Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[PhilClinton]

One thing I'm hoping for is some genuinely unbiased commentary, it really bothers me how one eyed the rugby commentators have been over the last decade, not just at Super level, but also internationals.

I understand people have their preference, but for me it ruins the experience when you've got a commentator referring to his team as 'we' and the opposition as 'they' instead of being neutral. Not to mention Kearns giving overarching praise to the Tahs when they've dropped 20 balls and Marto saying the Reds backline is bloody good when they've been cut up like swiss cheese all night, that type of stuff.

Maybe that's a weird thing to get worked up about, but it bothers me.

 

[Braveheart81]

I take the opposite position. Plenty of commentators have teams they obviously support and I find it better when they are clear with that than trying to pretend it isn't a reality.

We and they is probably taking it a bit far although I think that is fine in an international where commentary teams are local.

Favoritism shouldn't extend to misconstruing what is happening on the field though. I think it generally cuts both ways though. Kearns and Marto were probably just as guilty of heaping excess criticism on their team out of frustration as they were talking them up excessively when they hadn't done anything particularly good.

 

[Lorenzo]

commentary team homerism is just boring. i don't need stirring up.

The Americans have it sorted. Network TV NFL broadcasts are called by by genuinely impartial guys (even recent players present this way - the best analyst around in any sport (IMO) at the moment is Tony Romo because he can break down what just took place to within an inch of its life within a couple of seconds ot it happening. Much better than the how good/so good/ too good! we are used to being served up here) and each team has it's own radio station with the right to call the games and that's where you get the fan flavour.

Benefits of a massive market.

 

[Braveheart81]

commentary team homerism is just boring. i don't need stirring up.

The Americans have it sorted. Network TV NFL broadcasts are called by by genuinely impartial guys (even recent players present this way - the best analyst around in any sport (IMO) at the moment is Tony Romo because he can break down what just took place to within an inch of its life within a couple of seconds ot it happening. Much better than the how good/so good/ too good! we are used to being served up here) and each team has it's own radio station with the right to call the games and that's where you get the fan flavour.

Benefits of a massive market.

This is the key. Things would be very different if there were literally hundreds of commentators employed to commentate around the country and at the top level we just got to hear the best of them.

Australian sports broadcasting is full of former players who have obvious allegiances. I think it is worse when they pretend they are neutral because they clearly aren't.

I find Rod Kafer worse to listen to than most because he tries to make it out that he is neutral and even-handed and he very much isn't.

At least it is clear where you sit with someone like Marto or Kearns. They wear their heart on their sleeve and get excited when their team wins and disappointed when they lose.

I'm not in any way saying that makes them good commentators, just that I think it is better that they don't try and hide it.

 

[liquor box]

Stan have just announced that Campo and Cheika will be part of the broadcast team.

Is that for the actual games, or just added to the possible people for rugby related shows?

 

[PhilClinton]

Is that for the actual games, or just added to the possible people for rugby related shows?

I’m hearing it’s for the Stan Sport version of the Amazing Race. They’re being sent to the South Pole, no cameras, no supplies, no money. If they make it back they’ll be commenting the Shute Shield Under 8s on Friday nights.

 

[Sully]

I know Campo is sometimes hard to swallow, but I genuinely believe that Australian rugby and us punters have criminally under utilised one of the sharpest rugby minds of his and almost any other generation. I'd suggest that Campo has a better rugby brain than any back that's run out for Oz in the last ten years.

 

[kiap]

Campo (and for that matter, Cheik) could add something if rationed in relatively small doses.

As someone said up the thread, it depends on how they're used.

As one of the main voices into the ear? No. But in compact segments, maybe.

 

[Derpus]

This is the key. Things would be very different if there were literally hundreds of commentators employed to commentate around the country and at the top level we just got to hear the best of them.

Australian sports broadcasting is full of former players who have obvious allegiances. I think it is worse when they pretend they are neutral because they clearly aren't.

I find Rod Kafer worse to listen to than most because he tries to make it out that he is neutral and even-handed and he very much isn't.

At least it is clear where you sit with someone like Marto or Kearns. They wear their heart on their sleeve and get excited when their team wins and disappointed when they lose.

I'm not in any way saying that makes them good commentators, just that I think it is better that they don't try and hide it.

Acknowledging bias is one thing, but they brought no analysis to the table. They just talked at you as if you were at the pub. Remember Kearns imitating a leprechaun during the Ireland tour?

I think good commentary needs to be, to an extent, dispassionate.

