Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Adam84]

But you don’t start it two weeks out, you start it now. If they don’t start by next week they’ve well and truly butchered it

if they had an unlimited advertising budget they should have started it 4 weeks ago, but with limited resources they’ve better focussing on advertising leading up to the first game rather then 5 weeks out when it would be forgotten.

 

[sendit]

if they had an unlimited advertising budget they should have started it 4 weeks ago, but with limited resources they’ve better focussing on advertising leading up to the first game rather then 5 weeks out when it would be forgotten.

You can run a very effective national social media campaign with just a few thousand dollars, even less if you’re really that poor and it would take 2-3 days to make a video for it.

But stuff like sending out an EOI to existing Stan customers, or having a tile on the homepage of Stan isn’t exactly resource heavy

Besides who’s saying both Stan and Channel9 have limited resources??

 

[Adam84]

You can run a very effective national social media campaign with just a few thousand dollars, even less if you’re really that poor and it would take 2-3 days to make a video for it.

But stuff like sending out an EOI to existing Stan customers, or having a tile on the homepage of Stan isn’t exactly resource heavy

Besides who’s saying both Stan and Channel9 have limited resources??

If they’re going to advertise rugby on Stan wouldn’t it make more sense for them to do that when the Stan Sport app has launched so that people can act on the advertising and sign up to the new app? In the mean time Stan still has other products to advertise which will generate a return.

No one said Stan or 9 have limited resources, the contract signed between Rugby Australia and Nine dictates those limited resources, advertising for sport is a contra deal within the broadcast agreement that Nine provide ‘x’ amount of advertising through Nine media and its subsidiaries.

Anyway, it’s still 5 weeks out, I’m sure there will be an increase in advertising closer to the season start and when the app actually launches.

 

[Latts1992]

If they’re going to advertise rugby on Stan wouldn’t it make more sense for them to do that when the Stan Sport app has launched so that people can act on the advertising and sign up to the new app? In the mean time Stan still has other products to advertise which will generate a return.

I'm not concerned at all. There's an EOI page online for Stan Sport for new and existing customers. Stan's marketing strategy for new shows and products seem to be making an announcement early on, but not adding much to the app until a week or two out from release date. It works for all the shows they have, and on the back of it's best year I have faith that strategy will work for rugby too.

 

[PhilClinton]

So is it confirmed that Stan Sport will be a separate app? Or will it be an additional section in the current app?

 

[John S]

Not confirmed - but IMHO, based on the fact it will be an add-on package to Stan, it would be accessible through the Stan app, not a stand alone app. I could also be wrong.

 

[John S]

And in relation to advertising, I've been seeing a few count downs on the socials from RugbyAU etc with the date starting, and they tag Channel 9 and Stan in them (twitter, instagram etc)

 

[rugbyfan90]

Stan Sport settles on price, set to make Shute Shield a priority (copy and paste of article below)

Stan has settled on a price for its new sport package as the launch date of the new home of rugby nears.

Speculation about the Stan Sport product has been building in the new year, with the Super Rugby season now less than one month away.

That speculation has led to suggestions the package - which is an additional cost on top of a regular Stan subscription - would cost $15 per month.

Given the cheapest Stan subscription is $10, the cost of signing up to the service - which will broadcast every Wallabies Test along with Nine as well as every Super Rugby, Shute Shield, Hospital Cup, Mitre 10 and Currie Cup match - would be $25.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal that number is high.

When Stan Sport goes to market, sources have said the cost will be about $10 per month, meaning rugby fans will be able to watch every match of the season - as well as Wimbledon and the French Open - for $20.

Stan worked overtime through the summer to build a live streaming platform from the ground up and sources told the Herald the $10 figure was decided upon after conducting testing on a range of different prices.

Senior Stan figures were aware of talk the sport package may cost up to $25 - putting it on par with Kayo, which has every NRL, AFL and cricket match as well as a range of other less popular and overseas sports.

