Global Media & Sports News
The lengthy delay in establishing the game's inaugural independent commission could prove to be a blessing in disguise when it comes time to formally negotiate the next broadcast deal, according to media consultant Colin Smith.
The eight commissioners will gather for the first time today for an induction at the NRL's headquarters at Moore Park where they will be given a state of the game address by league boss David Gallop covering some of the code's burning issues.
Smith has been advising the NRL over its next broadcast arrangement, which will start in 2013, and has a meeting scheduled with the commissioners within the next month to bring them up to speed on the situation. It has been reported the rights might not be finalised for another 12 months.
While the game has been frustrated at the prolonged negotiations between the ARL and News Limited (publishers of The Australian) over the formation of the commission, Smith said it could actually work in the game's favour for TV rights with the NRL enjoying a stellar season.
"Pay television numbers are fantastic and are up 17 per cent; we've got records in State of Origin with just under 17 million viewers; the live telecasts are really good, and they are all pluses in terms of saying people want to watch rugby league," Smith said. "The numbers now being provided are a real bonus to negotiating those media rights - no question about it.
"The process with an independent commission has been a real plus and there's some real good people on that commission, which will make the process even stronger."
It was reported last month after a NRL chief executives meeting the game could net as much as $1.4 billion for its next TV deal over five years, which would dwarf the $1.253 million deal the AFL received but broadcasters were quick to dismiss that figure.
Smith has told only two officials at the NRL what he believes the game is worth over five years - anywhere between $1bn and $1.2bn is the most likely figure - but he said he would pass on a recommendation to the commissioners on its value when he addresses them.
"It will be a very significant increase but that's all I've said," Smith said. "We're trying to do some things to make it attractive to the broadcasters. I'll tell the commission some evolving ranges depending on outcomes."
The eight commissioners - chairman John Grant, Catherine Harris, Ian Elliott, Peter Gregg, Gary Pemberton, Jeremy Sutcliffe, Wayne Pearce and Chris Sarra - are expected to formally take their place on the commission on November 1.
Television rights won't be the only topic of discussion for them today with Gallop to provide information on other areas of the game including the collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap, the season structure and expansion.
"It's an opportunity for us to present them with a snapshot of where the game is at," Gallop said. "There will be representations across all the areas of the business.
"While there are still around 20 issues to be resolved between the ARL and News, we can use the meeting to make sure that the commission hits the ground running once it is formally in place."
Rugby League Players' Association chief executive David Garnsey said he had also put a request to the NRL to meet with Grant at a convenient time to discuss a number of the players' concerns including an increase in the minimum wage.
"There are probably player specific issues, there are probably game specific issues and there are probably RLPA issues," Garnsey said.
THE NRL's growing sense of optimism over the approaching media rights negotiations was dramatically highlighted yesterday when chairmen and chief executives from the 16 clubs were told the next broadcasting deal could reap the code $1.4 billion - dwarfing the amount netted by the AFL.
During a meeting lasting almost six hours with its clubs in Sydney, the NRL outlined a series of scenarios for the salary cap and club grant from 2013 based on what it expects from media rights.
The starting point was $1bn, the very minimum the game expects to generate from the rights for club, State of Origin and international football. At the top end was $1.4bn for the five years from 2013, an average of $280 million a year and a marked rise on the existing deal, which equates to about $90m a season.
Under the $1.4bn model - the AFL will receive $1.253bn over five years from next season - the salary cap would start at $6.6m and the club grant at $7.2m. Both would continue to rise over the life of the media deal. The NRL's ambitious view on the value of its product came only a day after Nine Network executive director David Gyngell acknowledged he would need to step up financially and South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson warned the game would no longer be bullied by broadcasters.
NRL chief executive David Gallop declined to confirm the broadcasting figures when he spoke to the media yesterday, although he said the game was in an enviable position and was intent on capitalising on it.
"It's not my place to confirm the numbers we discussed because that was done on a confidential basis," Gallop said.
"We just did numbers we thought were relevant. We modelled a number of assumptions. They are assumptions only. We certainly modelled a scenario where I think everyone is going to be very happy with what the result is.
"I know you would love me to tell you a number, but I am not going to. We're certainly conscious of the number the AFL got and we're conscious of how well our game is going so you can draw your own inference from that."
Asked about the dramatic increase in the size of the grant based on the clubs receiving 37 per cent of the revenue, Gallop said: "We put forward a proposal based on a minimum percentage distribution of the game's revenue.
