Australian Rugby / RA

[Ruggo]

So if you can market your team to get more spectators and members you can recover your costs and make a profit?

Just get the thing to break even so we can profit from the development benefits of players to the higher levels. Aim for the profit at that level.

 

[Muglair]

I believe that was announced; Fox money covers the ARU staging costs.

My personal opinion would be that it would be more popular on TV if all games were televised. However they aren't and I think elsewhere it has been reported that the viewing numbers are low. A shame given that we are swamped with ITM Cup games. However I bet that is cheap programming for Fox as it probably washes its face in NZ.

Again, as with Super Rugby, we will probably be reliant on overseas markets having enough interest to fund additional Fox investment. That will depend on the Wallabies playing attractive football and winning.

I don't think the NRL is a good example as the NRC has not even completed its first season (albeit for the second time). The funding of professional rugby league has evolved and been through several distinct business models over 100 years as has the club and district supporter base. Maybe NRL clubs could be better managed. 16 clubs and governing bodies is a lot to spread professional management talent around. Rugby is not going to be managed any better.

Perhaps if there is a white knight in the wings an investment in the NRC as a separate vehicle may be the best outcome for everyone. Otherwise I think the game may just have to settle back for a slightly suboptimal 3rd tier until it can afford something better.

 

[Strewthcobber]

So if you can market your team to get more spectators and members you can recover your costs and make a profit?

Yep - you have 4 home games to make enough money to cover non-Super Rugby player, coaches, and support staff salaries, match payments, rent of the stadium and any other costs.

Say around 1,500 spectator at $20 each, gives you $30,000 to cover a 1 x home and 1 x away game

Let's assume half of that gets eaten up by expenses - around $250/per player per game.

Looking at those numbers, you'd definitely need sponsorship, and probably Super rugby/state union support to stay afloat.

 

[Gnostic]

So its appears most agree that the NRC needs a few years (3 to 5) just like any new business to establish itself. How is that funded?

All reports I have seen indicate that Fox and Ten have no interest in broadcasting the NRC next year. Even if the ARU manages to stave off the receivers next year and find the $1M to $3M required to fund the competition how will it grow without being televised. Add to that FTA is an absolute must.

I want it to be successful, but that doesn't blind me to the facts that the business model just isn't sustainable from where I sit.

If Fox and 10 decide they will broadcast the comp next year I will cheer and revise this position.

 

[Ash]

Don't think 10 will be interested, but I suspect the ARU may be able to convince Fox for one more year. The joker in the pack is the international broadcast rights, if the ARU can get it picked up in the UK, broader Europe, SA and NZ (some of which have already shown games) then they may just get enough to scrape by.

Fox effectively paid $1.5M or so this year to broadcast the games, I wonder how much that compares to the other sport that Fox broadcast. What the NRC desperately needs is more than 1 game per week broadcast, however.

 

[ACT Crusader]

From the NRC EOI (pdf)



Presumably the Foxtel money pays for the ARU share, and the teams use sponsorship and gate receipts to pay for their share.

I'd be interested if this and the other structures for the NRC (not the teams etc) are overly different from the MARC

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'd be interested if this and the other structures for the NRC (not the teams etc) are overly different from the MARC

Pretty different. Last time the ARU paid for everything, including broadcast production for the ABC and paid Super rugby players on top of their existing salaries. They kept the gate reciepts.

This years model pushes a lot more of the risk onto Foxtel, and the various teams. It's not hard to imagine some teams going bust even if the competion as a whole makes it long term. Existing Super Rugby players get no additional salary

 

[Gnostic]

Pretty different. Last time the ARU paid for everything, including broadcast production for the ABC and paid Super rugby players on top of their existing salaries. They kept the gate reciepts.

This years model pushes a lot more of the risk onto Foxtel, and the various teams. It's not hard to imagine some teams going bust even if the competion as a whole makes it long term. Existing Super Rugby players get no additional salary

This is the key point. Without Foxtel's cash in 2015 where is the NRC?

 

[Quick Hands]

This is the key point. Without Foxtel's cash in 2015 where is the NRC?

It doesn't exist, unless another benefactor can be found - or at least that's my understanding.

 

[Wilson]

This is the key point. Without Foxtel's cash in 2015 where is the NRC?

My understanding is that foxtel are committed for next year:

FoxSports have a $1.5m per year deal until 2016, and have an option to extend that same deal until 2021

From: http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/spor...991399666?nk=01dbbcdb3329fdc4a329827ab95a2752

 

[It is what it is]

Maybe we should have a "Rugby Hall of Shame" for those who were guilty of any of the following;
Behaving outside the spirit of rugby, leaving a damaging legacy, making shocking decisions that were easily identified early and without the benefit of hindsight, taking more than they gave, making a raft of decisions based on bias, placing self interest before any other consideration, and living in denial to the end of their participation.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Maybe we should have a "Rugby Hall of Shame" for those who were guilty of any of th

A new thread title perhaps?

 

[boyo]

Fox effectively paid $1.5M or so this year to broadcast the games, I wonder how much that compares to the other sport that Fox broadcast. What the NRC desperately needs is more than 1 game per week broadcast, however.

And some presence on FTA TV to engage more punters.

 

[Omar Comin']

And some presence on FTA TV to engage more punters.

Unlikely to happen. What's more possible is the creation of an online streaming channel that's the same for all non Fox broadcasted matches. That way everyone would know where and how to watch games and the audience could build over time. It's ridiculous the clubs all had to decide whether to do this separately and stump up the cash for it. The Bar TV streams for the Rams home games were great, and if that standard was replicated competition wide on one platform/channel then you'd have something pretty decent.

 

[No4918]

Does anyone think KB (Kurtley Beale)'s $3000 fine is sufficient?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Does anyone think KB (Kurtley Beale)'s $3000 fine is sufficient?

adequate in light of the previous $45,000

 

[Inside Shoulder]

No.
He should have to pay/donate for the 2 phones he's lost since then as well.

 

[Train Without a Station]

adequate in light of the previous $45,000

That's not relevance to the adequacy of the penalty.

 

[Quick Hands]

Does anyone think KB (Kurtley Beale)'s $3000 fine is sufficient?

Hard to know without knowing the full details of precisely went on in the plane.

 

[Quick Hands]

No.
He should have to pay/donate for the 2 phones he's lost since then as well.

Hasn't he lost one and the location of Patson's phone unknown (or at least to the ARU)?