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Source: www.stuff.co.nz
Sanzar officials and the Warriors are watching a crucial legal appeal against a landmark Australian court decision, which could strip millions off their annual revenues.

In fact, Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah has warned the very existence of competitions such as the National Rugby League and Super Rugby could be brought into question over the coming months.

Australian sport has been rocked by telecommunications company Optus winning a Federal Court case which Australian Football League and NRL officials claim will cost them upwards of $386 million in lost broadcast fees.

The decision cleared the way for Optus to use online technology for delivering live sport, including football matches, on delays of only one to two minutes through mobile devices.

However, anxious AFL and NRL officials are reeling, saying the decision will rob them of hundreds of millions in lost online broadcasting fees.

The AFL earns $197m in online rights from its current five-year deal with Telstra, Optus' chief rival.

The NRL expects to earn just as much from live online fees in its soon-to-be-negotiated broadcasting deal for next season.

Although most media focus has been on the impact to the AFL and NRL, any live sport on free-to-air television in Australia is subject to the legal decision – drawing All Blacks, Warriors, Breakers and Wellington Phoenix matches into the stoush.

Along with Scurrah, Sanzar's Sydney-based chief executive Greg Peters expressed concern over the court ruling, with both saying their organisations would be watching developments for potential impact.

Sanzar derives significant broadcasting revenue out of Australia which is then shared with the New Zealand and South African rugby unions.

The loss the NRL faces is around half of the entire premiership salary cap for its 16 teams.

"We are obviously aware of the story this week, sports franchises in general are funded through broadcast rights," Scurrah said.

"Whether it's World Cup events like we've just hosted, Super Rugby or the NRL, the value of broadcast rights is essential to the survival of actual sports competitions."

Scurrah also backed the aggressive comments of NRL boss David Gallop, who said grassroots development, players and fans stand to be hit hardest in a failed legal appeal.

"It will have a huge impact. At the end of the day, the players are looking for more money, which is fair enough, and they want to be paid as much as they can," Scurrah said.

"But if broadcast rights aren't paid for the sports, the best players won't be playing in those competitions."

Sanzar's $615m broadcast deal expires at the end of 2015, affording them more time to strategise.

Nevertheless, Peters says his organisation is watching closely, also acknowledging potentially serious ramifications.

"I understand where the general situation is at and am watching developments with interest," Peters said.

"It doesn't directly impact on Sanzar at this moment, but it could do in future if this case sticks on appeal and the precedent is fixed.

"The reason we're not impacted now is that the difference between Sanzar's current broadcast rights deal and that of the AFL for example, is that we haven't carved our rights up into separate deals for television, online and 3G services.

"We also operate our rights largely within the realm of pay TV, not free-to-air.

"The pay TV platform has bank-rolled the professional game. Without it, we wouldn't have professional rugby.

"If Sanzar was to go down a different route in future and carves up its rights, as the AFL and NRL do, then this decision would have a bigger impact on our business.

"In a rugby context, it's the broadcasting and commercial revenues which fund the unions, who in turn fund the development of the game and pay the players.

"Player salary levels in New Zealand and Australia are driven by the amount of player-generated revenue, which includes broadcasting."

AFL and NRL officials are set to begin appealing the Federal ruling, as will Telstra which sponsors both competitions and pays huge fees for online rights.

It has already begun furiously lobbying Government ministers to legislate protection.

Despite the Federal Court making the ruling under the auspices of an Australian Copyright Act which mirrors New Zealand's, a similar situation evolving on this side of the Tasman is unlikely.

All Blacks sponsor Telecom and rivals Vodafone, sponsors of the Warriors, would like to broadcast respective matches on mobile devices at no cost, but neither the NZRU nor the Warriors could afford the hit on lost fees.

Similar action in New Zealand inspired by either Telecom or Vodafone would have to be fought under the Copyright Act and even if successful, would only allow for re-transmission of live free-to-air sport.

While Australian sport still has a high number of live free-to-air major sport broadcasts, including the Bledisloe Cup and NRL grand final, pay TV operator Sky now has a virtual monopoly on live sport broadcasting within New Zealand.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Source: www.sharks.com.au
NRL All Stars 36
(Frank Pritchard, Luke Lewis, Luke Bailey, Josh Dugan, Jack Reed, Manu Vatuvei Tries; Benji Marshall 6/6 Goals)
Indigenous All Stars 28
(Nathan Merritt 2, Jharal Yow Yeh, Matt Bowen, Greg Inglis Tries; Johnathan Thurston 3/4, Chris Sandow 1/1 Goals).

Paul Gallen has got the wood on new team mate Andrew Fifita as he produced a big performance in the NRL All Stars' 36-28 win over the Indigenous All Stars.

With both players starting, Gallen and Fifita met on more than one occasion, but it was Gallen's run-ins with former Sharks team mate Greg Bird in the fiery encounter that will steal the headlines.

Gallen again made metres at will going forward, while Fifita's impact in the opening stages of the game helped the Indigenous side to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter.

Both players will return to Sharks training this week after neither suffered any major injuries, preparing for Cronulla's next trial against Newcastle on February 18.

Click here to read about the key moments in the match.

In a free flowing game, the NRL All Stars produced a good second half after the Indigenous All Stars blew them away in the opening quarter of the game.

The Indigenous All Stars got off to a perfect start, with tries to Jharal Yow Yeh and Nathan Merritt giving them a 12-0 advantage early in the game, as they took advantage of a glut of possession and field position.

After a quarter time drinks break, the NRL All Stars lifted in intensity, and converted their first real attacking chance, as Frank Pritchard barged over after some great dummy half work from Nathan Fien.

After enforcing first Power Play, the NRL All Stars then conceded a try, as Matt Bowen brilliantly chased down a pin-point Johnathan Thurston kick to score next to the posts, and fire up the local crowd.

Luke Lewis then used some brilliant footwork to dive over and narrow the gap, but Preston Campbell Medal winner Nathan Merritt then put the Indigenous side further in front on the stroke of half time, taking advantage of their Power Play to score in the left hand corner and take a handy 22-12 lead into the main break.

The NRL All Stars came back from the break again with heavy intensity and scored three unanswered tries early in the second half to jump to a 30-22 lead, with Benji Marshall and Luke Lewis leading the team around.

Greg Inglis put the Indigenous side back into the game with a try on the back of some good hands, but a brilliant try to Manu Vatuvei in the 73rd minute put the game out of the Indigenous team’s reach.

Despite the high energy and intensity, the only injury concerns were Brent Tate (knee) and Greg Inglis (ankle), who both left the field.