Spike TV will air the 2009 National Rugby League playoffs and championship game. The three weekly NRL playoff contests begin Friday, Sept. 11 and end with the Grand Final on Sunday, October 4. All NRL
games are played in Australia and will air on Spike TV same day-tape. This is the first time that NRL matches will air nationally in the United States on basic cable. (Actor Russell Crowe owns the
South Sydney Rabbitohs club.) "Given the entire population of Australia is only 21 million people, having our playoffs aired in almost 100 million homes on Spike TV is a very exciting opportunity for
our game," said NRL COO Graham Annesley.