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In my humble little opinion, if the report turns out to be true, this could well be THE single most important moment in Australian Rugby.
By making it free to air Rugby will be getting a far greater exposure in the Australian community than it could ever have enjoyed on Fox and accordingly we should see a far greater and quicker acceptance and supporter base of especially the NSW and Qld "manufactured" teams.
Greater acceptance and support = higher profile and, hopefully = greater juniors uptake.
It also mentions a greater investment in the Sydney Club Rugby broadcast which I feel is already of a fairly good standard already. Hopefully some funds can be diverted to at least recording a WA Club highlights package each week.
Roll on "ABC Rugby Week" on a Sunday evening
ABC packs down with ARU
Rupert Guinness, The Herald/Rugby Heaven
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Elite rugby union is poised to return to ABC television this season after a 16-year absence, with an imminent announcement that the national free-to-air broadcaster will cover the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship this year.
The previous time the ABC committed itself to coverage of top-level rugby was in 1991 when it showed the World Cup - when rugby was not professional.
The 10-week ARC in August and September, the new national club competition created last year, is seen as a stepping stone between club and Super 14 rugby.
The Herald understands that the ABC has beaten both Fox Sports and Channel Ten to land the deal with the Australian Rugby Union.
The contract is for three years and, according to a source, includes an ARU payment of a less-than-six-figure-sum per year as "a contribution for production costs".
The deal will include coverage for the ARU of 19 ARC games per season, with all matches shown live on ABC 1 and ABC 2. That will be made up of two games from each of the eight rounds in the series on a Saturday and Sunday about 3pm, as well as the two semi-finals and the final.
By taking on the ARC deal, it's is also understood the ABC will expand the resources it uses to cover the Sydney club competition, which it will still show.
The ABC has reportedly agreed to commit nine cameras to an ARC game, with the expectation coverage will be of the standard of Super 14 games and Tests. The ABC is also thought to be creating a new commentary team.
With the broadcasting deal all but in place, the ARU is also hopeful of announcing a sponsor for the ARC of which the short list is now down to two - a national and multi-national firm that are in the "family" of Australian rugby sponsors.
The ABC would not comment on reports of the deal yesterday. Nor would the ARU, other than an announcement on an ARC television deal was imminent.
"We have had fruitful discussions with a couple of broadcasters and are hopeful of a decision in the near future," said ARU spokesman Brian West.
On top of the ABC deal, it is also understood that Fox Sports will announce soon that it will cover the IRB Adelaide International Rugby Sevens in April.
With those two new deals, television coverage of rugby in Australia now includes the Super 14 by Fox Sports, the World Cup and 2008 and 2009 spring tours by Channel Ten, and this year's domestic Bundaberg Test series by Channel Seven.
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Originally Posted by Mtbeaver
