NRL = Nine's Rugby League

The NRL is proudly rejoicing it $1 Billion dollar deal with Channel 9 and Foxtel, but in reality it has completely sold out and acknowledged that the game is controlled by the Nine Network.

Here was a chance for the NRL to not only get a large financial deal with the network rights but to also show that it understands what the teams, players and fans want. When the deal was announced and the news filtered out that the NRL had negotiated a deal for 5 years and $1 Billion dollars there was plenty to be happy about. It didn't take long for the details to be seen and the truth about who is in charge f the game. Channel Nine's boss David Gyngell soon outlined what would happen for the next five years.

What I hope this does is make plenty of people who complain about scheduling put their focus solely on the broadcasters.  Every week for years people have been complaining about the Brisbane Broncos playing predominantly on Friday's but with Gyngell now being quoted as stating:

"Why wouldn't they be on every Friday night in Brisbane? We just bought the game."

surely it is clear to even the ignorant that the teams have no control on when they play. So for those on their soap boxes posting their complaints every week and bashing the Broncos for the schedule need to redirect their focus to the network that shows the games.

Whilst the money is good and the game now has fixed scheduling for the first twenty rounds, the NRL unfortunately has lost a great opportunity to fix a few issues that are important to the people that actually count. The fans.  Personally I know very few people who are happy with the two games on a Friday night. The second game is on too late, littered with ads and it is easier to check the score to see if it is worth watching. Has anyone ever spoken to someone that actually likes the Sunday night Grand Final? What was a well held tradition seems to have long gone and with the addition of Sunday night games during the season, I doubt we will ever see day games in the future. If the NRL wants a game that attracts families it will need to rethink it's strategy. 

Surely the answer was an easy one for Nine to fix. One Friday night game, Live. If they want a second one, then let Fox show that game live and both show the alternative after. Saturdays are working well but maybe Nine should have looked to show one game live. Then there is the big issue of Sunday's. Always a traditional afternoon for watching football, instead has become a lovefest for Phil Gould and Ray Warren to prattle on about how much they love an afternoon game as they watch their favourite few teams player each other every week. Gyngell clearly stated his position:

"We have paid enough money to play games in prime time, don't you think. A lot of people like to be out with their families and get home at 4pm. That games works well for families and viewers."

If Nine still wanted to show this game at 4pm then still do it but show it live. If Nine have that much control then they have the ability to change the kick-off time. If you think they don't then why does the Origin never kick off at 8pm as the official program always states, but instead a good 15-20 minutes later.

The NRL may be a Billion dollars richer but little in the game will change. For 5 more years we will have the debate about stand alone weekends for origin, for 5 years we will hear complaints about the Broncos getting too many Friday night games, for 5 years we will have to listen to the Channel 9 idiots like Gould and Warren, for 5 years we will call for live football, for 5 years we will be subjected to ad riddled football on delay, for 5 years we will ask for a return to Sunday afternoon Grand Finals, for 5 years we will only see Sydney teams on a Sunday afternoon, for 5 years we will wish that another station got the rights and for five years we will wonder what the NRL commission has actually done. After 5 years we will be assured that the NRL stands for Nine's Rugby league.