"We felt it would be irresponsible to model a lift in that percentage in circumstances where particularly the club chairmen have made it clear that they want the commission to make those kind of strategic decisions.
"It was a minimum level and shouldn't be taken as anything other than that."
It is understood some club chairmen felt more money should be directed towards the clubs, although the final decision will fall to the independent commission when it takes over running of the code from News Limited (publisher of The Australian) and the Australian Rugby League, the game's co-owners, within weeks.
On a momentous day for the code, Queensland's John Grant was confirmed as the inaugural chairman of the commission while the NRL also revealed sweeping changes to its schedule from next season designed to ease the load on the game's elite players. But the broadcasting talks were the most significant discussion point.
Consultant Colin Smith, who has been advising the NRL on the broadcasting landscape, claimed the NRL was the country's leading television sport.
"This is a fantastic television sport, it is the leader," Smith said.
"You've got three great products, the NRL home and away and finals, State of Origin and then internationals. That is what's so terrific about this game."
Gallop said several issues still needed to be ironed out between News Limited and the ARL, although it is understood that is merely a fait accompli.
The man charged with estimating the value of the NRL's new television rights deal believes rugby league could potentially match or outstrip the AFL's record-breaking contract.
Colin Smith, a senior adviser with LEK Consultancy, told a meeting of the NRL CEOs on Thursday that their game could earn just as much or more than the $1.2bn deal recently negotiated by the AFL over five years.
Smith says the NRL is in a stronger position than the AFL due to its broader appeal as a television sport.
Under the existing arrangement, which expires at the end of 2012, the NRL has reaped just $500m over six years.
Club bosses have been told there are three different proposals on the table for the next broadcasting deal - the first at $1bn, the second $1.2bn and the third $1.4bn.
'Foxtel's pay television for NRL is up 20 percent. And then you look at State of Origin, (where there were) just under 11 million viewers,' Smith said.
'It just demonstrates the NRL fan loves rugby league and loves it on television, which is very promising going forward for the media rights negotiations.'
'We actually haven't come up with a dollar figure at this stage because we are waiting for the new independent commission to be formed.'
'When that happens we will have a discussion with the commission and give them some views of value.'
Asked if the NRL was ahead of the AFL, Smith replied: 'In television audience, it is.'
'You've got three great products - the NRL home and away and finals, State of Origin and then internationals.'
'That is what's so terrific about this game.'
'This is a fantastic television sport. It is the leader.'
NRL boss David Gallop would not be drawn on a target figure when asked what the new rights deal should be worth, but clearly expects it to challenge the AFL model.
'I know you'd love to me to tell you a number but I'm not going to,' he said.
'We're certainly conscious of the result the AFL got and we're conscious of how our game's going so you can draw your own inferences from that.'
Gold Coast CEO Michael Searle believes the NRL deserves to cash in on its next deal.
'Every week our numbers are phenomenal,' Searle said.
'It's a difficult environment but one thing that not too many people would disagree with is that rugby league's in a really strong position, back to probably the growth curve that we had back in 1995.'
Under the new deal, it is expected host broadcasters will be permitted to run short advertisements during breaks in play to maximise revenue return.
It will be the richest sports deal in Australian television history - a $1.4 billion bonanza that will see the NRL obliterate the AFL to secure the most lucrative TV rights payment seen in this country.
That is the scenario sold to NRL club chairmen and CEOs yesterday when they were briefed on the possible outcomes for rugby league in the upcoming broadcast rights negotiations.
A startling figure of $1.4 billion - which would surpass the NRL's current deal by $900 million - was put forward as a possibility when negotiations are finalised for 2013 and beyond.
Colin Smith, from Melbourne-based electronic strategic consultants LEK, addressed the meeting of the code's officials at Coogee. Mr Smith, who is employed by the NRL, told his audience rugby league had more TV viewers and should obtain more cash than AFL, which has attracted a $1.25 billion deal.
He said the NRL could look at three scenarios - a $1 billion deal, a $1.2 billion deal and, finally, a bullish $1.4 billion deal - giving all clubs the chance to share in the NRL's bulging bank balance.
At present, 37 per cent of revenue is directed through grants to clubs, which is equal to the AFL. But with a huge TV deal, clubs want the independent commission to determine whether that share should increase.
