Just to clarify this, I believe it’s nothing more than Nine being opportunistic, Olympics exposure/high ratings, seeing if NRL including a rare Melbourne with Storm scenario, can spike, even if Paris 2024 is sacrificed. But such a bad look for those hefty IOC fees and any NRL benefit will really be a one-off or very short lived. NRL should’ve been on Gem nationally for two weeks, a la Seven AFL Rio and Tokyo, while Sat-Wed audiences for Olympics could continue to be replicated on Thursdays and Fridays. Any pre-existing contract/agreements aside, mind-boggling the executives who signed off on this, really
Sure… Until this:
That had never been the case, at least until now. Nine used to just, of their own volition, air the occasional main channel Storm game in Melbourne, like Seven with Swans/Lions/Suns/Giants on main channel in Sydney and Brisbane.
I’m sorry, but all this is just optically poor and frankly ridiculous. But anyway.
You said it, not me. I think 99% agree it’s a terrible decision, going off the online comments and growing by the minute, especially Vickery’s post. Maybe except some die hard Sydney NRL fans who are salivating over this whole charade.
edit
This is fucken great Colin’s post has now turned into NRL fans thinking they’re being trolled, with comebacks and then attacks to those, from people being called “rock climbing dorks” to “dumb tweet of the day”. I am here for this shit. It’s pretty much a Melbourne vs Sydney / NRL vs AFL now
It should also be noted, NRL was originally on 9Go! from 7pm tonight in Melbourne, before switching, creating further confusion. Which some online also pointed out and said they bothered to tune-in to and get themselves set up and should’ve just stayed there full stop.
In recent years, Storm matches played on Thursday and Friday nights have aired on the main channel in Melbourne; similarly, most Swans/Giants and Lions/Suns matches are aired on the main Seven channel in their respective markets, except for twilight matches and Sunday 3:20pm matches.
Channel 9 went back to the Olympics right on the start of the women’s K1 sprint final at 9:40pm immediately upon NRL conclusion. With one on-screen only “switch now” for 9Go! viewers, but Go! stayed until 9:46pm, then a Paralympics promo ad break, then into the scheduled movie 1min later. A lot of Go! viewers wouldn’t have realised and been caught out, adding to tonight’s clusterf*ck.
I was one of them. Was only half watching, waiting for the kayaking and was genuinely confused for a few seconds when some mission impossible style music and intro started playing haha.
I’m in QLD so am ok with the NRL being on the main channel but i was expecting some sort of audio ‘switch channel’ announcement.
I am expecting a number of welcome home celebrations with parades or the like in the coming weeks. Interesting to see which networks cover them and to what extent.
I would like to think that Nine would televise it extensively.
(off-topic) I also do remember Ten and Seven televised the Sydney Swans’ ticker-tape parades following their 2005 and 2012 premierships, respectively. The former wasn’t shown in Perth (for obvious reasons).
Colin Vickery: 
Colin’s post has now turned into NRL fans thinking they’re being trolled, with comebacks and then attacks to those, from people being called “rock climbing dorks” to “dumb tweet of the day”. I am here for this shit. It’s pretty much a Melbourne vs Sydney / NRL vs AFL now 