RUGBY LEAGUE IN AUSTRALIA: THE SUPER LEAGUE SAGA

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Abstract
Rugby league, the most popular winter sport on the eastern seaboard of Australia, has in recent times been thrown into turmoil. The cause of this disruption was the arrival in 1995 of what in Australia is called “pay TV.” The effectiveness of sport in attracting subscribers prompted a struggle over the pay-TV rights for rugby league between Australia's two most powerful media proprietors—Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Packer. The result was that, after lengthy and expensive legal action, rival competitions are to commence in 1997. This short note traces the history of the fight for rugby league occasioned by the globalization, privatization, and technological development of the media. It is suggested that close attention to off-field action, especially in the media industry, is necessary for an understanding of the trajectory of contemporary sports.

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