NRL CEO David Gallop would not comment on exact TV figures discussed at yesterday's meeting, but said: "We worked through some scenarios. Obviously we have looked at the media landscape and what our expectations are and given the game is going so well on television.
"We modelled a number of assumptions. They are assumptions only. We modelled a scenario where everyone will be happy."
Mr Gallop said while negotiations were yet to commence, a good deal of preparation had been undertaken.
"The clubs went away comfortable that, when the negotiations can start, we are in good shape," he said.
Asked if the deal could surmount AFL's broadcast contract, Mr Gallop said: "I know you want me to tell you a number but I'm not going to. We are certainly conscious of the result the AFL got and conscious of how well our game is going. You can draw your own inferences from that."
NRL provided 77 of the top 100 shows on pay TV last year, while 3.765 million nationally watched the State of Origin decider this month.
Asked was NRL now ahead of AFL, Mr Smith said: "In TV audience, it is. Foxtel's pay TV for NRL is up 20 percent. And then you look at State of Origin, just under 11 million viewers. This is a fantastic television sport. It is the leader."
Struggling NRL clubs are set to receive the kiss of life tomorrow when chief executive David Gallop outlines plans to use money from the the game's next television deal to dramatically increase the size of the grant from 2013.
Gallop and broadcasting consultant Colin Smith are scheduled to make presentations as part of a summit on the game's future, which will be attended by chief executives and chairmen from all 16 clubs.
The most significant issues are the season schedule from 2013 and negotiations over the next broadcasting deal.
The Australian understands the NRL will outline a series of scenarios for the TV rights, which some optimistic officials hope could generate as much as $1 billion over five years, from 2013.
The NRL is expected to propose significant increases in the amount of money it dispenses to the clubs each year. That should appease the concerns of club chairmen, who will hold their own meeting before the summit to discuss where they think the game should head under an independent commission.
Central to their concerns is the financial future of their clubs. With the clubs appeased, the focus will switch to the players, who are hoping for a significant increase in their own pay when the broadcasting deal comes to fruition.
However, the NRL's desire to improve the lot of its clubs could come at the expense of the players. Rugby League Professionals Association chief executive David Garnsey met the NRL yesterday and was taken through the proposed structure of the competition from 2013.
It is understood that proposal, which one official described as revolutionary yesterday, includes the scrapping of City-Country, shifting State of Origin games to Monday nights and the remainder of the representative calendar moved to the end of the year.
It is also understood there will be greater protection of clubs with a high number of representatives, a move designed to ease the load on the game's elite players.
Yet the NRL did not disclose its plans for the salary cap at the meeting, perhaps wary of alienating the players before the TV deal is completed.
"The purpose of the meeting is to drill down into a couple of key issues rather than trying to look at everything in the game at this stage of the season," Gallop said.
"Those issues are the future structure of the broadcasting rights and the impact of the broadcasting rights on the level of the salary cap and the grant.
"We have had a long-held view that we wanted the grant to equal, if not exceed, the cap to provide financial stability to the clubs and certainly the scenarios we are looking at are going to to do that."
South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas will also address the meeting and announce the game's inaugural eight independent commissioners, who were confirmed at a meeting of stakeholders on Monday.
Meanwhile, officials are optimistic the NRL's legal stoush with Queensland coach Mal Meninga could be resolved by the end of the week as talks continue.
NRL club bosses meet tomorrow in Sydney, unanimous they must be rewarded at the next broadcasting contract for the high ratings and subscriptions their games generate, even if it means abandoning Foxtel.
While clubs are optimistic competition among the free-to-air networks will deliver the dollars consistent with the code's popularity in NSW and Queensland, there is a growing fear pay TV monopolist Foxtel will not offer the same for NRL rights as it recently did for AFL games.
It is possible clubs will support NRL chief executive David Gallop in a strategy of offering all eight games per week to the free-to-air networks on a short-term basis, shutting out Foxtel until the News Ltd-controlled service realises the disastrous loss of subscriptions such a move would cause.
Foxtel paid AFL a record $650 million over five years for four exclusive live games a week, yet pays the NRL only $42 million a year for five live games a week. Foxtel boss Kim Williams has acknowledged the high price paid - which allows coverage of all AFL games - was designed to increase subscriptions in the AFL states (currently 24 per cent in Adelaide to 27 per cent in Melbourne), well below subscriptions in Sydney (38 per cent) and Brisbane (32 per cent).
