Australian Rugby / RA

[Adam84]

Yet you hear all the tails of League shrinking as a grassroots game there

Despite the Warriors performance each season in NZ see new record tv ratings for NRL and tv rights increasing each period. Value wise they’re said to north of $25million NZD per season, which compares to $30 million per season Nine pay for Australian rugby rights.

If we’re talking commercial products here. NRL is making massive inroads.

 

[Tazzmania]

I mentioned the other day private equity was unlikely. So happy to be proven right on that.

One thing I do think that’s been mentioned in that article that will be incorrect is the tv revenue. I believe we are in for a solid rise in value. I think we will see a 50 to 100% increase, which at the end of the day isn’t huge money still but it will be much appreciated on Rugby Australia end. There is just too much competitive tension this time round for live sport and more players than ever looking to attach their brand to something that will drive subscriptions. It’s inevitable Foxtel will have an attempt, if not just to drive Stan’s price up, Paramount and Optus are both in desperate need to diversify their sports options and Stan needs rugby otherwise Stan Sports might as well fold. So there is money to be had, however even 100% increase still isn’t enough money to properly compete with the other nations and sports.

Just out of interest Tennis viewership far exceeds rugby, therefore 9/Stan does not really need rugby for them it is probably a nice to have product. They also have some motor racing and some soccer both that also eclipse rugby.

Fox view rugby as a second tier sport, and already have AFL, Rugby League and cricket in their stable

 

[Adam84]

Just out of interest Tennis viewership far exceeds rugby, therefore 9/Stan does not really need rugby for them it is probably a nice to have product. They also have some motor racing and some soccer both that also eclipse rugby.

Fox view rugby as a second tier sport, and already have AFL, Rugby League and cricket in their stable

Tennis Majors on Stan only provide content for 6 weeks a year, they’re good for rating boosts but Stan needs other sports for customer retention.

That’s where content like rugby helps, it provides 30 weeks of content across the various tournaments. Likewise the Motorsport on Stan, it isn’t a ratings winner but it provides filling to help customers justify keeping the product all year round.

 

[Rebel man]

Despite the Warriors performance each season in NZ see new record tv ratings for NRL and tv rights increasing each period. Value wise they’re said to north of $25million NZD per season, which compares to $30 million per season Nine pay for Australian rugby rights.

If we’re talking commercial products here. NRL is making massive inroads.

I don’t disagree with any of that. Commercially they are booming yet on the flip side you hear all the stories about the grass roots game being in dire straits

 

[Goosestep]

Hope you’re right.

One of the problems they face right now is the fact Rugby don’t have casual fans that can drive up a price. The numbers Stan have at a WC time would be pretty much the lot. I’m not so sure the Lions are the bump they were in the early 2000s when even the most die hard League fan could still name the Wallabies and watched their games and most of the big Super 12 games.

Rugby Australia need to chase players and prioritise winning as of right now. It’s the only way to bring in the extra eyes you need to get more money.

I don’t think the causals are watching this World Cup… it’s only diehards …
The timing of the games for southern hem teams in pools matches is ridiculous… Youd have a lot more ppl tuning in if we had a game on at 11pm

 

[KOB1987]

The issue with no more private equity deal is we need the capital to invest into the game.

Without it we are going to struggle to capitalise on the Lions tour and WC. We need to beat the Lions, win a Bledisloe and win the World Cup at home.

Without the money upfront to invest into player development strengthening the grassroots and pathways I don’t see how any of that is achievable

We are going to debt fund it rather than equity fund it. It seems McLennan has secured the $90m and presumably he’s run the numbers on what the equity funding would cost and the long term implications of the IP sale and gone with the former. That’s what he is good at.

 

[KOB1987]

Nah, the causals aren’t watching this World Cup… it’s only diehards …
The timing of the games for southern hem teams in pools matches is ridiculous… Youd have a lot more ppl tuning in if we had a game on at 11pm

It was the same in 2007, i had young kids and took very little interest in it.

 

[Rebel man]

We are going to debt fund it rather than equity fund it. It seems McLennan has secured the $90m and presumably he’s run the numbers on what the equity funding would cost and the long term implications of the IP sale and gone with the former. That’s what he is good at.

It’s still 60-150m short of what we are aiming for. Soon AFLW players will be earning more than super rugby players. The average wage in the AFL will be just north of 600k

 

[Slim 293]

It was the same in 2007, i had young kids and look very little interest in it.

It was better in 2007 though, as there were earlier kick off times which included most of Australia's games, and all the matches were shown on FTA....

 

[HogansHeros]

Your second point contradicts the first.

Is NZ overseas? Isnt it kinda like Tassie?

 

[Bullrush]

Only issue Rugby will have in NZ will be NRL sides going after some individual talent to bring to Aus like Wong at the Roosters who was brought over at 15 and sent to Scots.

This isn’t anything new though. Scouts have been watching NZ players for decades. SBW was scouted by the Bulldogs whilst playing club footy as a 17-18yr old in Auckland.

