Australian Rugby / RA

[Raytah]

And where is McClennan now?
interesting so you think the wallabies and Aus rugby need JS to help sell lions tickets and RWC tickets? They are selling themselves for big money
The wallabies are capable of selling tickets before JS comes on board, and I highly doubt fans at nsw Waratahs will flock to alliance in droves as Sua'ali'i is there
It’s rugbys fault - super rugby that’s its archaic lack of promoting and marketing for the lack of coverage on current players - maybe if rugby stopped shooting itself in the foot and looked where afl and nrl are at now

We will sell more tickets at both state and national level (ex. Lions and WC) with JS in the game. Broadcast deal is more important.

I agree that Super Rugby's marketing is woeful, but Aus teams not winning (or even being competitive for large swathes of the past decade) is the bigger problem. RA (and othes) also need to stop thinking of super rugby as something that can compete with the NRL/AFL - it will never do that - it just needs to wash its face.

McClennan did some good things, some catastrophic things. JS deal was a good one.

 

[Linerunner2023]

We will sell more tickets at both state and national level (ex. Lions and WC) with JS in the game. Broadcast deal is more important.

I agree that Super Rugby's marketing is woeful, but Aus teams not winning (or even being competitive for large swathes of the past decade) is the bigger problem. RA (and othes) also need to stop thinking of super rugby as something that can compete with the NRL/AFL - it will never do that - it just needs to wash its face.

McClennan did some good things, some catastrophic things. JS deal was a good one.

They won’t sell more tickets as it will sell out regardless of Sua'ali'i being there or not
The RWC and lions will sell out very quickly and for big money and the state teams will too
On form is JS really a wallabies contender?
I don’t believe so unless he shows more
People won’t flock to games or watch the Tele because JS is playing. They will watch the spectacle
And if the wallabies keep loosing playing who are disgruntled with the decision it doesn’t benefit anyone bar the nrl

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Buzz getting his knickers in a twist will never not be funny. Real old man yells at sky energy

For those who haven't seen it: https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-le...-choice-for-nsw-winger-sparks-debate-1351447/

Buzz strikes me as the type of guy who gets mad when he sees a player wearing pink or neon boots

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Buzz is an absolute knob.

 

[Raytah]

They won’t sell more tickets as it will sell out regardless of Sua'ali'i being there or not
The RWC and lions will sell out very quickly and for big money and the state teams will too
On form is JS really a wallabies contender?
I don’t believe so unless he shows more
People won’t flock to games or watch the Tele because JS is playing. They will watch the spectacle
And if the wallabies keep loosing playing who are disgruntled with the decision it doesn’t benefit anyone bar the nrl

Re-read the post. Agree wont move the dial on RWC and Lions games...

Will take some time to get up to speed, but I reckon he'll get there. The league commentariat swung off him until he signed for union. He'll probably play origin this year so not going that bad for a 20 yr old!

 

[Linerunner2023]

Re-read the post. Agree wont move the dial on RWC and Lions games...

Will take some time to get up to speed, but I reckon he'll get there. The league commentariat swung off him until he signed for union. He'll probably play origin this year so not going that bad for a 20 yr old!

And it won’t affect wallabies games either as they sell out as well! And that’s if JS is in contention
The union commentary from McLennan was how he wanted to travel the world and play the game of rugby - but in the end the only reason he went accross was the $1.5ml carrot which anyone would take
If he plays Origen i don’t know how
He has scored 1 try in 10 matches this season, and the chooks have scored 140 points in the last 3 matches
Only stats he leads in the nrl in the top 20 is errors and missed tackles
But apart from that yesss …

 

[hoggy]

We will sell more tickets at both state and national level (ex. Lions and WC) with JS in the game. Broadcast deal is more important.

I agree that Super Rugby's marketing is woeful, but Aus teams not winning (or even being competitive for large swathes of the past decade) is the bigger problem. RA (and othes) also need to stop thinking of super rugby as something that can compete with the NRL/AFL - it will never do that - it just needs to wash its face.

McClennan did some good things, some catastrophic things. JS deal was a good one.

Rugby does need to compete with the NRL/AFL that is our main competition for eyeballs & fans, the whole problem with the code is the attitude that the game does not need to compete, that is why we have had crap marketing. When the whole attitude is we just need to wash our face, good luck getting fans committed.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I tend to think Rugby needs to focus on making Rugby the most entertaining product it can be and push it on it's own. We don't need wars with the NRL and AFL who have all the media sway and money to throw at a problem.

Rugby still has a very amateur love of the game vibe which some might like but sport is entertainment. Sport is a constant reality show and this has been grasped by the Americans and the NRL, AFL have caught on. This isn't RA specific as I think the Premiership is in this thinking as well.

Even Cricket who were probably worse than Rugby at one point are shifting the sport. Tests are trying to be sped up, World Test champs, Day Night Tests etc... Sports can't be dull and hold attention now. Basketball is all about the lights, music and freak athletes. Baseball withered by standing still and only now trying to speed up games with pitch clocks, 7 innings double headers.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

I tend to think Rugby needs to focus on making Rugby the most entertaining product it can be and push it on it's own. We don't need wars with the NRL and AFL who have all the media sway and money to throw at a problem.

