Broadcast options for Australian Rugby
- Thread starter WorkingClassRugger
- Start date
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Not sure the general casual sports fan would say rugby a quality product. Yeh I think in parts it is but some of the products need improving eg super rugby product. Fans deserting that product over the point over last 7 years indeed say otherwise (that minor fan base is much smaller then 7 years ago).
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Sure it could use some improvement. But in comparison to its biggest rivals in Europe and Japan the rugby on offer is as good, if not better.
A-league is binwater compared to the EPL, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga etc etc. Since it killed off all the domestic rivalry (and the Socceroos) it has no possible method of growing it's market share and, i say this as a football fan, no reason to exist. It's proper trash.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
The product for me is a competition that offers quality of rugby and uncertainty of outcome. I think the quality of all teams is fine but because mismatch of quality between nz and oz teams due to the old chestnut of disparity in depth - I am not sure the quality of our product is better then Japan or Europe as they both have pro competitions that may have not as good players but definitely less disaparity between teams as they don’t have a restricted market for players.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
True, but NZ and Aus don't have a restricted market for players either, only salary caps that make it that way. I know we keep talking about the supposed mismatch of quality between teams, there is fairly certain way to fix it , that unfortunately isn't acceptable to most Australian rugby fans, ( and maybe rightfully so). As you say perhaps indicate there maybe a difference in player strength, and as Adam points out NZ teams are better resoursed, but if it rue there is only one way that realistically they could be fixed. Each place have as many teams as their resourses permit?
It's a fair point, but life for a local sports fan is still better than it used to be.
Foxtel with HD and sports was at least $70 bucks a month (from memory), and you had to go through all the rigmarole of installation, satellites etc. For that you got pretty much everything, but if it wasn't AFL or League it was clear you weren't getting much value for money. They were half-arsing those sports for years.
Now if you're a general sports fan chances are you have at least two streaming services. While it's more complex in that regard it's also cheaper overall (especially if you only subscribe during the season), and you are clearly getting a better product if you're a rugby or soccer fan.
Couple that with the ability to access the back catalogue of old games and it's clear we're in a much better spot now than we were a few years ago IMO.
Foxtel with HD and sports was at least $70 bucks a month (from memory), and you had to go through all the rigmarole of installation, satellites etc. For that you got pretty much everything, but if it wasn't AFL or League it was clear you weren't getting much value for money. They were half-arsing those sports for years.
Now if you're a general sports fan chances are you have at least two streaming services. While it's more complex in that regard it's also cheaper overall (especially if you only subscribe during the season), and you are clearly getting a better product if you're a rugby or soccer fan.
Couple that with the ability to access the back catalogue of old games and it's clear we're in a much better spot now than we were a few years ago IMO.
Sheepie
Sydney Middleton (9)
That's about the only reason I'm disappointed rugby left Foxtel. I liked having it under Kayo as I also watched MotoGP and a few other things. But the broadcast team were getting budgets cut, the team felt like they were just going through the motions, and the company was trying to turn it in to a 3rd rate sport so they could renew the contracts for less.
9/Stan have done absolute wonders for the sport with significantly increased coverage and highly enthused broadcast teams.
9/Stan have done absolute wonders for the sport with significantly increased coverage and highly enthused broadcast teams.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Fabulous input by Stan!
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Wow interesting stuff, certainly an endorsement and hopefully a reflection of their satisfaction in the ratings for those games if they’re putting more money towards it
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
K
Certainly one of the positives of stan deal been benefits to club rugby. Be interesting to understand additional benefits like this. Also interested to know how much money from broadcast deal goes to clubs. As that was original intent of freeing up more funding for grass roots as I understood it.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Even if the only benefit is getting the club rugby everywhere onto the box it is worth paying for if you are a rugby tragic.
I would pay more!!
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yeh in simple terms exposure of club rugby to wider eyeballs / audience got to be main benefit.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
I wonder if the goal is now to push club rugby as the clear ‘next tier’ of competition, rather than establish and promote another NRC variant.
It’ll take more than just some new fields though if that’s the case. I’ve been lucky enough to yarn with a few coaches across both QPR and Shute Shield over the past few weeks. There is genuine concern of player drain, especially with the MLR picking up players in key positions, like prop and hooker, even from second grade. It might not be worrying our Super Rugby teams yet, but the guys at grassroots level are feeling the pinch.
The pathway into a professional setup in Australia is harder than ever with reduced squad sizes and funding so it’s not surprising to see guys head overseas earlier. We need another form of competition ASAP to provide some stability between being a good club player and a professional.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yep such a tragedy nrc got canned. With this club championship put forward as part of initial broadcast package offering I assume RA had in mind this as 3rd tier. Again not sure how feasible but without getting into what it looks like we definitely need a third tier.
dru
David Wilson (68)
I don't mind building a domestic comp from the club scene on the proviso that it MUST have the intent, with the necessary backing and support, to be a fully professional comp. I would have thought it would be a less difficult process to build that from the 5 franchise teams, but I'm happy if we are heading this way. I don't see an interstate club championship achieving this goal - quite the opposite, that would lock in everything to non-professional.
It needs to be understood that in the club scene there would be winners and losers in a pro comp built from the club scene. NRC saw the Qld clubs uninterested in committing which led to QRU stepping in. In all unions what is left behind (eg Shute Shield, Hospital Cup) would be stressed and detuned. And that could spread down through the divisions.
Of course, if the nascent steps forward are a) televising the club scene; b) starting an interstate champions (non-pro) comp - well that is fine. Just hold the intent for professionalism for the future.
It needs to be understood that in the club scene there would be winners and losers in a pro comp built from the club scene. NRC saw the Qld clubs uninterested in committing which led to QRU stepping in. In all unions what is left behind (eg Shute Shield, Hospital Cup) would be stressed and detuned. And that could spread down through the divisions.
Of course, if the nascent steps forward are a) televising the club scene; b) starting an interstate champions (non-pro) comp - well that is fine. Just hold the intent for professionalism for the future.
Rebel man
John Thornett (49)
We need to make sure if we do have a third tier comp that Melbourne, Perth and the ACT are represented
Even if we did incorporate club rugby, say the 4 strongest from Sydney and Brisbane then an ACT team a Melbourne team a Perth team and a team up in North Queensland
Even if we did incorporate club rugby, say the 4 strongest from Sydney and Brisbane then an ACT team a Melbourne team a Perth team and a team up in North Queensland
Rebel man
John Thornett (49)
Well it would as the best players would play in that comp and the clubs who didn’t make the national comp would compete at a lower level
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
That's assuming that all of the best talent is concentrated in those clubs. Which isn't necessarily the case.