Rugby league could be taken OFF free-to-air TV and broadcast on online streaming services as a multibillion-dollar bidding war brews
- NRL executives have flown to the US to meet with several streaming services
- The game are considering offloading State of Origin to the highest bidder
- There are three years left on the NRL’s current $1.8billion deal with 9 and Fox
- Any deal would have to fit with the Australian governments anti-siphoning laws
Rugby league could be taken off free-to-air TV and broadcast through a streaming service.
NRL executives have reportedly flown to the United States this week to meet with Amazon, Google and Facebook to discuss screening matches on their digital platforms.
There are three years on the NRL’s current broadcast deal with Channel 9 and Fox Sports which is worth $1.8billion, with the NRL considering selling the rights to State of Origin to the highest bidder.
‘I was surprised because they all want our product,’ ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’Landys told 7News.
State of Origin is the pinnacle of the NRL and draws a larger audience than both the NRL and AFL grand finals.
ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’Landys said the NRL will be looking to get the best for it’s product in meetings with streaming services overseas
NSW fullback James Tedesco breaks free from a tackle in game three of the 2019 State of Origin series in Sydney
The league posted a $30.1million profit last season and a sale of the Origin series would dramatically increase that number.
Mr V’Landys said the league will look into potentially slicing up their deal to generate the greatest profit.
‘That’s probably going to be the secret of the success is how we do package it and how we get the best for our product,’ he said.
Amazon are the front runners to buy in, having recently bought into the English Premier League.
The American streaming giant were awarded the live broadcasting rights to part of the Premier League for three seasons until 2022.
A deal would have to work in conjunction with the Australian government’s anti-siphoning laws that prevent live sport from being broadcast exclusively on paid services.
The league posted a $30.1million profit last season and brokering a deal with a streaming giant will dramatically boost that number. Pictured: Jahrome Hughes of the Melbourne Storm passes the ball against the Canberra Raiders in the NRL Grand Final