Big rwc news - nine is going to put effort in

[Slim 293]

Is it a bigger media event though? I don't follow either code and don't really care, but it seems to me that Origin dominates the media landscape like nothing else, if for no other reason than the News Ltd / Channel 9 factor.

It does in Sydney and Brisbane...

In the rest of Australia its a reason for rugby league to get a mention in the news...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Is it a bigger media event though? I don't follow either code and don't really care, but it seems to me that Origin dominates the media landscape like nothing else, if for no other reason than the News Ltd / Channel 9 factor.

Maybe in NSW and QLD it does. It barely rates a mention in the Southern states until the night of the game and the news report the day after.

 

[daz]

Is it a bigger media event though? I don't follow either code and don't really care, but it seems to me that Origin dominates the media landscape like nothing else, if for no other reason than the News Ltd / Channel 9 factor.

In NSW and QLD maybe. The rest of the country (including parts of NSW and QLD) have 24/7 AFL.

When the NRL has two teams in Melbourne, then Adelaide and Perth (or even one team there!) to match the two AFL teams in NSW and QLD, I'll be willing to listen to the NRL talk of media hype nationally.

I'm completely neutral here and I'm not putting the NRL down; I think they have just as much passion as the AFL, but when it comes to sporting codes, the AFL own the majority of this country.

 

[daz]

Maybe in NSW and QLD it does. It barely rates a mention in the Southern states until the night of the game and the news report the day after.

Nice one TBH. You obviously type faster than me!

I might add that it is 11pm in Perth as I type this, and the SOO game is currently showing on Ch9. Hardly prime time....

 

[Slim 293]

Obviously the State of Origin is one of the biggest sporting events in the country... no doubt about that...

But the statement by the commentator came across as an arrogant dig at the other codes, and it's pretty funny considering how well the AFL is doing at the moment...

It'll be interesting to see how big the NRL TV rights deal is going to be now that the AFL has been done...

Channel 7 won't be putting forward much competition now, but Channel 10 will have the extra money to compete having lost the AFL... I don't see the NRL reaching the $1.25 billion the AFL just received...

But it's not the first time the NRL commentary team has had a dig at the other codes... now that Channel 9 are the FTA broadcaster for rugby they have to promote the World Cup (amongst other affiliated sports) during their broadcasts... I don't watch the NRL much but the last Friday night match I saw Rabs was promoting world cup packages which came with a rather snide response from Phil Gould... something along the lines of "Why are you talking about that other game?"

 

[Blue]

Are you serious mate. If I was JON or Demetriou I would be very envious. Origin is the pinnacle inter-Australian sport.

I'd love to see that sort of passion from players and fans in inter-conference super rugby games.

And did you hear? It went into 40 million North American homes, courtesy of a deal struck by Russel Crowe. That means more people in the US watched Origin than the NBA finals. They're a clever bunch, these league commentators. They know some shit. I never knew leaugue was so big on the US. If the NFL freeze-out continues, they could just watch league over there.

 

[Blue]

Obviously the State of Origin is one of the biggest sporting events in the country... no doubt about that...

But the statement by the commentator came across as an arrogant dig at the other codes, and it's pretty funny considering how well the AFL is doing at the moment...

It'll be interesting to see how big the NRL TV rights deal is going to be now that the AFL has been done...

Channel 7 won't be putting forward much competition now, but Channel 10 will have the extra money to compete having lost the AFL... I don't see the NRL reaching the $1.25 billion the AFL just received...

But it's not the first time the NRL commentary team has had a dig at the other codes... now that Channel 9 are the FTA broadcaster for rugby they have to promote the World Cup (amongst other affiliated sports) during their broadcasts... I don't watch the NRL much but the last Friday night match I saw Rabs was promoting world cup packages which came with a rather snide response from Phil Gould... something along the lines of "Why are you talking about that other game?"

Why do the league lot feel they have to put rugby down but you never hear union commentators do the same? Inferiority complex? A class issue? I find it amusing. Gould often has little digs in the paper and Danny Weidler suffers a massive small man syndrome when it comes to rugby?

 

[Richo]

Thanks, fellas. Makes perfect sense. Not having lived (or watched telly!) elsewhere in Oz, I guess my view is pretty damn Sydney-centric when it comes to these things.