While Williams sees less capacity for growth in NRL subscriptions, club bosses believe Fox Sports was built on the popularity of rugby league and they should be rewarded for what they have delivered.
If this involves selling Foxtel's Super Saturday three games and the high-rating Monday night game to the free-to-air networks, with the consequent cancellation of Foxtel subscriptions in NSW and Queensland, this may be the only course to bring Foxtel to the table with an offer that reflects just value.
Asked to comment on a future broadcasting package, Gallop said: ''We envisage a mix of FTA and pay at this stage but one thing is clear - we drive subscriptions, we provide 73 of the top 100 shows [on pay-TV]. You can talk about length of games and number of ads being different with AFL but at the end of the day it's about what people sign up for and that's clearly our game. We must get value for that.
''And if we do not, then we need to consider alternatives. If this involves a short-term FTA deal without Foxtel, so be it.''
Gallop said there had been unprecedented lobbying by networks Seven, Nine and Ten: ''The FTAs are currently knocking our door down to show their interest.''
Tomorrow's rare dual meetings of club chairmen and chief executives in Coogee is the first since an independent commission was named.
The broadcasting contract and its flow on effects to club grants and the salary cap is high on the agenda. Gallop and L.E.K. Consulting's Colin Smith have not been given permission to begin formal negotiations with networks until the commission is in place to ratify the broadcasting contract, but the first meeting of the eight directors of the new ruling body is imminent.
Complicated first-and-last rights provisions with each of the four entities that hold options over NRL rights - Channel Nine, Fox Sports, SKY New Zealand and News Ltd - mean it could take 15 months to negotiate the final broadcasting contract.
Informal discussions to date with network chiefs have delighted the NRL over the interest from free-to-air TV but executives are alarmed Williams prefers AFL because of its superior ''family image.''
Gallop countered with: ''The AFL have had their fair share of off-field image issues.''
Williams also points out AFL games last three hours, compared to the NRL's two, allowing greater opportunity for commercials. However, Foxtel will not show advertisements after goals, in a deliberate strategy of wooing viewers from Channel Seven for the four AFL games they simulcast.
Foxtel also believe AFL's pre- and post-game shows are superior to the NRL.
Smith said: ''The NRL media results for 2011 reinforce the game's leadership position with State of Origin, the three most watched games ever with 3.8 million viewers; critically, pay TV numbers are up 20 per cent; NRL dominates the top 100 shows on pay TV.''
Asked the effect of Foxtel losing rugby league, considering its existing packages force subscribers to buy programs they don't wish to see, Smith said: ''It would be very significant indeed and lead to a major loss in subscribers from pay TV.
''If FTA TV bought NRL for say three years, it could be catastrophic for Foxtel.''
One of the nation's leading experts on sports media rights has warned the NRL to tread carefully as it contemplates tampering with the season schedule to ease the load on the game's elite players.
Media consultant Colin Smith, who has an intimate knowledge of the sports broadcasting landscape, believes the NRL risks damaging its product if it listens to those calling for wholesale changes to the season structure.
Leading coaches Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy and Phil Gould have tackled the issue of burn-out over the past week, advocating a range of measures including changes around State of Origin and the possibility of a shortened season.
"You don't want to lose the very vibrancy and fabric of this competition," Smith said.
"The television numbers are fantastic. Fans are loving it. We get lost in that thinking it's good for broadcasters, but it's only good for broadcasters because fans love it.
"You start playing with the structure of the competition very, very carefully because you have a fantastic game that people love.
"What I mean is people like the idea that they're following their club, then they go into this really exciting State of Origin.
"I recognise the issue with players backing up. But gee, you have to be really careful with what is working well."
Smith's comments came on the same day the NRL held talks with the Nine Network over a re-shape of next season, which would mean the introduction of a stand-alone weekend of representative football.
Those plans, however, have been put in jeopardy by Nine's commitment to cricket, although NRL football operations manager Nathan McGuirk is still hopeful the league can strike a deal with the broadcaster.
NRL chief executive David Gallop also held personal talks with Nine boss David Gyngell over the perils of stand-alone Origin games, and the potential introduction of Monday night interstate matches in 2013.
"We had a great discussion about how well placed the game is in terms of the television results," Gallop said.
"We obviously need to talk more about the season structure but he was very clear about the negative impact Saturday night State of Origin would have."
