Toyota Cup’s Ground Breaking TV Deal

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/7944/Default.aspx

TOYOTA CUP’S GROUND BREAKING TV DEAL

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - 8:02 PM

http://www.nrl.com/Portals/0//Galleries/17777/320/toyota.jpg

The NRL’s newest competition – the Toyota Cup – will be televised live nationally as part of a ground-breaking new TV deal.

Fox Sports Chief Executive, Mr David Malone, announced the one-year deal that will broadcast live, on average, two games per week, as well as all the Toyota Cup finals and a simulcast of the Toyota Cup Grand Final with Channel Nine.

Sky TV in New Zealand will also broadcast the Warriors’ home Toyota Cup matches to their New Zealand audience.

“This broadcast partnership highlights the excitement the Toyota Cup is generating among the players, clubs, fans and our media partners,” NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said today.

“The Toyota Cup will feature the future stars of our game and we thank Fox Sports for their efforts in ensuring as many fans as possible are able to enjoy watching this competition.”

The TV deal, which has provisions for a four-year extension, is another positive boost to the inaugural national youth competition, which will revolutionise the game’s development pathways.

“NRL coverage on Fox Sports has been an incredible success and to be able to announce that we will also be broadcasting two Toyota Cup games live each week, showcasing the future stars of the NRL, is another exciting step in our partnership with the NRL," Mr Malone said.

"The broadcast of the Toyota Cup on Fox Sports will give our viewers even greater coverage of Rugby League and is also a further example of our commitment to this great game.”

The Toyota Cup provides a blueprint on how to prepare players for the demands of professional sport and for life after football, as well as giving fans the chance to watch the game’s next generation of players, coaches and referees hone their skills in a unified competition.

“The Toyota Cup is the first competition of its kind in Australian sport and the broadcast partnership with Fox Sports highlights the significant role it will play in developing Rugby League’s future stars,” Toyota Manager of Promotion and Events, National Marketing, Wayne Gabriel, said today.

“This competition will showcase the best young footballers in Australia and offer an exciting pathway to the NRL, and Toyota is proud to be part of that development.

“Toyota’s commitment to the national youth competition builds on our already strong partnership with Rugby League as the official vehicle sponsor of the NRL and a sponsor of the North Queensland Cowboys, Cronulla Sharks and Brisbane Broncos.”

Source: NRL

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/02/28/10990_sport.html

Under-20 comp grabs pay-TV exposure

ANTONY STEWART
28Feb08

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2008/02/27/Ryan-Carr.jpg
DIRECTING TRAFFIC ... Cowboys U20 squad member Ryan Carr
was in Sydney for yesterday's launch

THE future of the NRL's fledgling under-20 competition received a major boost yesterday after it was revealed the Cowboys' rising talent are set to be television stars.

Well, not just North Queensland's players, but the entire junior nation-wide competition, to be precise.

At the launch of the inaugural under-20 league in Sydney, Fox Sports announced they would be broadcasting games in 2008.

The pay-TV channel will show an average of two games a week live, while all finals matches will also be shown.

Fox Sports already broadcast all NRL first-grade games each week.

The competition has had its detractors in the buildup to the season, with some questioning its marketability and longevity.

However Cowboys under-20 coach Grant Bell said yesterday's announcement should go a long way to dispelling those thoughts.

"I think it certainly helps the long-term future of the competition," he said.

"It certainly suggests there is some quite significant support for it and I think that is very important.

"It's fantastic for the profile of the competition and for the young blokes it really gives them an opportunity, and the whole competition, to have a lift."

The television deal is for just one year but has provisions for a four-year extension.

Ryan Carr was the North Queensland club's sole player representative to join Bell at the launch at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Bell said he believed the launch had opened many players' eyes to the fact that they were about to hit the big time.

"They were taken aback by the level of the press conference with the media that were there and the NRL officials that were there, so to them I think it sent a pretty strong message that the NRL sees it as a very important competition," he said.

"And now with Fox Sports saying they are going to cover two games a week, I think it sent a very strong message to the players and the clubs that the competition is on and is very serious."

The under-20 competition is the first elite junior program in Australian sport that runs in conjunction with a national body's premier competition.