Rugby still has a very amateur love of the game vibe which some might like but sport is entertainment. Sport is a constant reality show and this has been grasped by the Americans and the NRL, AFL have caught on. This isn't RA specific as I think the Premiership is in this thinking as well.

Even Cricket who were probably worse than Rugby at one point are shifting the sport. Tests are trying to be sped up, World Test champs, Day Night Tests etc... Sports can't be dull and hold attention now. Basketball is all about the lights, music and freak athletes. Baseball withered by standing still and only now trying to speed up games with pitch clocks, 7 innings double headers.

I think at least in Australia, the issue is that you're going to be fighting heaps of cultural inertia within the game. Most guys are of a very middle class mindset, keep a low profile, and won't say anything outlandish to the media. There are a fair few Super Rugby players in the first 15 for instance who have entirely private social media.

There's nothing wrong with that from a personal decision standpoint, but it would be almost unheard of in the NRL or even something like the NBA and likely hurts the game from an entertainment/outreach perspective.

Quade Cooper has caught plenty of criticism over the year with a significant portion being deserved, but he's such a lightning rod because he stands in contrast to that with his flair, personality, and very active social media. He sticks out like a sore thumb in rugby but probably wouldn't look out of place in a different code.

You have to lean into the reality show aspect of it nowadays to keep people's attention.

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

If you look up the Rugby Round Up on facebook. They used to post really entertaining videos on social media doing fan interviewees outside Bledisloe games and going to clubs ladies days etc.

This is the type of content Rugby needs to lean into in order to capture attention and grow. You might even get some new grassroots players from those videos.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

If you look up the Rugby Round Up on facebook. They used to post really entertaining videos on social media doing fan interviewees outside Bledisloe games and going to clubs ladies days etc.

This is the type of content Rugby needs to lean into in order to capture attention and grow. You might even get some new grassroots players from those videos.

Get "man on the street" type content posting ladies days, prop races, funny sideline chat, and weird operators at test matches. That stuff is funny as even if you have no idea what the difference between a loosehead and a tighthead is, but it's a nice gateway drug into the game.

 

[Rebel man]

Receive a share of bets in exchange for Access to data, sponsorship and exclusive rights as far as I’m aware

10 cents per bet is what the AFL and NRL get

 

[Tomikin]

I think at least in Australia, the issue is that you're going to be fighting heaps of cultural inertia within the game. Most guys are of a very middle class mindset, keep a low profile, and won't say anything outlandish to the media. There are a fair few Super Rugby players in the first 15 for instance who have entirely private social media.

There's nothing wrong with that from a personal decision standpoint, but it would be almost unheard of in the NRL or even something like the NBA and likely hurts the game from an entertainment/outreach perspective.

Quade Cooper has caught plenty of criticism over the year with a significant portion being deserved, but he's such a lightning rod because he stands in contrast to that with his flair, personality, and very active social media. He sticks out like a sore thumb in rugby but probably wouldn't look out of place in a different code.

You have to lean into the reality show aspect of it nowadays to keep people's attention.

Like Folau and Eddie ??

 

[Goosestep]

The JS deal will be an accretive financial investment for RA.

I dont think that is fanciful - it's clear anything his name is on cuts through in NSW. He will be on every ad/billboard nationwide over three years into a lions series & home world cup. Incremental bums on seats, merch sales, eyeballs / broadcast subs, direct/indirect ad revenues will comfortably cover his salary.

It may create discontent with other players, but reality is there isn't anyone else in Aus rugby capable of the same effect atm. If he's great on the field, that's a bonus.

I'm with McClennan on this one.

Yeah but no one will watch him in union .. and he’s not a massive name in the NRL anyway …

you’d have to poach Cleary or Walsh to get the effect you’re looking for …

 

[wamberal99]

FWIW Rugby in Australia seems to be more popular when we win. That is the first, and overriding, requirement. Both NRL and AFL are parochial games. An Australian team always wins one, and almost always wins the other.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Like Folau and Eddie ??

Folau has one opinion that makes him radioactive. It's not the fact that he holds that opinion because there are plenty of others in rugby that do, it's that he's vocal about it.

Eddie just did the sporting equivalent of crashing the Titanic into the iceberg after telling anyone who noticed the iceberg that they should give themself an uppercut.

 

[Goosestep]

FWIW Rugby in Australia seems to be more popular when we win. That is the first, and overriding, requirement. Both NRL and AFL are parochial games. An Australian team always wins one, and almost always wins the other.

When was the last time this theory was put in practice ? 20 Years ago … a lots changed since then

 

[Bullrush]

When was the last time this theory was put in practice ? 20 Years ago … a lots changed since then

Not quite 20 years ago but there was plenty of support and fans coming out for the Reds and the Tahs in the years when they won and were competitive in Super Rugby...

 

[Goosestep]

Not quite 20 years ago but there was plenty of support and fans coming out for the Reds and the Tahs in the years when they won and were competitive in Super Rugby...

reds played entertaining rugby that season .. but again that was 2011! ….. cant speak on Brisbane … but it barely registered in Sydney when the tahs won

 

[Tomikin]

reds played entertaining rugby that season .. but again that was 2011! ….. cant speak on Brisbane … but it barely registered in Sydney when the tahs won

The 60 thousand people who went to the final probably thought differently.