Sophie Moloney: Sky TV CEO on the company securing NRL broadcast rights for another seven years

The NRL is staying on Sky. 

The television broadcaster has secured the rights for another seven years, starting in 2028 and running through until the end of the 2034 season. 

The deal is reportedly worth $61 million a year – up to $20 million more than before.  

Sky TV CEO Sophie Moloney told Mike Hosking that they definitely believed, and this has confirmed, that they are the right home for rugby league in New Zealand. 

She says they’re absolutely thrilled that the combination of their premium sport and free to air offering has delivered this outcome. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The NRL yesterday confirmed themselves as the most valuable sport
in Australia with a new six and a half billion
dollar deal that takes rights out to twenty thirty four.
SkyTV here of course part of the Foxtel nine Zone package.
Sophie Maloney is the CEO of Sky Television and is
with us for a good morningding Mite. How you doing
very well? Indeed, was there ever any doubt that it

(00:20):
would go the way it did for you?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Well, we definitely believe and have confirmed that we are
the home, the right home of rugby league in Arcero
in New Zealand. Obviously, the fandom of the Warriors in
recent times, as you and I know, has been remarkable
and so we're absolutely thrilled that the combination of our
freeedoware offering with our premium sport has delivered this outcome

(00:44):
and a seven year deal out to twenty thirty four,
you know, is excellent for our company and for us.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
Year held of the free to wear component. I watched
the whole thing yesterday with Landy's and code that the
free to wear component seems to be a big deal
to him. Do you have to bend a lot to
make the freedom we're aspect of your part of it work.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
The freeware free to we're offering is absolutely Vicel. Make
your spot on and know, we're really comfortable with what
we're with what we're doing. In fact, our sales team
are already chomping at the bit to see if they
can go earlier than twenty twenty seven with some of
the rights, but really comfortable. And the acquisition of three
and three now it was part of the strategic context
for us, and so yeah, it was a very very

(01:25):
important part of the deal. And it also means that yes,
you know, we'll be looking at our sports pricing going forward.
But equally we have this opportunity to monetize with advertising
clients through the free dow were and free to we're offering.
So we're really excited about those two components.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
They asked the Foxtel bloke, But you know about how
do you make this work? Do you bid what you can?
You know, do you bleed money and then work out
how to pay for it, or do you go in
with something knowing you can afford it.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
We certainly look at our data, we look at the
viewership and then we have a you know, a pretty
impressive evaluation model which tells us what the range is.
And you know, back in twenty nineteen it was a
bit different with the Rugby deal. We were in a
different position in terms of this context, Mike, we're really
comfortable with what we put forward. We were comfortable we

(02:14):
didn't have to have all of the rights. That puts
you in a very strong position. And so where we
are is a place that we can drive great outcomes
to customers and also for shareholders.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
And listening to Bland's yesterday, I mean the numbers tell
the story. It's more valuable than the AFL, which in
Australian context really says something, where does it sit for
you compared to rugby?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, you know I've said this before, nothing rates like
the All Blacks in this country and we've seen that
last weekend and we're really excited about the series ongoing,
but certainly Rugby League it has been growing in bandom
and you know, our the rights value that we put
forward reflects that. And to be able to work alongside
of the partner effectively for eighty is from now to

(03:01):
really grow that fandom and monetize. And you know, we
had the way the deals work Micas. We we agree
a fix license fee, so we have certainty on what
that value is right over the term.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
How important is it the Warriors are excellent?

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Great question. I think there's something really interesting with the
Warriors that the fandom there that is not necessarily attached
them winning every game because of the way they go
about what they do. I think, Cameron George Andrew Webster,
you know, I think there is a remarkable team there,
and I think the fandom something about it that isn't

(03:36):
just about winning. It's the way they show up, it's
the way they engage their fans and their social media
is to use the term as out the gates. So yeah,
I think there's something really special and I don't think
it's just about winning on the field.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's interesting, what's your role or voice in the twentieth
team and how desperate are you that that twentieth team
is here.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'm not desperate. The value we put bard isn't predicated
on that. Obviously, locals will have some residents if it
was to be in New Zealand. But you know, at
the same time, there is something about the Warriors and
being a national team. But of course if the Australian
Rugby League Commission and Peter Blandy's decides that New Zealand
is the right home for the twentieth team, then we'll

(04:19):
absolutely lean in and look to grow the fandom for
the sport.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
And watching him yesterday, he's eased to design's got hundreds
of millions of subscribers, and he's talking about America and
he's talking about he's talking global. Is that real? Do
you think? Well?

Speaker 2 (04:34):
I think Peter Landi's and Andrew had done a phenomenal
job with this renewal. I think they're the Vegas round.
I think has been an impressive play. But I think
the American market for any sport is a challenge. But
of course, again we're really comfortable with the rights that
we have. I think de own has got an interesting

(04:56):
business model. It's quite challenging to make work in every market,
but no doubt with these rights they'll be wanting to
monetize them as far and wide as possible.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
Related matters, You're the first expert I've got on to
talk about this. It's become a personal fascination of mine.
Do you reckon at forty five bucks for the World Cup?
And TV and Z they're making any doe.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
I think that obviously that's going to be a question
for Jody over at TV and Z. But I thought
that I thought the price thing was pretty smart. Actually,
the way they did it, I think I think the
advertising side, we think it's been pretty impressive. So yeah,
my bet would be they have done well with these rights.
I mean, we FIFA as a phenomenal tournament always catches

(05:37):
the imagination and so you know, as I said at
the time, I would have loved us to have won
those rights. But you know, we have partnered with TV
and Z to distribute to pubs and clubs around the country,
so we're really pleased with that partner.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
So just that I can't I can't work out the iconified.
I can't even remember what his name is. The guy,
you know, the Irish guy is coming back, So that
fights at forty five bucks a fight, an entire two
entire tournament's forty five dollars worth, hundreds of hours worth.
Either I would have charged one hundred and forty bucks
for that.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yeah, so I we would have potentially charged it. You know,
hed a look at it. But I think that I
think they obviously did the work. I do think having
the same price as the fight Pass may have been
part of their thinking. I really don't know, but overall,
I think that they will be my senses, they'll be
very happy, and I think, you know, congratulating, congratulations to

(06:29):
them because technically they've done their jobs so and there
is a real role for tvns in this market in
terms of sports. So yeah, good on them, Good.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
On you all right now I'm talk to you, Surphe.
You appreciate it. Sophie Maloney, who's the CEO of skuy,
she's up. She's in Sydney for the Origin tonight, so
she's up early for us. For more from the Mi
Casking Breakfast, listen live to news talks that'd be from
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