One of Australia's leading experts on broadcasting rights, Colin Smith, has warned that back-to-back Ashes series could dilute interest in cricket's oldest rivalry.
Smith, who helped broker Cricket Australia's telecast agreement with Channel Nine, which expires in 2013, said there was a risk of there being too much of a good thing.
"You've got to be really careful of swamping the game, because that can be a real issue," Smith said yesterday.
"The concept could be you give it a fillip to television audience in Australia and in the UK, that's the upside of it. The downside of it is that it's basically two series in a row - it becomes less attractive and there's less public interest.
"I just think in terms of how you promote, you've got to be really careful of it - [that] you don't get the market causing you a problem."
His comments follow yesterday's report in The Age that Australia would host a five-Test Ashes series in the 2013-14 season just months after trying to regain the urn in England. There could also be another contest in England in 2015, which would mean 15 Ashes Tests in just two years. The last time there were consecutive Ashes series occurred in 1974-75.
Smith, the head of LEK's regional sports, gaming, media and entertainment division, played a role in orchestrating the AFL's lucrative five-year $780 million TV deal and is also working with CA on its next TV rights deal.
That the 2013-14 Ashes would occur in the first season of CA's next telecast agreement was a bonus for the game's powerbrokers but not without risk, Smith said.
"What it means is you'll start the new period with the highest television because England, I'm talking about domestic rights, attracts the highest rights," he said.
"Having that as the first impetus in the new round of rights will be very important indeed. It will help them. India is in some ways more important because what they get paid from India as well.
"But a threat of that is if it has an issue affecting interest because it's back to back. I can't recall the last time that it happened.
"That could actually be a negative for them. Really, cricket is totally dependent on England and India for its economics."
The England and Wales Cricket Board yesterday denied the Ashes were at risk of overkill despite the glut of matches between 2013-15.
"We want to break the cycle of the World Cup and Ashes arriving at once, get enough distance between the events, make sure the players have enough catch-up time and we want to protect the Ashes brand," ECB marketing boss Steve Elworthy told the BBC.
"It's important to maintain momentum. There's a huge resurgence for Test cricket right now, a massive wave of interest.
"With the home-and-away nature of the Ashes, fans will really have something to look forward to. Everyone wants to see the arch-rivals meet."
England batsman Kevin Pietersen said: "As a player you love playing Ashes series, [but] two-back-to-back will be tough for both teams."
Sky Channel has won its battle with TVN for exclusive broadcasting of thoroughbred racing in Queensland. Queensland Racing confirmed on Friday it would begin exclusive rights negotiations with Sky Racing to finalise a 10-year deal.
Chairman Bob Bentley said Queensland Racing had been engaged to collectively negotiate the TAB clubs' media rights renewals with both Sky Racing and TVN.
"The process undertaken was a vast improvement on previous arrangements whereby the broadcaster would come to Queensland and do a deal with the metropolitan clubs first and then give the provincial clubs what they thought was fair," Bentley said.
Queensland Racing had appointed an independent adviser, Colin Smith of LEK Consulting, to undertake the negotiating collectively on behalf of the clubs to secure the best outcome for the industry.
Two significant broadcast rights deals were presented to the clubs for their consideration and after detailed analysis the clubs decided unanimously that they instruct Queensland Racing to continue further negotiations with Sky Racing on an exclusive basis.
Bentley said Queensland Racing would ensure that the final deal struck with Sky was capable of growing the industry that currently contributes $1.44 billion to Gross State Product and employs around 30,000 people.
"Queensland TAB clubs and Queensland Racing have the common goal of creating a strong, accountable industry that protects the interests of the people who rely on it for their livelihood," he said.
The multi-million dollar 10-year Sky Racing deal chosen by the TAB clubs is already well in excess of previous broadcast agreements reached.
THE PNG NRL Bid is moving ahead in leaps and bounds thanks to a strategically co-ordinated roll out program. This week saw the bid move to the next level with media rights expert Colin Smith arriving in PNG from Australia to gauge the economic environment and the media market.
At a media conference at the Ela Beach Hotel yesterday in Port Moresby, he said he liked what he saw. "It has been an eye opener for me. I have come at a very exciting time. My role is to develop a media model so that people can watch NRL." Smith said however that there were two main aspects, firstly was to make sure there was quality coverage and secondly how to make it commercial and sustainable to go forward and how it translated to a revenue model. Smith, who has been in Port Moresby for a week, said PNG was "one of the best kept secrets."
