Aussie Pro Rugby
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Top rugby host sacked on eve of Super Rugby launch
Popular Fox Sports rugby host Nick McArdle has been let go on the eve of the new Super Rugby season, amid further cuts to the broadcaster's rugby programming. Executives told McArdle his contract would not be renewed on Wednesday, the day before Fox Sports and Rugby Australia were due to launch the new season together in Sydney. Wednesday marked his 13th year at the pay TV broadcaster. His departure is an ominous sign for the game, which is about to go to market for a broadcast partner for the next five years, and is part of a raft of cutbacks for the 2020 season. Two sources told the Herald that executives briefed staff there would be no dedicated mid-week rugby shows and only a skeleton staff, including veteran commentator Greg Clark and former Wallabies Tim Horan, Phil Kearns, George Gregan and Rod Kafer would be retained on contract, to work across the weekend games. Along with Clark, McArdle became synonymous with rugby over his time with Fox, winning over audiences with his calm professionalism, light touch and courteous but forensic interview style. The news follows the departures mid-last year of up and coming commentator Sean Maloney, rugby executive producer Simon Gee, veteran director Matthew Heaton and football department executive producer Murray Shaw. The cuts come in the context of significant financial losses within Foxtel's controlling shareholder News Corp, which flagged cuts to the broadcaster's spending on "non-marquee sporting content" and another price rise for customers after a financial loss of $417 million in 2018. -
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@Stargazer said in Aussie Rugby:
Two sources told the Herald that executives briefed staff there would be no dedicated mid-week rugby shows and only a skeleton staff, including veteran commentator Greg Clark and former Wallabies Tim Horan, Phil Kearns, George Gregan and Rod Kafer would be retained on contract, to work across the weekend games.
Horan is a terrible commentator. Kafer doesn't realise there's already a cheerleader on the panel.
They should've left it with Gregan, Clark and McArdle. Or swap in Louise Ransome.
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@mofitzy_ said in Aussie Rugby:
Folau has joined the Super League club Catalans Dragons. Either his comments didn't make the news there or the they just don't care.
ah, have you seen the NRL outcasts the Super League has taken? they have very few fucks to give.
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Fox Sports to pull pin on Rugby Australia - reports
Rugby Australia is looking for a new broadcasting partner with Fox Sports reportedly pulling the pin on their deal at the end of 2020.
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@Tim said in Aussie Rugby:
Fox Sports to pull pin on Rugby Australia - reports
Rugby Australia is looking for a new broadcasting partner with Fox Sports reportedly pulling the pin on their deal at the end of 2020.
It doesn't help that Fox is struggling to remain relevant in the TV space, with pressure from Netflix, Disney + & Kayo eating into their subscriber base, and recently HBO registering a trademark in Oz for future straming services. Bye bye content = less money to spend = RA getting the arse
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There goes my Kayo subscription.
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@antipodean said in Aussie Rugby:
There goes my Kayo subscription.
Cancelled mine before the summer break. Had intended to resubscribe for the Test season
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@Stargazer said in Aussie Rugby:
Maybe Rugbypass will become available for Super Rugby in Australia. They already are for Heineken Cup and Pro 14.
If Rugbypass came available for everything (especially NPC) that would be awesome.
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