NRL’s big payday looms - but the fans must come first

By Barry O’Brien OAM, Chairman, Atomic 212°

The NRL is pushing hard to strike a new media deal, one that could reshape Australian sport. It’s been a long time coming. Under the leadership of Peter V’landys and Anthony Abdo, the code has surged in strength audience, and ambition. The NRL is chasing a massive $3 billion to $3.2 billion media deal – and it looks well within reach.

V’landys is a force of nature. He kept the NRL alive through COVID and took rugby league to Las Vegas. At NSW Racing, he has made The Everest a global racing sensation. He is a master strategist and negotiator, skills that are on full display as he manages and manipulates the NRL media rights game. 

Now, with strong crowd numbers, Magic Round viewership up 20%, subscription TV audience growth of 12.5% this year, and streaming on 9Now and Foxtel growing, NRL is entering a new era. Expansion to PNG and Perth, growing international competitions, and surging streaming figures mean the NRL is hotter than ever – and the market knows it.

As negotiations ramp up, traditional giants like the Nine, Seven and Ten free-to-air networks face fierce competition from streaming heavyweights including Netflix, Amazon Prime, ESPN and DAZN. The free-to-air networks need live sport, as its one of the core drivers of their audience and revenue numbers. The streamers need live sport to lock in subscribers in what has become a very cluttered and hyper-competitive category. 

But here’s the warning. In chasing the dollars, the NRL must not price out its lifeblood: the fans. At a time when many Australians are feeling the pinch, making the game too expensive or splitting coverage across too many platforms could be fatal. 

Peter V’landys

The NFL might have been able to spread its media rights across many platforms in the US, but Australia’s smaller market demands a simpler, smarter approach. A maximum of two broadcast partners — one free-to-air, one affordable streamer — is the sweet spot for the fans, sponsors and advertisers. Split NRL across too many platforms and the code will be weakened. 

And let’s not get lost in the code wars. Sure, we’ve seen some chest beating recently between the AFL and NRL heavyweights about who is the #1 sporting code in the country, but honestly, who cares? Both codes play a vital role in the everyday lives and psyche of Australia. It doesn’t matter what shape the ball is, Aussies love their footy, they love their teams, and they’re fiercely loyal to their players.

The NRL is sitting in the box seat. V’landys and his team have done the hard work to put the sport in this position. Now they need to finish the job, by locking in a monster deal that strengthens the game's future without locking fans out of it.

The money is coming. Just make sure the passion stays, and the fans are the #1 priority.

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