"PNG will be the next boom country of the globe in the next 20 years," the media rights expert said. He said he would be working on a costings for a media rights program, a draft of which would be presented to the PNG NRL Bid when he next visits here in for weeks time.
Colin Smith, the boss of LEK's regiona sports, gaming, media and entertainment division, is regarded as Australia's best sports broadcast advisor and has worked on the biggest TV deals in Australia's sporting history. He has engineered contracts and deals that now see more than $350 million generated though professional sports. While in PNG Smith has met key banks, sponsors of the bid such as Ela Motors and met with the major media companies represented in PNG. Bid general manager Bev Broughton said Smith's visit was a quantum leap forward for the bid.
A clash between the codes is back on the agenda
Multimillion-dollar contracts have been prepared which could make an historic hybrid conTest between the Kangaroos and the Wallabies a reality this October.
The Sun-Herald can reveal a consortium will present the NRL and ARU with contracts of up to $40million for a clash of the codes at ANZ Stadium.
The media consultant negotiating the NRL's next broadcast rights deal has been engaged to prepare a report into an event. Melbourne-based media expert Colin Smith believes the concept could draw more viewers than State of Origin and a one-off match could generate up to $4.8million in advertising revenue alone.
The development comes at a time when both codes face significant financial challenges, with the NRL under huge pressure to lift the salary cap and rugby officials struggling to revive flagging interest.
The concept is led by former rugby league first-grader and entrepreneur Phil Franks and has the backing of high-profile sporting identities Bob Fulton and Bob Dwyer. The pair are expected to oversee the development of the hybrid rules, which would be roadtested at school level by renowned rugby league and union schools.
Franks said a one-off game could generate at least $20 million - but possibly double that figure - part of which could be redistributed back to players by increasing the NRL salary cap. The former Penrith, Norths and Western Suburbs player is convinced at least $5 million could be funnelled back to the players of each code.
"It's worth a minimum of $20million; it could be worth $40 [million]," Franks said. "The majority of it would go to the clubs to assist with the salary cap. If it's done properly, it will definitely bear fruit."
The proposed venue is ANZ Stadium and the match has been pencilled in for October, which fits into the calendar of both codes. An alternative date is early February next year.
Franks, a long-time proponent of the cross-code clash, believes the time is right to revisit the proposal with the NRL chief executive David Gallop and his ARU counterpart John O'Neill.
At a time when Gallop has charged NRL clubs with coming up with solutions to the salary cap crisis, the hybrid money-spinner has the potential to increase the salaries to disgruntled players.
Franks said the money could also be used to fast-track an independent commission by paying all monies owing to News Ltd following the settlement from the Super League war.
"This is something that could either fix up the salary cap or put the [independent] commission into a position to buy the game back for the people, which had been stolen by News Ltd," Franks said. "We're saying 'This is what's in it'; they would be derelict in their duties to turn their back on it."
The opportunity to witness Johnathan Thurston take on Matt Giteau, Greg Inglis mark Quade Cooper and Anthony Watmough tangle with Rocky Elsom is sure to capture the imagination of fans.
One of the many talking points is how to tinker with the rules to make it fair for players of both codes. Under the Hybrid 12 proposal, there would be:
- 12 players a side;
- Play-the-balls with a six-tackle limit while teams are in their defensive half of the field;
- "Ruck and maul" with unlimited recycling of the ball for the attacking team while they are in the attacking half of the field;
- To ensure the game is a genuine 12-man contest, the traditional rugby union front row would be scrapped, leaving a five-man scrum. The rules would ensure the most predictable parts from either code—the defensive kick in rugby union and the attacking one in league—would be eradicated.
Franks has held talks with Warriors coach Ivan Cleary and John Hart, the Warriors' executive director of football. The former All Blacks coach mooted the possibility of a clash between the Warriors and the Classic All Blacks - former New Zealand rugby union internationals - at Auckland's redeveloped Eden Park.
It's understood Queensland Reds captain and Wallaby James Horwill has also been canvassed for his thoughts on the proposal and provided positive feedback.
"I will never, ever give up on this," Franks said. "I want Gallop to know that."
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Broadcasting rights fees are the lifeblood of professional sport in Australia and, along with its close relation, sponsorship, contributes 60 to 80 per cent of total revenue.
More than $350 million in TV income pumps through Australian sport annually, with one player involved in all the big contracts, either the current deals, or negotiations for the next rights fee package.
