With the official confirmation that Fox Sports will show all NRL games in 2016 Live, Ad Free, and with Fox Sports commentators, life doesn’t get much better for an Australian NRL fan, does it? In regards to the Channel 9 coverage, people will say if you don’t like watching something – don’t watch it. Well many thanks for that advice. Now I don’t have to.
Thoughts quickly turned to doing a pros and cons list at the news, and for every con on the list about not having to watch Channel 9 there’s a counter argument.
Ray Warren is regarded as the voice of rugby league and rightly so after many years of sterling service and performance, but if one is honest the best years are a while ago and it is time for Rabs’ role to be reduced and kept on ice for the most premium of events. Gus is one of the game’s greatest thinkers, and a voice of reason for the fans, but there’s just as much insight following his excellent twitter account without the need for the rest of Channel 9’s gear. Plus the shtick of Rabs and Gus arguing like two old ladies arguing over the 598 or 599 Bus is tiring. Sterlo too is great, but he’s got a show on Fox Sports which is excellent, so his seemingly reduced presence in Channel 9 broadcasts will be a sacrifice.
The introduction of Mat Thompson or another fledgling NRL lead commentator last year is too late, Ray Hadley’s calls of the Broncos Friday night games have sucked the life out of fans. At least we’ll still get to hear Mat’s excellent coverage of the Queensland Cup with the equally excellent Scott Sattler and Peter Psaltis. The local league coverage highlights that you don’t always need the biggest ex player as the co-commentator, and that a professional sports journo with extensive knowledge and passion for the game shouldn’t be discounted. Now that I think of it, I will need Channel 9 for sport. At least they will have the PNG Hunters.
What won’t be missed is the constant promos, the dragging out the premium games starts to an inch of it’s life (especially bad during Origin time), the worship of certain players and teams and complete ignorance or condescending lip service paid to the others, Ray Hadley, and just the general way Channel 9 treat sport. The growing arrogance of Channel 9 giving themselves what they want, and the NRL doing very little to stop them has been a growing frustration. We get it, Rabs doesn’t like travelling on a Sunday.
With Gus continually remarking that he loves Sunday afternoon Football, the sharing of the Sunday afternoon games outside of the Sydney market has been ordinary. Look at this year’s schedule – for the first 20 rounds for which the draw dates have been finalised – 15 of the games are in Sydney and 13 of them are all Sydney affairs. The wings are spread to Newcastle and Canberra, but Canberra’s game is against the Bulldogs during Origin, as is New Zealand’s only Sunday adventure against the Roosters with Origin depletion. Surely the love could be spread so we can see the exploits of the Warriors or Cowboys in dry conditions more regularly. Plus the Broncos playing most Friday nights, not anti Broncos at all, just anti Broncos every Friday night. That at least changes this year with the introduction of regular Thursday night fixtures.
Would that change just because Fox Sports now simulcast? Of course not. Not this year anyway. But, if the fans are as excited as I am, and more people subscribe and watch via pay outlets, Fox Sports may be in more of a position to flex its muscles.
Would this be met with the same celebration if there wasn’t already a Foxtel subscription? Honestly yes. It is the kind of news that would have persuaded me to obtain it immediately. If what’s on offer is as good as Fox Sports’ coverage of the F1 and V8 Supercars in it’s first year. Although Fox Sports needs a good news story after losing the EPL rights and leaving a giant gap in its summer schedule for next year.
Fox Sports’ coverage isn’t perfect, but their commentators are professional, the ex players aren’t dripping in the matey, boofhead banter all the time, and their weeknight shows have a little something for everyone. Especially those who actually want a show to talk about the whole league, not just the favourites. However, given the amount of Parramatta games that usually form the Channel 9 line up, the prospect of more Warren Smith calling Semi Radradra this season excites. That’s if Michael Jennings passes him the ball.
But let’s be honest, Nine’s NRL coverage could be worse, it could be as bad as the Cricket. For all the NRL’s coverage faults, it will possibly never reach the heights of the self indulgent tripe, internal love-fest and over the top hype of the summer sport of choice. But it is still ordinary, and now obsolete. Well, almost. There’ll be no choice around Origin time, as will the Ashes be once it orbits again, and it will be a chance to get reacquainted and realise what you’re not missing. But Channel 9 won’t care if fans are driven to Fox Sports, they never do.
