Australian Rugby's Market Share/Popularity

[RedsHappy]

IMO, this article's worth a read.

It certainly reinforces the view that the Wallabies' ongoing SH silverware achievements (or not as the case may be) are important for the game's economics and overall market position.

Views?

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...e-in-latest-poll/story-e6frg7mf-1225895290921

 

[Scotty]

No surprises that rugby has declined since being so successful in the late 90s and early 00s, and then hosting a great RWC. Ideally we would have had a S15 type competition (in regards to the length of the season) launched on the back of that tournament. This IMO, is one of the key issues for rugby in this country - the top competition simply doesn't go for long enough.

In addition to this the general Australian public does not relate to games vs South African opponents, and most definately won't get up at 1am in the morning to watch them. The S15 competition will now mean that each Oz team plays 14 games in our timezone (obviously this includes NZ games), which amounts to another month of rugby at prime viewing time. Adding in the extended finals and guarantee of a local team being involved I think we will see a spike in rugby support after next year's world cup. Particularly if the Wallabies make the semis.

 

[Rob42]

How do they measure "market share" as referred to in this article? I agree the Wallabies need to be winning for Australian rugby to look healthy, but I think most of the potential for growth lies at the state level and below - the Super 15 is going to be critical.

 

[Scotty]

PS It is Super comp that needs to grow as a brand rather than the Wallabies. This will lead to longer term support and more market share, no matter how the Wallabies are performing. We can't rest all of rugby in this country on the basis of the performance of the national team.

 

[Scotty]

You beat me to it, Rob42.

 

[RedsHappy]

PS It is Super comp that needs to grow as a brand rather than the Wallabies. This will lead to longer term support and more market share, no matter how the Wallabies are performing. We can't rest all of rugby in this country on the basis of the performance of the national team.

I think this is a great point in the overall scheme. I'm on record as saying that JO'N's role in the radical new design for the S15 (incl the launch of the Rebels) could well go down as his greatest strategic achievement for Aus rugby.

 

[Langthorne]

I think the high profile mungo recruits were a big part of the decline. I'm not blaming them soley for the many losses (although I don't believe they should have been recruited, and therefore don't believe they should have been playing). More wins would have helped the situation, as more wins would help now, but the damage their recruitment did was to have the Wallabies constantly linked with league, and for the media focus to be on ex-league players being the 'stars of the Wallaby team'. The reality of the situation is not the issue, it is the wider perception among the undecided potential fans - 'if those ex-league guys can just stroll into the Wallaby team, how good can that team/sport be?...I may as well stick with league'.

We are now at a point where things have to be rebuilt, hopefully bigger and better than before (and learning from the mistakes of the past, but hopefully also from the successes).

 

[wamberal]

I think the high profile mungo recruits were a big part of the decline. I'm not blaming them soley for the many losses (although I don't believe they should have been recruited, and therefore don't believe they should have been playing). More wins would have helped the situation, as more wins would help now, but the damage their recruitment did was to have the Wallabies constantly linked with league, and for the media focus to be on ex-league players being the 'stars of the Wallaby team'. The reality of the situation is not the issue, it is the wider perception among the undecided potential fans - 'if those ex-league guys can just stroll into the Wallaby team, how good can that team/sport be?...I may as well stick with league'.

We are now at a point where things have to be rebuilt, hopefully bigger and better than before (and learning from the mistakes of the past, but hopefully also from the successes).

Mmmmmm. The high point for rugby in Australia was precisely the years during which several outstanding league players were attracted to the game, and turned into fixtures in the national team. The last Lions tour, and of course the RWC - which drew a tv audience of over 4 million. I don't follow your logic.

There are other reasons for not recruiting league players now, but I fail to see how the recruitment of players like Tuqiri, Sailor, and Rogers damaged the game. Quite the contrary, IMHO.

 

[Scotty]

I don't think there were any league converts involved in the last Lions tour.

 

[RugbyReg]

Peter Ryan played for AUstralia A I believe. but no Dell and Rogers came the next year.

 

[Ruggo]

I don't think there were any league converts involved in the last Lions tour.

Andrew Walker.

 

[RugbyReg]

of course. Scored that brilliant try in the first test!

 

[ACT Crusader]

But was Walker's "defection" that high profile. In contrast to Medicare, Dell and Latte, it hardly got any fanfare?

Freaking good player Walker. Shame it all fell to pieces for him.

The issue rugby has in comparison to the other footy codes is that the fans aren't 'feral' enough, so the media agencies are not able to play their lowest common denominator game. It's nothing about class or status, but I used to read the AFL pages of the Herald Sun when I lived in Melb (huge Saints supporter) and occassionally browse the Daily Tele League stuff and the level of journalism is definitely positioned to their audience (ie it's mainly crap with hyperbole). It's so sensationalised that all you can do is have a laugh. There is hype and after hype there's AFL and League....

What makes matters worse is when rugby shows or the odd "rugby journo" tries to follow suit and it just seems wrong and leaves followers of the great game shaking their heads.

And this has nothing to do with the Wallabies. They have a great brand and will get people other than "fans" watching, but like others the week to week stuff, Super rugby or any other format (MARC) will never get that hype. Its easy to appeal to the lowest common denominator for an ABs v Wallabies game (the sheep haka ads anyone*), but next to impossible to build any sort of meia momentum for a Super comp if one week you're playing the Reds and the next you're in outback South Africa playing the Cheetahs at an unwatchable time on the telly.

MARC was doomed to failure because it would never be able to attract the big dollars from advertisers/media outlets to sustain it. If I had deep pockets to put in sport but wanted return on investment then I would go for the safe as houses bet and get in on AFL or League.

* that ad was pretty funny and probably got peope watching.

 

[chief]

Sacrificing the new S15 to Foxtel will only make matters worse as well.

 

[wamberal]

Sacrificing the new S15 to Foxtel will only make matters worse as well.

What other choice is there? The Foxtel deal pays the bills. The ARU had to pay the ABC to get the ARC on the box. Do you really think that FTA is interested in Super 15?

 

[DPK]

What other choice is there? The Foxtel deal pays the bills. The ARU had to pay the ABC to get the ARC on the box. Do you really think that FTA is interested in Super 15?

How much do the NRL make from there FTA agreement? FTA Super 14 games would eventually lead to an increased attendance, possibly.

 

[wamberal]

How much do the NRL make from there FTA agreement? FTA Super 14 games would eventually lead to an increased attendance, possibly.

The NRL make a lot from the FTA part of the deal - FTA Super 14/15/16 will not happen in my lifetime, unfortunately. Do you really think that the ARU would not have gone down this road, if the road was open? Sorry. The road is closed.

 

[liquor box]

How much do the NRL make from there FTA agreement? FTA Super 14 games would eventually lead to an increased attendance, possibly.

I agree, the attendances will increase with games on FTA, I think it would be good to see a game delayed with ads on FTA at say 9pm on a Saturday night. Obviously it would be live on Fox but at least it would be a start

 

[#1 Tah]

When the Tahs win the S15 next year, rugby shall rise again.

 

[DPK]

The NRL make a lot from the FTA part of the deal - FTA Super 14/15/16 will not happen in my lifetime, unfortunately. Do you really think that the ARU would not have gone down this road, if the road was open? Sorry. The road is closed.

Well, things have changed. When Rugby was on top in Australia having it on pay TV was good because people would get pay TV just to see it. But now, I don't know how many people would be interested in Rugby enough to buy foxtel to watch a sport thats foreign to them.

Also, ONE HD is here now. What does the ARU stand to lose in selling ONE GAME to ONE HD?