He is Colin Smith, a 50-year-old Melburnian, who, despite his surname being the most common in the English-speaking world, is the only Smith common to the caller ID's of the phones of Australia's top sporting officials.
He logs more air miles than most pilots, crossing the country as the boss of LEK's regional Sports, Gaming, Media and Entertainment division, as well as recently linking up with the former Cricket Australia and ICC boss, Mal Speed, to form Global Media and Sports, a firm specialising in negotiating broadcasting deals for sports.
Smith worked on the biggest TV deal in sporting history—the AFL's five-year, $780 million contract—in tandem with Ben Buckley, who is now the chief executive of the FFA.
Buckley and Smith lodged the AFL's initial claim for rights fees to the Channel Seven-Ten consortium at only 4 per cent of the sum the then Channel Nine boss, Kerry Packer lodged, forcing Seven-Ten to meet it under their first and last rights clause.
Smith is advising the NRL chief executive, David Gallop, on rugby league's next broadcasting contract, which hopes to deliver parity with the AFL.
Smith helped ARU chief John O'Neill with the soon-to-be-announced SANZAR rights, and helped Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland with the last TV deal and is involved in the next round of rights. Thoroughbred racing, including the AJC, VRC and Queensland Racing, consult with Smith and AOC chairman, John Coates, has engaged him on digital rights.
Even exotic deals—advising PNG on the broadcasting value it can bring to the NRL as a possible new franchise and preparing a brief for ANZ Stadium on the likely TV income of a possible hybrid rules match between the Kangaroos and Wallabies—are on his desk.
The big professional sports are lining up like formula one cars at the grid, as anticipated changes to the federal government's anti-siphoning rules are expected to favour the cash-strapped free-to-air broadcasters.
Rugby union media rights are first out, with the Wallabies and Super 15 deals soon to be announced. The AFL is next, with its contract concluding in 2011, followed by the NRL a year later. Cricket is the last of the big sports to finish existing deals.
Smith rejects claims his multiplicity of deal-making exposes him to accusations of conflict of interest, saying, "I am acting for the sport, and not the sport and the broadcaster at the same time. If I was doing the AFL and the NRL at the same time, it would be a problem."
Smith is convinced all sports will receive more from their next broadcasting deals. "I am very confident that the leading professional sports will continue to grow. Popular sports guarantee TV audiences. The fragmentation of audiences across more channels on free-to-air and pay TV, and now through broadband, will ensure an increase in overall audiences watching the game and holding it for longer."
Nor does he see an increase in one sport's rights income necessarily being at the expense of another, although it seems certain Channel Nine—desperate to hold NRL rights—will not pitch seriously for AFL, leaving the Seven-Ten consortium as the only bidder.
He cites NRL as an "excellent TV product" and notes Gallop is considering unbundling the existing rights of the Telstra premiership, State of Origin and Four Nations tournament, although Channel Nine believes its first-and-last rights deal prevents the NRL from doing this.
Of rugby union, he says: "The new SANZAR Melbourne team in Australia's second-largest market, together with a guaranteed finalist from the five Australian teams, will give the competition a real boost. Last year, the Waratahs effectively disappeared off our TV screens for three weeks because they were playing in South Africa after midnight in Australia. This will happen less under the new contract."
Of cricket: "The international runaway success of the Twenty20, especially IPL, is a clear indicator the market has adopted another form of cricket. Similarly, the success of the KFC Big Bash this season, with the inclusion of international players, has been a big success."
However, the Australian sports market is highly competitive, with more national leagues per million of population than any other nation.
"There are clubs that are financially challenged," Smith said, pointing to Super 14's Queensland Reds, recently taken over by the ARU; the A-League's North Queensland Fury being bailed out by FFA; the AFL's Port Adelaide, which sought a merger with a more cashed-up second-tier club; and NRL team Cronulla's ongoing problems with the bottom line.
"The picture for the football codes is rosy only while all teams are competitive and guaranteeing an audience to TV."
Smith is a gold medal-winning rower, winning Australia's first ever World Championship in the lightweight fours at Lucerne in 1974. He subsequently won medals at the following three World Championships and, as chairman of Rowing Australia, he will lead the sport to the London Olympics.
While he may have multiple oars in the water at once, he is confident he can negotiate the murky waters of Australian TV, with its history of conspiring to depress rights fees to sport.