CHANNEL Nine and Fox Sports have retained the NRL TV rights in a deal worth $1.025 billion.

As revealed exclusively by League Central at 9.28am this morning, Nine and Fox Sports beat rival networks Seven and Ten to the deal.

The five-year deal was today hailed by ARLC Chairman John Grant as “the greatest agreement in the history of the game”.



Similar to now, Channel Nine will continue to broadcast two matches on a Friday night with the biggest in each respective market to be screened live and the second on delay.

Ten and Seven were buoyant about their chances of pinching the rights but the ARL Commission decided to continue using the incumbent broadcasters.

"Today we answered the $1 billion question with a $1 billion-plus answer,” Grant said.

We're a business: Channel 9 unapologetic over delayed games

Grant declared the deal a significant moment for the new commission.

"I think we’ve delivered on the first expectation that we had...We have got the best deal available for the game.”

"Very significantly, and a factor that played heavily in the Commission's final decision, is the release of Nine, Fox, and most particularly News, over all their rights in regard to future agreements.



"We hope the game's stakeholders see this agreement as a confirmation of their decision to put in place an Independent Commission, and one that unlocks the promise that came from this formation."

Phil Rothfield analysis: Deal a big win for fans



Grant anticipated a further windfall given the ARLC is yet to sell New Zealand television rights or monetise mobile and digital assets.



“The cash that comes from the agreement will provide the funding base for sustainably growing our game from the grassroots to the elite levels,” Grant said.

NRL Fan Survey: Have your say on all the big issues.

Channel Nine CEO David Gyngell said: “We have stepped up and paid as much money as we possibly could.”

He made no apologies that not all games would be shown live, saying the game would not be able to generate as much money as it had from the deal or be screened on free-to-air television if it did not meet advertising commitments.

Backing: Greenberg praises NRL deal

"A 4pm game (on Sundays) works for family and viewers."

He also added that the deal was better than that secured by the AFL.

“This is a better deal than the AFL and pound-for-pound this is a bigger deal than the AFL.”



It's been a massive day of NRL news. On top of the TV rights story, Laurie Daley has been named NSW's new State of Origin coach, Ben Hornby has retired and Brian McClennan was sacked as Warriors coach.



The new broadcast agreement includes:

* A cash component of $925m, $90m of which will be paid prior to the start of the first season;

* Advertising packages to the value of $100m;

* The first 20 rounds of the premiership will be scheduled in advance of the season;

* The final six rounds will be scheduled at round 16.



The Nine Network will broadcast:

* Three weekly matches (two on Friday and one on Sunday);

* Three Thursday evening matches over the course of the year;

* A stand-alone Test and City v Country weekend;

* Wednesday night State of Origin matches;

* A night-time Grand Final (7.15pm kick-off);

* The Roosters-Dragons Anzac Day matches;

* Two hours of rugby league content each evening on digital Channel 94 plus two hours of content on Saturday and Sunday morning;

* Nine will ensure that all of its matches are telecast on either the ‘primary’ or ‘digital’ station in each state;

* The Queensland In Trust Super Cup;

* Nine will broadcast in HD from 2014.



Fox Sports will telecast:

* Five weekly matches across Saturday, Sunday and Monday;

* Thirteen Sunday evening matches (6.30pm) over the course of the year;

* The Storm v Warriors Anzac Day game (other than in 2014);

* Three non NRL matches each week played in conjunction with the Telstra Premiership game (which will be shared between Toyota Cup, NSW Cup and GIO Schoolboys Cup);

* All games will be broadcast live, ad-free during play and in HD;

* Fox Sports has also acquired digital rights to stream its five live weekly matches via IPTV and tablet devices.



Both networks will have responsibility for:

* Coverage of the Four Nations tournament;

* Forming two player development academies to train players in media presentation.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=2c75f31a89" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;League's $1 billion deal, Hornby retires, McLennan sacked&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Originally published as $1b NRL TV deal hailed 'best ever'