Telstra deal brings games to mobile

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Telstra deal brings games to mobile


Wednesday 12 December 2012 2:32 PM

Rugby League fans will for the first time be able to watch matches live on mobile phones and tablets, regardless of their carrier, under a new five-year digital media and sponsorship agreement between Telstra and the Australian Rugby League Commission.
Under the partnership, announced in Sydney today, Telstra will acquire the following properties:
Exclusive broadcast rights of all NRL matches for mobile and tablet devices*,
Naming rights to the Premiership and Sunday Football,
Operation of the NRL website and related team sites, the official NRL app, and the official NRL fantasy games;
Extensive highlights packages during and after games
Exclusive post game access/press conferences to mobile and tablet devices
Extensive signage and marketing activation rights.

*Five matches per round live and three as per Nine Network broadcast times
Interim ARLC CEO, Shane Mattiske, said the new partnership between Telstra and the ARLC will jointly deliver more fans unprecedented coverage of the game and benefits that flowed through to the sport’s grassroots:
"The renewal of our partnership with Telstra is great for the game and great for all fans.
"Over twelve years Telstra has been a key partner at every level of the game and we are delighted they have extended their commitment to rugby league. This extended partnership will see a significant investment in innovation that will deeply engage more fans than ever before in the excitement of Rugby League," Mr Mattiske said
"Telstra’s commitment and enthusiasm to delivering leading edge technology to fans through innovative mobile and 'tablet' coverage, a new official app and a great new NRL.com and club websites has been a key factor in renewing our association. Telstra is a partner that deeply understands the game and you can’t help but be impressed by what they are committed to achieving over the next five years."
Telstra CEO, David Thodey, said Telstra was unmatched in its ability and commitment to deliver Rugby League to more Australians and match content will be available to all consumers via the NRL app.
"Australians have embraced smartphones and tablet devices and this partnership provides for us to make the app and its live coverage available to all NRL fans where and when they want it," Mr Thodey said.
"Whether it is watching live coverage of the Telstra Premiership while they are out and about, catching up on latest news or highlights or competing with friends in fantasy football and tipping, the 2013 season will see Telstra and the NRL deliver an unprecedented experience," he said.
Mr Thodey said that as well as taking the league to a wider audience, the partnership between Telstra and the NRL would support the continued growth, success and enjoyment of the game.
"At NRL games and events, fans will have the opportunity to interact with the sport and their heroes in new and unique ways. Meanwhile we will continue to develop the sport through local community programs.
"Telstra’s sponsorship of the NRL will help connect more Australians to the sport, whether they are elite players, local clubs or the next generation of players and fans," he said.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Good, whenever Manly is playing Friday night (hello is that ever????) I'll be happy to "buy in" for that game to display on my I-Pad.

HOWEVER, I bet the only way will be a season pass, hope I am wrong but bet I'm not!!

 

[Chip and Chase]

This is the future of sports viewing, but as Mark has said let's not get excited until we know how it will be packaged up, distributed and costed.

I'm hoping that Telstra do a deal something like Vodaphone do with the cricket, in that if you are a customer you get free/cheap coverage on their network.

 

[firechild]

I'm ok with it being a season pass or monthly price. As long as it is reasonable. $70 for Foxtel over 6 months is $420. I'd be happy to pay around $80, maybe more, for a season pass that gives me all games live. I'm wondering whether this will be something that can be utilised on an Android based tv system like this:

http://www.oo.com.au/neoniQ-Internet-TV-Box-with-UP_P119019.cfm

I'm not sure how it all works but wouldn't this simply be something that would work on any device that could run their app on a iOS, Android or windows phone platform?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I have Apple TV, maybe it might display on my big screen, now that would be good!!

I was reading elsewhere (and potentially bad news for us Queenslanders) is that the Chan 9 offering will be just the games you see showing at the same times.

Boo hoo, NOT going to work for me I think.

I have Foxtel already, so really the only time this would work for me is if I was away on a trip, or away from home.