Market research also showed there were many hardcore rugby fans who would happily shift from their Foxtel or Kayo subscriptions and pay the hefty price tag but Stan was eager to ensure better value for money in an attempt to attract as many new customers as possible.

The package is set to be launched near to the Super Rugby AU start date of February 19, when the Waratahs travel north to face the Reds before the Force host the Brumbies in Perth.

Nine and Stan are yet to reveal the talent that will front the broadcast on both channels as work on the product offering behind the Stan Sport paywall continues.

One element of the rugby offering that both Nine and Stan are eager to make a showpiece of is club rugby.

While both Shute Shield and Hospital Cup will be produced by Rugby Australia, Nine are understood to be willing to offer extra resources in the form of cameras and other technology to ensure marquee matches are not just filmed by a stationary camera on the halfway line.

Nine will also offer up star personnel - including lead caller Sean Maloney - on weekends in which the Wallabies are not playing and club rugby is still running.

Nine do not yet have the rights to schoolboy rugby but if discussions with schools are successful, GPS matches in both NSW and QLD could be broadcast in years to come.

 

[John S]

Well that's not a bad result

 

[Adam84]

I think that’s a great result.
I already own Stan, so for me it’s only $10 extra, but even at $20, it’s a good price

 

[KiwiM]

Need more detail.

The cheapest Stan subscription is $10 but that's Standard Definition.

Their lowest HD subscription is $14.

 

[John S]

Need more detail.

The cheapest Stan subscription is $10 but that's Standard Definition.

Their lowest HD subscription is $14.

I'm using Standard Definition, and I used High Definition during the trial - I can't see a difference. Maybe there is and my eyes aren't good enough to pick it.

Even at $14 + $10 - still a good deal I think.

 

[KiwiM]

I'm using Standard Definition, and I used High Definition during the trial - I can't see a difference. Maybe there is and my eyes aren't good enough to pick it.

Even at $14 + $10 - still a good deal I think.

I think you would notice the difference in live sport as compared to tv shows/movies.


On the other hand there is also a free first month trial for new subscribers on Stan so that would bring the price down etc.

 

[PhilClinton]

Not sure about for streaming but I swear SD free to air sports have decreased in quality. Or is that televisions have gotten so much better that we notice how crap it is?

I got stuck watching some SD horse racing recently and it nearly burned my eyes out.

 

[Adam84]

Good point on HD, Kayo includes HD automatically.

 

[Braveheart81]

So $24 a month. It's certainly not cheap if you really just want it to watch rugby.

It will be interesting to see whether they increase the $10 per month once they have more content. At this stage I think it is just rugby and tennis that they own the rights for.

 

[Adam84]

$20 a month if you’re happy with SD.

I’ll be interested to see whether HD is inclusive in the price for Stan Sport, they wouldn’t want to charge an extra for something Kayo don’t.

Although out of interest, Stan offer 4K which Kayo/Foxtel Now don’t, so they might charge that as an extra since it sets them apart from Kayo.

 

[Braveheart81]

$20 a month if you’re happy with SD.

I’ll be interested to see whether HD is inclusive in the price for Stan Sport, they wouldn’t want to charge an extra for something Kayo don’t.

Definitely not happy with SD. It looks terrible now.

You would hope it is just a flat $10 on top of whatever existing package you hold.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

While both Shute Shield and Hospital Cup will be produced by Rugby Australia

Best part of the article. Building capability at RA.

 

[dru]

So $24 a month. It's certainly not cheap if you really just want it to watch rugby.

It will be interesting to see whether they increase the $10 per month once they have more content. At this stage I think it is just rugby and tennis that they own the rights for.

Pretty sure I paid $25/month for Kayo. Which was solely for rugby. Did not hear a lot of complaint about that cost. In fact it was half the cost of Foxtel which I very much wanted just for the rugby.

Actually, at this stage, if they can do it cheaper I’d rather they hold the price point and invest in the broadcast.

I am very much looking forward to seeing how these guys go. Unlike many, I am unimpressed with Mahoney, but otherwise it is sounding pretty promising.