This really feels like an attempt at trying to create some urgency around bid amounts - do we think that Paramount are a realistic option to bid $5b?
Thats not to say they won’t (and that will make things interesting at Rugby League Central), but I’m not sure we’ve seen any signs that they’d seriously invest that kind of capital.
The whole thing has vibes of a real estate agent trying to force the market to pay more
Maybe they’re pulling the funds from 10?
I mean, 10 is looking more like a dumpster fire than usual tbh
Sounds like an apt description of Peter V’Landys to me.
I’ve seen PVL in the flesh. He would make an excellent Godfathet in a NRL-ized version of that clasdic Paramount film. 
He’s just that greasy.
I can’t see it - even if the Ellisons wanted to unlock Australia on their way to global domination after the WB deal goes through, it just seems steep for a market where the organisation’s power structure doesn’t lie.
Isn’t that what they are supposed to do when putting rights to tender?
Responses to the tender are due cob Monday according to the SMH.
If they have no real intention of doing with them though…
in game promotion seen with US sports like NBA
If 2 FTA broadcasters get the rights to NRL or 9 with NRL & 7 with State of Origin etc, will we ever see this type of cross promotion?
NBC talking about the Eastern Conference Finals happening tomorrow on ESPN. ESPN/ABC has done the same.
Yes if mandated.
Amazon is planning to submit an offer to the NRL, the Financial Review has learned. V’landys has for weeks been telling stakeholders Amazon’s Prime Video is interested, according to two people with knowledge of conversations, but others close to Amazon are aware of its intentions, too. Amazon declined to comment.
Big news!
Media conference just finished - “presentations from a number of broadcasters starting tomorrow”.
New broadcast deal probably signed by the end of the season, maybe earlier?
PVL said he’d like to get it done by July 15 when Abdo finishes up.
PVL consolidates more power. Interesting.
I wonder how legit the Amazon bid is.
There had been a push to finalise as early as possible so the discussion can move onto how the money will fund the expansion of the game.
The AFR article also stated that lots of media execs looking at what Paramount will do given their attention is on the WBD deal. Will they turn their attention to the far flung out post that its very existence relies on getting the NRL rights. 10 are dead if they miss out on a slice of the action. Literally they can’t last at all.
Interesting that the tender documents state you can’t have SOO rights without a slice of the regular season rights. They also state you can bid for Australia, NZ or even more territories. There’s so many ways to cut this deal. Obviously it also states that foxtel are still relying on dying on the “all match” simulcast rights yet again. That company really is to the detriment of rugby league with the way it wants to cut these deals.
I wouldn’t be surprised if DAZN are in cahoots with seven. That would be disastrous.
If the NRL are smart they’ll do a unique deal never seen before in this country and change the way sports are broadcast here. They need to be creative and revolutionary.
The sport is as big as it’s ever been, its broadcast partners have played a not insignificant piece in this. Although I’d argue not as good.
This is the right move.
So like each bidder will start pitching why they should get a slice of rights from tomorrow?
