny-town-that-could-become-the-home-of-the-nrl-20200317-p54b4g.html

[The Great Dane]

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

I’m sorry but it’s naive to think that the NRL are doing this out of the goodness of their heart because they are concerned about the virus spreading. It’s pure exploitation driven by greed of money. 

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

That’s besides the point being discussed. They have made it abundantly clear that their decisions thus far have been financially influenced ones. What is being said is they’re attempting to exploit a global pandemic by using the current conditions brought forth by the virus to gain more money. At a time like this, health and welfare should paramount.

WTF are you talking about!

The NRL aren't going to ESPN trying to sell their product to them, ESPN is desperately trying to find sports content, any sports content, that hasn't been cancelled or postponed to broadcast on their channels, and it's being suggested that since the NRL are continuing on with the competition for the time being ESPN could potentially try to get the NRL.

As it says in the article Fox owns the NRL's international broadcasting rights. So even if ESPN do buy the NRL's broadcasting rights it'll mainly be a deal between ESPN and Fox, and more likely than not, the NRL wouldn't see a significant financial gain from the deal anyway.

So not only are the NRL not the ones that would be initiating discussions, the NRL don't really stand to gain much from the deal even if it does actually go ahead, and it probably won't go ahead because Fox already own the rights and I imagine that they won't be interested in parting with them unless there's good money on the table.

1 hour ago, Taniwha Jacob said:

If they weren’t considering showcasing the game when times were normal then it is exploitation of the current climate pure and simple.

What were the NRL supposed to do exactly, just go up to ESPN and demand that they pick up the NRL's international broadcasting rights!?

That's simply not how it works, and you must know that.

ESPN chooses who's on ESPN's networks not the NRL, and until now ESPN had no interest in the NRL whatsoever.

[The Future is League]

Interesting very interesting

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we-want-a-seat-at-the-table-espn-put-heat-on-fox-sports-for-nrl-rights-20200318-p54bc9.html

[ghost crayfish]

3 hours ago, The Future is League said:

Interesting very interesting

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we-want-a-seat-at-the-table-espn-put-heat-on-fox-sports-for-nrl-rights-20200318-p54bc9.html

A well-run, strategic RFL/Superleague might see this is a great opportunity to develop a long term plan for the NA franchises under their umbrella, which is based on strategic growth not P&R, and join the NRL in negotiations.