The NRL has all but signed off on an immense TV rights deal that will see the code rake in as much as $5.5billion over seven years, it has been reported.
That will put rugby league far ahead of the AFL’s $4.5billion deal, which began this year and runs through until 2031.
The deal will be agreed to in principle over the next two days after the Australian Rugby League Commission meets on Wednesday to ratify it, according to News Corp.
Channel Nine and Foxtel will retain the rights for free-to-air and pay TV respectively, with the agreement to run for seven years until the end of the 2034 season.
The NRL will rake in approximately $750million a year from the deal, with the total value swelling to the $5.5billion mark if a 20th franchise is established in New Zealand, making for 10 games a week.
Nine will pay $150million a year, with Foxtel contributing $520million, according to Nine Newspapers.
The imminent broadcast deal worth up to $5.5billion is a massive win for NRL supremo Peter V’landys (pictured) who has repeatedly stated his aim of taking the AFL’s crown as Australia’s premier footy code
Under the deal, Nine will continue to own the free-to-air rights, with Foxtel still showing every match on pay TV (pictured, Nine NRL reporter Danika Mason)
The massive money flowing into the NRL’s coffers should lead to pay rises for footy stars like Brisbane’s Reece Walsh (pictured) as the salary cap rises
Foxtel have the rights to broadcast every game and will sell off some matches to Nine.
Under the current deal, Fox airs every match of the round, with Nine running three of the clashes.
The bidding war leading up to the deal was intense, with reports that streaming giant Amazon wanted to air two matches a week.
Channels Seven and Ten were also reportedly keen to lock up games, but couldn’t secure the rights amid speculation that ARL chairman Peter V’landys wanted to get as many bidders as possible involved in order to drive up the price.
Nine is expected to retain the rights to the grand final and State of Origin series.
It had been reported that Nine made a huge bid to secure streaming rights for its Stan service in addition to the free-to-air matches.
Players should also get a win out of the deal, with the huge injection of funds likely to lead to an increase in the salary cap.
The deal is a huge win for V’landys, who has repeatedly stated his aim of taking the AFL’s crown as Australia’s premier footy code.
In February he made headlines when he took a shot at the NRL’s rival after it re-started its State of Origin matches.
‘We lead them like you lead a horse. We lead them through,’ he said.
‘What’s this Gather Round? What are they gathering? Rocks or stones,’ he said, claiming that the AFL had copied the concept – which sees every match of a round played in and around Adelaide – from the NRL’s Magic Round in Brisbane.