 

[Jets]

It could be worse. Clive Woodward was commentating the England game and said he'd never seen one of the English guys play. Just doesn't watch club games,

 

[wamberal]

Campo (and for that matter, Cheik) could add something if rationed in relatively small doses.

As someone said up the thread, it depends on how they're used.

As one of the main voices into the ear? No. But in compact segments, maybe.

Chubby must be banned from saying the phrase "know what I mean?". Incidentally, just had a look at the STAN rugby offerings: years and years of internationals and Soup.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Did anyone see the show yesterday?

I couldn't find it on my Stan app, (I'm on iPhone)

 

[Adam84]

Some thing to look forward to, Ch9 have upped the match day production costs

TLDR; Players mic’d up, more cameras, more angles, spider cam, better commentating and explanation of rules.

Stan Sport will broadcast every game of Sydney's Shute Shield and Brisbane's Hospital Cup with commentary and a commitment to raise the profile of teams and their players

An unwavering commitment from Nine and Stan Sport to take viewers closer to the game than ever before.

The number of cameras on Super Rugby in 2021 is unprecedented. Spidercam will be deployed for the first time in Super Rugby in Australia to take you over and into the action. With the help of our experts we'll attempt to demystify the scrum (what really does go in there!), and with Australia's newest camera technology "Cinecam" you'll be a part of try celebrations. We'll have players mic'd up and we'll take you inside warm-ups, changerooms and coaches boxes. Access like never before.

And when the action takes a break on the field we'll be in our new purpose built studio – the biggest sports studio in Australia. Technology like a specially designed touch screen "analyser" and state of the art "augmented reality" capabilities will help deconstruct and simplify the game.

https://amp.nine.com.au/article/92065189-e286-457a-b168-c422092481ec?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Ignoto]

So, what are the broadcast laws if it's done on the internet only? I love watching the mic'ed up players that the NFL does, my concern is the watchdog will get cranking if Stan broadcasts what the players truly say as little jimmy's mum doesn't like a few F bomb's dropped.

 

[Jets]

So, what are the broadcast laws if it's done on the internet only? I love watching the mic'ed up players that the NFL does, my concern is the watchdog will get cranking if Stan broadcasts what the players truly say as little jimmy's mum doesn't like a few F bomb's dropped.

Probably more a replay of what happened and what was said. If it was live they'd be in trouble.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Some thing to look forward to, Ch9 have upped the match day production costs

TLDR; Players mic’d up, more cameras, more angles, spider cam, better commentating and explanation of rules.

I'm pretty sure Fox had a top down view of the scrum a couple of years ago, using some kind of spidery device.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I'm pretty sure Fox had a top down view of the scrum a couple of years ago, using some kind of spidery device.

Yeah. With the NFL it's more of an add on to the highlights package. Not live in play.

 

[Braveheart81]

So, what are the broadcast laws if it's done on the internet only? I love watching the mic'ed up players that the NFL does, my concern is the watchdog will get cranking if Stan broadcasts what the players truly say as little jimmy's mum doesn't like a few F bomb's dropped.

They occasionally air swearing from the stump mic on the cricket (particularly Big Bash).

I imagine it will be used pretty sparingly live so the risk won't be high.

 

[Set piece magic]

commentary team homerism is just boring. i don't need stirring up.

The Americans have it sorted. Network TV NFL broadcasts are called by by genuinely impartial guys (even recent players present this way - the best analyst around in any sport (IMO) at the moment is Tony Romo because he can break down what just took place to within an inch of its life within a couple of seconds ot it happening. Much better than the how good/so good/ too good! we are used to being served up here) and each team has it's own radio station with the right to call the games and that's where you get the fan flavour.

Benefits of a massive market.

Completely disagree. a lot of NFL commentary is like listening to a droning accountant read out analysis. sure, NFL is all about the playbook and tactics, but i'm not looking for a hyper objective anti fun account of an emotional sporting fixture. Ray Warren, in my view, combines the best of impartiality and excitement. Isn't partisan, doesn't go on and on about bug bears of the game, and just calls it, but gets excited when big things happen.

I take your point that some of our commentators are inarticulate (perhaps been on the bottom of too many rucks) but the solution isn't to make commentary of games an investor analyst call

 

[Sheepie]

Stan Sport will broadcast every game of Sydney's Shute Shield and Brisbane's Hospital Cup with commentary and a commitment to raise the profile of teams and their players

Wow! I had seen Shute Shield would only get the occasional matches on FTA, but they hadn't specified exactly what would be on Stan. I'm amazed it's EVERY game, not just one game per week as we're used to. This'll be fantastic!