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After the Super Rugby opener between the Reds and Waratahs was broadcast on Channel 9’s secondary channel, Gem, the second match of the double header was shown exclusively on streaming platform Stan.
Except, those hoping to watch the match with a beer in-hand out on the town won’t have been able to watch it.
As revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald, a deal between Stan Sport and Sky Channel was pulled on the eve of the season getting underway.
The SMH reports that the deal was pulled after a Tabcorp senior executive learnt Sky Channel had reached an agreement without the consent of its parent company, Tabcorp.
While an agreement has been in place with Stan Sport it had yet to be approved internally.
The Herald, which is owned by Nine, reports that a deal could still be agreed.
Until then, rugby fans hoping to watch every Super Rugby match won’t be able to do so at pubs because it won’t be able to beamed via satellite into venues across Australia.
Sports and racing codes can have their vision beamed into pubs and clubs via satellite through one of three organisations: Foxtel, Sky Channel or Optus — meaning Sky was Nine’s most viable partner.
The failure to strike the deal leaves Rugby Australia and Nine red-faced on its highly anticipated opening weekend with their new broadcast partners.
“I’m not aware of any other major sport who would not have plans to get their vision to hundreds of thousands of eyeballs who have supported their product for their last 20 years,” Australian Hotels Association CEO Stephen Ferguson told the Herald.
Nine signed a $100 million three-year deal with Rugby Australia in November.