Macquarie Network has signed a three year agreement with The National Rugby League for exclusive commercial broadcast radio rights to next year’s Rugby League Football competition.

The signing of the agreement followed a lengthy negotiation which included other commercial networks, but which “ultimately saw Macquarie combine a record commercial deal with the broadcast team that has dominated audience ratings.”

NRL Chief Executive David Gallop said the contract was “a further sign of the intense interest in the Telstra Premiership. The NRL partners agreed that the contract secures both the biggest single audience and the best commercial terms for the game.”

“We will continue to work with all media outlets to promote Rugby League but the issue of commercial broadcast rights is increasingly important to all sports… This deal is a significant one for the game and one that assists the NRL in continuing to fund not only the clubs but marketing initiatives and projects such as the Telstra Premiership Rugby League Roadtrain,” said Gallop.

Macquarie Radio Network C.E.O George Buschman was “delighted with the announcement.”

“In 2002 2GB’s NRL Coverage headed by Ray Hadley lead the ratings for the entire year and was never challenged by its rivals, this announcement is a clear sign that the NRL has the same faith in our coverage and we can now build on the success of 2002… We are equally committed to our regional coverage taking in up to 100 stations nationally and in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.”

“Most of all this announcement secures our position as Sydney’s sports leader, having this year secured the rights to the 2004, 2008 and 2006 Olympics, the Rugby World cup here in Sydney and now an additional three years of exclusive rights to the NRL.”

2GB’s Continuous Call Team (Ray Hadley, Steve Roach, Peter Frilingos, Bob Fulton and Laurie Daley) will be back on air at the start of the 2003 season.