Breaking: The NRL will press forward with plans to restart the season on May 28 but will need to come to an agreement with its broadcast partners over the value of the rights deal before signing off on the proposal | MichaelChammas
has been told by sources with knowledge of the discussions that tense broadcast negotiations have forced them to rethink those plans, with the NRL now considering fulfilling its contractual obligations and playing the remaining 22 rounds of football that could see the competition head into November.
The innovation committee meeting on Thursday, which lasted almost four hours and included a special appearance from South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett, also decided that State of Origin series would be played in the middle of the season. A May 21 season return now seems unlikely.The NRL is waiting for formal government approval before deciding on whether all teams will be based in Sydney at the start of the competition, with discussions around border exemptions well under way.
That would allow all teams, with the likely exception of the Warriors, to base themselves at home and travel interstate on chartered flights on game day.Complicating matters is a frosty relationship between the NRL and broadcast partner Channel Nine , highlighted by a"At Nine we had hoped to work with the NRL on a solution to the issues facing rugby league in 2020, brought on so starkly by COVID-19," said a spokesperson for Nine.
"In the past the NRL have had problems and we've bailed them out many times, including a $50m loan to support clubs when the last contract was signed. It would now appear that much of that has been squandered by a bloated head office completely ignoring the needs of the clubs, players and supporters."
The attack, which could well be the final nail in the coffin of NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg, has cast a huge cloud over Nine's future in the sport.
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