BTW, I think it's great that the AFL has become such a national game. It's something that rugby can co-exist with much better than league.

 

[Ruggo]

With the exception of the Melbourne Cup, there is not another sporting event in this country that draws interest from those who don't normally follow the sport quite like SOO does.

One day I hope the Bledisloe can have that power as it is the jewel in our crown annualy.

 

[Slim 293]

Thanks, fellas. Makes perfect sense. Not having lived (or watched telly!) elsewhere in Oz, I guess my view is pretty damn Sydney-centric when it comes to these things.

BTW, I think it's great that the AFL has become such a national game. It's something that rugby can co-exist with much better than league.

I was even a little surprised by how little attention rugby league receives down here...

But it's also not shown in prime time on Channel 9... just like the rugby did on Channel 7 it gets bumped to after midnight for both the Friday and Sunday games because it can't compete with the AFL for ratings...

State of Origin (and I think their GF?) are the only things shown in prime time... and I actually didn't catch the end of the SOO because as soon as the siren went Channel 9 down here switched away from it pretty quickly...

The SOO definitely gives the NRL its most attention outside of NSW/QLD, but it's not a lot of attention...

The AFL Grand Final is still the winner of the codes and every year kills it in the ratings (the AFL generally has more higher rating games per year)... I think the only other sporting events over the past decade to outrate it were the RWC 03 Final, a couple of tennis events and I think the Melbourne Cup...

 

[Hawko]

The header on this thread is "Big RWC news - Nine is going to put effort in"

I agree they will put some effort in, but not very much. Certainly not enough to imperil their hegemony over League. Its just not in their interest to do so. Money talks.

 

[Rob42]

Thanks for getting the thread back on topic, Hawko, not to say poking fun at Ray Warren isn't entertaining...

Have 9 released any details of their RWC telecast yet? I had targeted the RWC as a good reason to buy a new TV, but if 9 aren't going to be showing games in HD, then I don't think I'll bother.

 

[Bruce Ross]

And did you hear? It went into 40 million North American homes, courtesy of a deal struck by Russel Crowe. That means more people in the US watched Origin than the NBA finals. They're a clever bunch, these league commentators. They know some shit. I never knew leaugue was so big on the US. If the NFL freeze-out continues, they could just watch league over there.

"Went into 40 million North American homes" or "was available to 40 million North American homes", Blue?

I'm happy to believe anything about the gullibility of Americans - think George W or Ronnie who was out to lunch for basically the whole of his last term - but the idea of 40 million households of them being up at 3am or 6am to watch SoO doesn't seem likely to me.

 

[barbarian]

Be interesting to see who they come up with as a match caller. Is Gordon Bray still contracted to ESPN?

 

[Slim 293]

Doesn't the RWC clash with the NRL Finals?

If so, what do you think is going to be shafted?

 

[Richo]

Why wouldn't 9 try to double up on the hegemony and build rugby as well as league? One would think that as digital channels (really in their infancy right now) develop, there will be plenty of opportunity to dominate the sports scene.

This is the first RWC of the HD era. Nine would be crazy not to capitalise.

 

[Rob42]

Why wouldn't 9 try to double up on the hegemony and build rugby as well as league? One would think that as digital channels (really in their infancy right now) develop, there will be plenty of opportunity to dominate the sports scene.

This is the first RWC of the HD era. Nine would be crazy not to capitalise.

Both very sensible points, which is why I fear 9 won't follow them. They dumped the cricket off HD last summer.

 

[Richo]

Both very sensible points, which is why I fear 9 won't follow them. They dumped the cricket off HD last summer.

HD is reviving ice hockey viewership -- finally, you can see the puck! The same should be true for cricket. For rugby it's all about the immediacy and realism of HD.

But yeah, you're probably right.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I couldn't believe it when Nein pulled the cricket off HD. It made absolutely no sense at all. I wonder about the people who run that network sometimes.

 

[Bruce Ross]

I wouldn't hold out any hope of Nine doing anything beneficial for rugby or even for sport in general. Once ownership passed from Sourpacka to Dumpacka the writing was on the wall. Then when the parcel was passed to the strip-and-flog merchants it was Red Rover.