Foxtel and Nine talk with NRL

FOX Sports remains in negotiations with the NRL about their broadcast deal as they continue to deal with the fallout of rugby league’s unplanned hiatus.

Channel 9’s next quarterly broadcast payment is due next Wednesday but the free-to-air network has already indicated it will not be paying.

Fox Sports remains in open dialogue with the NRL regarding its contractual obligations given the uncertain nature of the sport during the coronavirus pandemic.

Nine newspapers have reported Channel 9 wants to renegotiate its current rights deal to extend beyond 2022.

News Corp, publisher of the Bulletin, has been in constant contact with the NRL and ARLC commissioner Peter V’landys on how best to navigate through these tough times for the game and Foxtel.

Nine boss Hugh Marks has previously said “sports rights need to perform for our business”, as the network uses the fallout from the coronavirus to renegotiate its broadcast deal with the NRL.

Despite the lockout of fans last weekend, ratings were down for the free-to-air network while Fox League enjoyed an 8 per cent increase.

Fox also recorded a record share of audience with 297,000 viewers against Nine’s 382,000 for the Broncos v Rabbitohs match.

It was Fox League’s fifthhighest rating Friday night, regular season game of alltime, while for Nine the blockbuster clash was 12 per cent down on the Round 1 matchup between the Cowboys and Broncos.

Fox League has continued to provide content for fans, starting a daily morning and afternoon show with interviews and a discussion about the day’s biggest news events.

Michael Carayannis