Anyway guess we shall wait and see

 

[Jethro]

I would have preferred an internet subscription service to be available as well or a Pay-Per-View internet service so that I could only choose the Manly games.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

yup by the looks of it it's the '5 live' 'non-nine' games. so the nine games will still be at the same delayed times.
moving forward it is the way to go and im glad they are jumping on it now. the next deal though this will be the biggest chip of the bargain, and it'll be all games live / on demand.. sadly we have to wait years for it to happen.
i have my fox sub, so it'll be great when i am away to be able to log in on a tablet with fox details and watch the games. does foxtel go have an android app yet? if not im sure they will soon, so it wont be a hassle to get connecters to plug your phone into tv and watch on the big screen, providing the streaming speeds are good.
its a start at least!

 

[WAMF]

I would have preferred an internet subscription service to be available as well or a Pay-Per-View internet service so that I could only choose the Manly games.

It will be interesting to see how they do this price wise bearing in mind that Telstra owns 50% of Foxtel.

 

[Eagles2nv]

If its anything like bigponds other apps, it will be overpriced garbage.

Saying this, it is the right idea, and this is the way forward so kudos to everyone involved.

My only concern is if im not connected to my Wifi network, will i have the bandwidth to support it.

Also it would be nice if there was a paid online service where i can watch games on my PC in high quality streams.

 

[firechild]

I would have preferred an internet subscription service to be available as well or a Pay-Per-View internet service so that I could only choose the Manly games.

It will be interesting to see how they do this price wise bearing in mind that Telstra owns 50% of Foxtel.

Agreed. The last thing they want is to kill their Foxtel subscriptions. There are suggestions elsewhere that this will only be available to Foxtel subscribers too which would suck.

 

[deadlyeagle]

Apparently Telstra are paying $100 Mill for 5 years for this deal, double the previous and a record for a sports naming rights sponsor in Australia.

 

[COMMANDER]

If its anything like it was offered to overseas punters in the past you should be able to pay by game.

Excellent result though, I am keen to see what is offered.

If it's good I will look forward to the call I have been looking forward to for years: telling Foxtel to stick it up their arse and to come and pick their **** up.

 

[Shoe1]

Surely you guys don't just subscribe to fox for the footy ;0)

I've held off subscribing for this long, but would be very happy to go a subscription for games only on a device.

 

[WAMF]

Surely you guys don't just subscribe to fox for the footy ;0)

NRL, UFC and Lingerie league.
Other than that they can come pick up their **** from my house too

 

[mosto]

Also hoping that this is not too over-priced and is available per game. I don't have pay tv and won't be getting it. I can go to my old man's place to watch games on pay of a weekend, but not really keen on Monday nights (which I believe we may have one or two of next year ), so would definitely use this to watch Monday games. Last night I bought a season subscription for the cricket through the cricket LIVE app, mainly for the big bash. It's $4.99 per game, or $12.99 for the whole summer, which I thought was pretty good. Watched last night's Big Bash and the quality was fine. This is done through Vodafone I believe. So if a half-arsed company like Vodafone can get it right, surely Telstra can handle it, although their consistent ability to stuff everything they touch continues to amaze me.

Sorry, I won't go into my Telstra rant, I've bored enough people with it over the years.

 

[manlyfan76]

$100,000 per regular season game. 26 rounds X 8 games X 5 years into $100 mill?

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Telstra will want to get their money back somehow.

 

[mosto]

$100,000 per regular season game. 26 rounds X 8 games X 5 years into $100 mill?

---

Telstra will want to get their money back somehow.

---

Now all we need is 100,000 subscribers and it's only $1 per game

 

[Mals]

Good luck with the buffering & drop outs!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Surely you guys don't just subscribe to fox for the footy ;0)

NRL, UFC and Lingerie league.
Other than that they can come pick up their s**t from my house too

Classic, does Mrs WAMF know you watch Lingerie League???

I watch,

NRL
Big Bash Cricket (only cause there's nothing else on)
Sky News (if I get home late form work and miss the normal news)

Other than that, my wife calls it "50 channels of crap"....and to be honest she's right.

Why bother with the movies, when I can download what I need through Apple TV (and yes I know there's ways to do it free BUT that goes against my grain...actors have to eat as well!!)

When my grandkids stay the kids shows get a run, but other than that most of it is complete garbage!!

 

[Mals]

Mark - try the CI channel, Soho is pretty good as well.