 

[Tomthumb]

Despite the Warriors performance each season in NZ see new record tv ratings for NRL and tv rights increasing each period. Value wise they’re said to north of $25million NZD per season, which compares to $30 million per season Nine pay for Australian rugby rights.

If we’re talking commercial products here. NRL is making massive inroads.

Yeah but there is zero pathways for league player in NZ. It's not played in schools and the clubs are a joke

 

[Tomthumb]

This isn’t anything new though. Scouts have been watching NZ players for decades. SBW was scouted by the Bulldogs whilst playing club footy as a 17-18yr old in Auckland.

Yeah and most of NZ's best players are from Random towns in the middle of nowhere so I think they will be fine

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

I don’t think the causals aren’t watching this World Cup… it’s only diehards …
The timing of the games for southern hem teams in pools matches is ridiculous… Youd have a lot more ppl tuning in if we had a game on at 11pm

I have a friend working for channel 9. He reckons the ratings for the wallabies games have been above expectations for the timeslots. Reckons the advertisers got a really good deal.

 

[Wallaby Man]

After discussed the other day on here with some ludicrous commentary from people bemoaning Aus government support for Fiji. Article today on SMH has a number associated with the investment. Apparently Pacific Aus Sports sponsorship worth $1.8m. So it’s a decent amount, but well worth the investment politically and also from a rugby perspective.

 

[Dan54]

Only issue Rugby will have in NZ will be NRL sides going after some individual talent to bring to Aus like Wong at the Roosters who was brought over at 15 and sent to Scots.

Mate nonone is trying to say that NRL doesn't have some affect on game, but every top 1st XV tournament ofr probly last 30-40years at least has had NRL scouts in attendance, christ a mate I worked with in Levin, his son got a gig with Raider's acdemy on the strength he was David Lomax's nephew or some such thing, he wasn't even a 1st XV player. It's been happening for years, and no more now than ever before. I actually wonder if sometimes (with all due respect) that a good number of Aussies realise what goes on here when they think that we don't lose a good number of young ones to league, and also rugby doesn't have a lot of competition from other sports here. NZR doesn't just throw up hands and go we got too much competition, they actually are pretty proactive in trying to keep the game popular. From what I saw in Aus the only sport there that seemed to be do more to promote game their was AFL who seemed to do great job right down through to school level.
I have been over the years pretty involved in rugby here in NZ at junior , club, through to provincial level and almost always found those higher up were pretty good at getting assistance through to all levels, when you let them know what was needed.

 

[Wallabies]

Obviously this world cup can be a write off, but what do we think of for the years to come. I know eddie jones hasnt done best job but he did only have two months to prepare for a wallabies team already in deep trouble. Do we think the wallabies can regain ground and step up for lions tour 2025 and world cup 2027. I think with the new leadership in Australia rugby who havent shied away from criticising the past management, and the new centralised format, we can indeed win more games. I also hope we dont give up on eddie jones. He either played the team Rennie had which we knew wouldnt do well, or he took a chance. We either played a team we knew was bad or try play a more risky team which hasnt worked out. I also think the lions tour is perfect for generating money for wallabies leading into world cup. Hope people dont give up on them.

 

[Dan54]

I don’t disagree with any of that. Commercially they are booming yet on the flip side you hear all the stories about the grass roots game being in dire straits

I can tell you Rebel, grassroots league in NZ has certainly faded, in Southern Taranaki there were a three clubs that have disappeared/disbanded in last 3 years, and as far as I know no league comp of any kind in the area. Rugby is not growing either, except in women's game where there are 2 new teams in close proximity, and even back in the Mighty Nua, (myself and WOB's old stomping ground), Athletic my old club has just got a women's team that is in a new comp started down there, and have even just sent an U13 girls team down to Christchurch. As I say rugby here has it's challenges, but not new ones.

 

[Goosestep]

This isn’t anything new though. Scouts have been watching NZ players for decades. SBW was scouted by the Bulldogs whilst playing club footy as a 17-18yr old in Auckland.

That will hurt the warriors more than ABs

 

[Tomthumb]

Obviously this world cup can be a write off, but what do we think of for the years to come. I know eddie jones hasnt done best job but he did only have two months to prepare for a wallabies team already in deep trouble. Do we think the wallabies can regain ground and step up for lions tour 2025 and world cup 2027. I think with the new leadership in Australia rugby who havent shied away from criticising the past management, and the new centralised format, we can indeed win more games. I also hope we dont give up on eddie jones. He either played the team Rennie had which we knew wouldnt do well, or he took a chance. We either played a team we knew was bad or try play a more risky team which hasnt worked out. I also think the lions tour is perfect for generating money for wallabies leading into world cup. Hope people dont give up on them.

Eddie probably deserves more time, and I think some of his decisions were for the best in terms of our future

But his mouth has written cheques that this team can’t cash. He came in talking about World cups and now is talking about 2027. Said he’s all in on Carter Gordon and now he’s not.

It just seems so chaotic. Jones is meant to be a meticulous planner, why does it seem like he’s just making decisions on a whim?