A major TV deal has been signed between the NRL, the Nine Network, Fox Sports, Telstra and News Corp.

League commission chairman John Grant secured the new agreement after growing frustration that the code had not secured a pay TV deal with Fox.

The participating parties held marathon discussions for the last few days, before unveiling the plan this afternoon.

A $925m deal was inked with Nine back in August. For details of the original deal click here .

A major NRL television deal has been struck.

Today’s breakthrough will see Fox pay $1.8bn over five years for the NRL pay-television rights, 70 percent higher than the existing rights. The figure should increase to around $1.9bn with a New Zealand and international rights deal yet to be signed.

Fox will also purchase the Saturday night games from Nine for a reported $35m a year, or $175m from 2018 to 2022.

Free to air viewers will be able to watch Thursday Night Football, Friday Night Football and Sunday games with Nine.

“This is an outstanding result for the game with more live and free coverage for NRL fans from 2016," Hugh Marks, CEO of Nine Entertainment Co. said.

Telstra Premiership matches will be held five days a week in 2016.

"“Nine has always placed enormous value on its strong media partnership with Rugby League and that will only grow over the next seven years. Our quality coverage of NRL games will this year be complemented by the NRL Rookie - just one of many ways we seek to expand and enrich our fans’ experience on free to air.”

Origin will still broadcast on Nine.

Another big change will see Fox Sports broadcast a 6pm Friday night game from 2017.

Fox Sports will then broadcast three games on Super Saturday, a Sunday afternoon game and Monday Night Football.

This means Fox will broadcast every game Live on Fox Sports, with three of those games simulcasting on Nine.

But, in the last five rounds of the NRL season Channel Nine will broadcast the main Saturday match.

From 2017 the Monday night game will be moved to Friday at 6pm.

Footy fans are sure to be excited that they'll have five days of footy next season.

Beyond the 2016 season Monday night football will be replaced permanently by Thursday night football.

The NRL will rake in $1.9 billion is well short of the AFL’s $2.58 billion deal with News Corp.

MEDIA RELEASE:

Rugby League will reach more fans than ever before – both in Australia and globally – under a massive new NRL broadcast deal unveiled today.

The ARL Commission, Nine Network, News Corp Australia, FOX SPORTS, and Telstra have formed a partnership to provide free to air television, pay television and mobile coverage of Rugby League for five years from 2018.

The deal is worth $1.8 billion to the NRL – 70 per cent higher than the existing rights.

Fox Sports will show all eight games every weekend.

With the sale of international and radio rights to come, it is anticipated that the total value of the final package will exceed $1.9 billion.

Under the agreement, many of the changes to improve the schedule of games will start from 2016 - two years early.

Under the new package:

Telstra Premiership matches will be held five days a week in 2016 – from Thursday to Monday inclusive – before reverting to four days a week (Thursday to Sunday) in 2017

From 2017 the Monday night game will be moved to Friday at 6pm

Nine Network will telecast games live and free to air on Thursday and Friday nights and Sunday afternoon in 2016

Nine will telecast games Live and free to air on Thursday and Friday nights and Sunday afternoon.

FOX SPORTS will show all eight games every weekend – including five exclusive telecasts each weekend.Super Saturday, featuring three live games, will be retained by FOX SPORTS.

The last five Saturday night games of each season will be telecast on free to air television in the build up to the Finals series

From 2017 FOX SPORTS will run a dedicated Rugby League channel – giving the game more exposure than any time in the game’s history

News Corp Australia will use its local media and newspaper resources to promote the game wherever it is played

And it will use its worldwide resources to take NRL on to the global stage where we believe over time its incredible appeal will see an army of new fans emerge

Telstra will remain the naming rights partner of the NRL and will telecast the game digitally on its mobile network as well as replays and highlights on its new Telstra TV platform in 2016.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman, John Grant said the package was a win for all the game’s stakeholders and especially its fans.

“We have delivered the very best outcome for the game as a whole,” he said.

“In revisiting the number of free to air games in this agreement, we were responding to the value both Nine and News Corp Australia saw in the Saturday game. Compared to our current schedule, this result still means more games live and free for our fans and gives grass roots and elite clubs and organisations immense financial benefits,” he said.

“The ARL Commission has been working on a revised schedule to incorporate the 18 Thursday night games in 2016 in conjunction with the television rights negotiations without increasing the number of 5 day turn-arounds for players. This will be released this afternoon,” he said.

Hugh Marks, CEO of Nine Entertainment Co. said “This is an outstanding result for the game with more live and free coverage for NRL fans from 2016.

“Nine has always placed enormous value on its strong media partnership with Rugby League and that will only grow over the next seven years. Our quality coverage of NRL games will this year be complemented by the NRL Rookie - just one of many ways we seek to expand and enrich our fans’ experience on free to air.”

News Corp Australia chief executive Peter Tonagh said “This is a truly outstanding deal that will, for the first time in the history of the game, give fans live coverage of every game each round.

”It’s a big win for the fans and a big win for the clubs, and News is delighted to be a part of it."

Andrew Penn, Telstra Chief Executive Officer, said the new agreement reaffirms Telstra’s leadership in giving Australians access to world class mobile sporting experiences.

“Only Telstra can bring the sport experience and technology together using Australia’s largest mobile network and we are very excited to give fans digital access to NRL action,” Mr Penn said.

FOX SPORTS CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “This is the best deal for the game, for the fans and for Foxtel subscribers.

“This breakthrough deal will ensure fans get to see their NRL team live in action every week up to the Grand Final on FOX SPORTS without ad-breaks during play and in high definition.

“In another huge win for the sport, FOX SPORTS will launch a dedicated 24/7 Rugby League channel in 2017, giving fans what they have been asking for.