The boss of Channel 9 has told the Daily Telegraph that he is open to broadcasting Sunday afternoon football games live on the proviso that it works out in terms of the advertising he can sell during those broadcasts.
Channel 9’s delayed coverage is a relic of a bygone era. Supporters of the match have been calling for change for a long time only to run into ridiculous arguments from Channel 9 and its employers that fans should be thankful for delayed coverage because its free…and you can’t complain about something you’re getting for free.
Well it turns out you can, by not watching the game. Lower television ratings for delayed games and the great ratings last weeks live match between the Storm and the Bulldogs look set top force Channel 9’s hand and welcome them into the 21st century. The next step for Channel 9 would then be to broadcast games in high definition.
With more and more ways to watch the game these days, Channel 9 simply has to move with the times. I know I am seeing more and more people finding ways to watch live broadcasts of delayed games via the internet. In many cases these games are actually broadcasts in high definition.
For Channel 9 and the NRL, they simply need to give the supporters what they want. At the end of the day they are the customers. If customers can’t get what they want, they’ll look elsewhere. The television rating would suggest that is exactly what has happened over the last couple of seasons.
