ARLC makes free-to-air Saturday game a priority in new rights deal

[Berkeley_Eagle]

SATURDAY afternoon or evening rugby league could soon be back on free-to-air television, with the ARL Commission making the timeslot a key component of negotiations for the game's new broadcast deal.
NRL games on Saturdays are, as it stands, exclusively the domain of one of the two existing television rights holders, Fox Sports, which broadcasts as many as three first-grade matches on its subscription service from 5.30pm.




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[jbb/james]

Saturday footy is a great idea , especially when you consider the TV alternatives. Sweet FA on the box then anyway. They then have to go further, recently games like the tigers v parra, tigers v penrith . I just havn't even bothered wasting my time on crap games like this, and they will never attract new viewers

I've turned off Friday nights a few years back as i am in Brisbane and sick of the bronco games. I record Manly on a Friday night and get up early to watch it as 9 wrecks the continuity of the second game . And lately the quality of games on a Sunday is so poor i don,t even tune in.

I consider myself a pretty hard core fan but i just wont waste my time if i am dealt up sub standard viewing and being subjected to a Sunday game that has included the two biggest flops of the year......come on are you kidding me

And channel 9 have killed the Sunday roast as well, whats doing there. Its a massive flop this year

 

[mmmdl]

I don't think Saturday afternoon games work these days (as in, a 3pm or so kick off).

Too many people either work, have sporting commitments themselves or, most importantly, their kids have sporting commitments.

Having pay tv it doesn't worry me either way cause if I want to watch the game then I can...........what I want is to be able to watch EVERY game live, like you can with the AFL.........none of this delay rubbish. I'm happy if on a Friday night, 1 game is on FTA whilst the other is on Pay, and then they show them in reverse once the other game is finished - that way people without Pay tv still get to see both games but we get a choice of who we get to watch (I'm especially sure non Brisbane fans in Brisbane would love this option)

 

[Captain Moondog]

This would be good news for us. We seem to get more than our fair share of Saturday games.

 

[Stevo]

I don't really care. I've got pay tv. Would be nice if they were all live though!

 

[jbb/james]

something else that has to change is the picking of games, As i understand it ch 9 get pick 1 and 2 for friday and fox get pick 3 for monday. As 9 always pick brisbane even if they play someone hopeless, and then pick the best ratings game for game 2 , in many cases the second best game of the round and in more cases the best game of the round is scheduled for Monday night

How blockbuster games that promote the game can be shunted to Monday night and only enjoyed by people with fox is a massive blight on the game

 

[bones]

I consider myself a pretty hard core fan

Now admittedly I have never seen you with make up on jbb, but 'pretty' is not a word that i would have used to describe you.

 

[lismore_fan]

Considering most of our games this year have not been on FTA, I have loved sitting back and watching commercial-free games.

Last Friday night brought me back to the reality with our game on Ch9. Ok, the commentators didn't help. How long do they chat over the Missile's chances in the coming London Olympics.
But it's when the on-screen advertising of their own programs during the game and completely block the game shown. "The Block", "The Voice".

I was just glad we weren't shown as the second Friday night game - this would have been worse! More ads throughout the play.
The hour & a half games stretch to two hours - 30 minutes of ads during the actual playing.

Austar/ Foxtel TV is expensive on the average income but it's a far better coverage.
Saturday TV on FTA? Probably much of the same.

Gould is a dick-head with his ad-lib comments to 'Rabbits'. I hope Ch 7 & 10 are better but somehow I doubt it.

 

[Mals]

Sensible, the Commish have got to sort better FTA coverage for NRL. A fixed schedule is also a must. I cancelled my gym membership to subscribe to Fox, best move I have made in years!

 

[eagles2win]

Kill the Monday game and I'll be happy

 

[jbb/james]

I consider myself a pretty hard core fan

Now admittedly I have never seen you with make up on jbb, but 'pretty' is not a word that i would have used to describe you.

And until you have seen me with my make up on, I would prefer if you reserve your judgement. Under the right lighting,through a skinny lense, when alcahol has been consumed, lots of, and when i shave before I apply make up, with my back turned and from a distance, from a blind person with no braille allowed, im pretty average, well almost anyway

 

[eagle-rock08]

Leave Saturday afternoons alone for those of us who want to watch local league.

I like the fact I can go and watch three games of park footy and then come home and watch a few games of NRL on Saturday night.

Not everything is about the NRL.

There are a lot of good games at the grass-roots level being played on Saturday afternoons.

 

[torana355]

I don't really care. I've got pay tv. Would be nice if they were all live though!

Yeah i have foxtel too but its the FTA delayed games that ruins it all for me. I would prefer Foxtel had all the rights tbh, at least they show all games 100% live and in HD!!! It only costs 20 bucks a week anyway.

 

[Oneyeagle]

Eagles playing on Saturday Afternoon would certainly get priority but presently I'm enjoying catching up with mates down at Manly Oval watching the Ra Ra Marlins play.

The Steak sandwiches and cheap beers unfortunately leave Brookie wanting with regards to the Catering department.

 

[firechild]

I don't really care. I've got pay tv. Would be nice if they were all live though!

Yeah i have foxtel too but its the FTA delayed games that ruins it all for me. I would prefer Foxtel had all the rights tbh, at least they show all games 100% live and in HD!!! It only costs 20 bucks a week anyway.

$20 a week is too much for many people. I, and many others, rely on FTA games and occasionally watching the game elsewhere (obviously as well as attending games).

 

[torana355]

I don't really care. I've got pay tv. Would be nice if they were all live though!

Yeah i have foxtel too but its the FTA delayed games that ruins it all for me. I would prefer Foxtel had all the rights tbh, at least they show all games 100% live and in HD!!! It only costs 20 bucks a week anyway.

$20 a week is too much for many people. I, and many others, rely on FTA games and occasionally watching the game elsewhere (obviously as well as attending games).

Point taken, i would love the FTA games to be in HD and live and not have to pay for foxtel but i don't see it happening.

 

[Eagles2nv]

Well i dont have pay, and manly play alot of saturday games. So i like this idea.