Double live Friday night NRL games on the way

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Double live Friday night NRL games on the way, IN a massive victory for rugby league fans, Channel Nine boss David Gyngell wants to show two live NRL matches on Friday nights next year. One would be played on Nine’s main free-to-air channel with another match in high definition on GEM. “In this day and age with all the new technology and social media devices, Channel Nine clearly can’t keep showing one game on delay,” Gyngell said. “At the same time we need the Broncos on Friday nights for the Queensland ratings. We should play them both live and let the punters choose. “The way the world’s moving, it’s the right thing to do but there are many parties to be considered. We will try to work our way through it.” Round seven this year was a perfect example where both games should have been live. St George Illawarra played the Broncos on the live Friday night game but we had to sit up until near midnight to watch a delayed coverage of the Bulldogs v Manly with continual breaks for more than 75 advertisements. It is understood Gyngell has already raised the dual coverage idea with NRL boss Dave Smith. To make it happen would require the approval of joint broadcaster Fox Sports. Channel Nine’s Sunday ratings are up by an incredible 23 per cent this year since switching to live broadcasts. While the network cannot carry as many advertisements, the rates will increase from the extra eyeballs.

Double live Friday night NRL games on the way