Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Adam84]

Ratings are in. 97k on 9Gem.

(Brisbane 46,000, Sydney 29,000)
Think that 97k is just the metro figures at this stage, but the Sydney market is a worrying figure.
Last year, the same game(Rd 1 - NSW vs QLD) attracted 67k on Foxtel, so its already a massive jump on 2020 ratings.
Most recent NSW v QLD record i could find was about 158k back in 2016
Hopefully the overall figures bump it up another 20-30k with Stan Figures on top, should finish as the highest rating games in the past 5 or 6 years at least.

 

[Mick The Munch]

I expect it’ll take a while to win fans back. Can’t expect the figures to be blockbuster after the sports years of neglect by Foxtel

 

[Rebel man]

I expect it’ll take a while to win fans back. Can’t expect the figures to be blockbuster after the sports years of neglect by Foxtel

That’s exactly it

 

[mst]

Same, except that the extreme close-ups of the players after scoring tries were in and out of focus.

A big aperture on the camera shortens the focal range. So the person in the foreground can be in focus but someone a metre further back will be out. When foreground guy walks out of frame the background guy will be out of focus until the camera adjusts.

I think it had something to do with the high def cameras.

Had us wondering what it was. Apparently those shots were from a 4K Camera.

 

[VassMan]

Am in Mackay for work so tried 3 different pubs to watch the Reds game and none were showing so I went home to watch. Very disappointing as there was big billboards around town and was advertised heaps on TV and Radio. Guess this is a League town.

But super happy with the coverage on 9Gem and then Stan for the Force game. Hoping and expecting the popularity and numbers to build!

 

[wamberal]

That’s exactly it

There is a long term trend in popularity of the game, unfortunately. The Tahs used to draw crowds of 30k, for example. It is not just about Foxtel.

 

[Rebel man]

There is a long term trend in popularity of the game, unfortunately. The Tahs used to draw crowds of 30k, for example. It is not just about Foxtel.

I am not blaming Fox. They contributed to the decline but didn’t cause it

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Am in Mackay for work so tried 3 different pubs to watch the Reds game and none were showing so I went home to watch. Very disappointing as there was big billboards around town and was advertised heaps on TV and Radio. Guess this is a League town.

But super happy with the coverage on 9Gem and then Stan for the Force game. Hoping and expecting the popularity and numbers to build!

Might have something to do with the deal with TabCorp to broadcast games into pubs and clubs falling through at the 11th hour.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

(Brisbane 46,000, Sydney 29,000)
Think that 97k is just the metro figures at this stage, but the Sydney market is a worrying figure.
Last year, the same game(Rd 1 - NSW vs QLD) attracted 67k on Foxtel, so its already a massive jump on 2020 ratings.
Most recent NSW v QLD record i could find was about 158k back in 2016
Hopefully the overall figures bump it up another 20-30k with Stan Figures on top, should finish as the highest rating games in the past 5 or 6 years at least.

Would actually be interested to see if we could gather any Stan figures. As I know I watched it via Stan. And I know a number of other that did as well. The hope is that we continue to build on this and finish the season comfortably above the 100k mark on FTA. Preferably above 150k. As others have suggested. It's going to take some time to bring lapsed fans back let alone casuals. Plus, going up against the Aus Open wouldn't have helped much.

 

[Adam84]

Stan might not release their figures, it took Foxtel years before they released Kayo figures

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Stan might not release their figures, it took Foxtel years before they released Kayo figures

Yeah. I don't think we'll see much in the way of figures from Stan.

 

[Penguin]

A big aperture on the camera shortens the focal range. So the person in the foreground can be in focus but someone a metre further back will be out. When foreground guy walks out of frame the background guy will be out of focus until the camera adjusts.

I think it had something to do with the high def cameras.

A new network toy apparently. Cine Cam

 

[liquor box]

I think the broadcast tended to be focussed too closely on the area surrounding the ball, probably a league style of broadcast. I want to see the backline forming and which pod is waiting to get the ball.

I had no buffering but found the broadcast to be quite jumpy, not to the point where it could not be watched but it was quite annoying.

My TV is only 3 months old and I get 50Mbps download speed so I think things on my end should be fine.

 

[LearningCurve]

I had no buffering but found the broadcast to be quite jumpy, not to the point where it could not be watched but it was quite annoying.

My TV is only 3 months old and I get 50Mbps download speed so I think things on my end should be fine.

Same here, worse during the Force v Brumbies game - picture froze mid match and commentary reverted to the start of the game so was quite odd.

 

[Rebel man]

Enjoyed the top league

 

[John S]

I had no issues on watching the replay

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Enjoyed the top league

Yeah. Fun game to watch. We're getting the Sky Top League feed from the looks of it. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Set piece magic]

97k is actually a decent result, considering most hardcore rugby fans would have watched on stan sport. It's already an increase on last year's reds v tahs ratings on FOX (without the Stan numbers too). I'd be pretty happy with it as Rugby AU and as Nine. The real momentum will come when the competition narrative builds, and it's close. Decent start

 

[Set piece magic]

Also, the Vlandys intervention is just outrageous. It should be a question for the Minister for Sport in NSW - Rugby AU should be backgrounding journalists this week to ask it.

In particular, i think Vlandys' involvement in the decision as a Tabcorp executive is a massive conflict of interest with his role in Rugby league, which could breach his director duties for tabcorp. This Q should absolutely be put to senior ministers in the NSW gov this week

 

[Rebels3]

Also, the Vlandys intervention is just outrageous. It should be a question for the Minister for Sport in NSW - Rugby AU should be backgrounding journalists this week to ask it.

In particular, i think Vlandys' involvement in the decision as a Tabcorp executive is a massive conflict of interest with his role in Rugby league, which could breach his director duties for tabcorp. This Q should absolutely be put to senior ministers in the NSW gov this week

You’re right, if true he could be looking at breaching anti-competition laws in Australia.