Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[PhilClinton]

To me this screams retreat and consolidate. Bit like RA recently... Few people picking up additional responsibilities for others shown the door.

Was talking to Michael Atkinson recently - he was originally a Stan Sports 'exclusive' commentator but then was asked to sign on with Nine and moved to Sydney a couple of years ago for a broader role as most would have seen.

This whole Stan/Nine consolidation has essentially been happening in the background for the last 2 years, no one at either organization is overly surprised.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That's probably a positive move career wise for a guy like Atkinson. They see your talent and want it spread.

Not a bad place to land since they have the Olympics. He strikes me as the James Bracey backup. Could easily see Atkinson replace McArdle as lead host as much as McArdle seems a good bloke.

 

[Brumby Runner]

JR said that more content ≠ more subscribers in relation to Sky potentially reducing number of NPC games it broadcast weekly, you questioned this claim as it goes against what you believe people have pushed for Super Rugby.

But a large push for more Super Rugby content has been about the season length, not the quantity of games in the weekend.. hence my comment ‘longer season ≠ more games on same weekend’.

Any idea of how many subscribers cllose STAN at the end of the rugby season? Would a longer season keep a substantial number of subscribers on for another month or two? People on here have mentioned that they close their subscription when the rugby is over because they don't watch STAN for any other reason. Even one extra month of a reasonable number of subscribers, at $35 bucks each, might add up to a significant amount.

 

[Adam84]

Any idea of how many subscribers cllose STAN at the end of the rugby season? Would a longer season keep a substantial number of subscribers on for another month or two? People on here have mentioned that they close their subscription when the rugby is over because they don't watch STAN for any other reason. Even one extra month of a reasonable number of subscribers, at $35 bucks each, might add up to a significant amount.

Don t know the credibility of these figures, but Stan Sport churn is the highest of the sporting SVOD platforms in Australia:

Kayo’s retention rates have also risen, from 84% to 88%, ahead of the other sporting streamers, Stan Sport (77%) and Optus Sport (81%) https://mumbrella.com.au/kayo-and-s...he-australian-streaming-market-in-2024-827804

Churn rates naturally increase with cost of living pressure as well, so relying on 'loyalty tax' of subscribers not to unsubscribe at seasons end becomes less fruitful. Without rugby Stan Sport more or less transitions to a TVOD (Transactional Video On Demand) which is more akin to your old Pay-Per-View with subscribers only signing up for time limited events like Austalian Open and some of the UEFA tournaments.

 

[PhilClinton]

That's probably a positive move career wise for a guy like Atkinson. They see your talent and want it spread.

Not a bad place to land since they have the Olympics. He strikes me as the James Bracey backup. Could easily see Atkinson replace McArdle as lead host as much as McArdle seems a good bloke.

He also gets a heap of MC gigs here in Brisbane (and likely elsewhere) at some decent events, the type of stuff a Bracey or McArdle wouldn’t be out of place doing, so he’s definitely flying in those circles at the moment.

 

[RebelYell]

He also gets a heap of MC gigs here in Brisbane (and likely elsewhere) at some decent events, the type of stuff a Bracey or McArdle wouldn’t be out of place doing, so he’s definitely flying in those circles at the moment.

Hi Atko!

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Any indications of the uplift?
assuming lack of leaks means it’s just a light uplift like 35 to 40m a year?

 

[Adam84]

2020-25: $35,000,000
2025-30: $35,000,001

But in all seriousness, given the level of inflation over the past 5 years, a $ 35 million deal back in 2020 needs to be $ 41 million today just to maintain with inflationary pressures. Any less than that and it's going backwards.

 

[Homer]

Even if it is an extra $5m most of that will be needed just to keep Mcreight, frost, Kailea, ikitau etc in the country.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

2020-25: $35,000,000
2025-30: $35,000,001

But in all seriousness, given the level of inflation over the past 5 years, a $ 35 million deal back in 2020 needs to be $ 41 million today just to maintain with inflationary pressures. Any less than that and it's going backwards.

It’s about $37M today so ahead of the game if we clip $40M+ but yes. Puts it in perspective that we probably need $45M a year….

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Current rate was Rugby slowly drowning though. Rugby lives on a horizon of hope like a useless brat eyeballing an inheritance.

I really hope they got a % increase on the previous deal to allow for more than just survival.

 

[Derpus]

2020-25: $35,000,000
2025-30: $35,000,001

But in all seriousness, given the level of inflation over the past 5 years, a $ 35 million deal back in 2020 needs to be $ 41 million today just to maintain with inflationary pressures. Any less than that and it's going backwards.

I don't really know anything about these negotiations but I would have thought you'd be hoping for 50m+ at a minimum? 35m was a lowball deal at our absolute nadir. We have a few bargaining chips this time round that should also help Stan bring in more subscribers.

 

[barbarian]

And the core $$$ figure is a bit misleading too. These things can/should include in-kind promotion, marketing etc etc that fall outside the number that's on the cheque.

At very least it's nice to have a negotiation period free of Jamie Pandaram doing Rupert's bidding and talking down the code and its prospects every second day.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Agreed. $50M has us changing the current.

 

[stoff]

I don't really know anything about these negotiations but I would have thought you'd be hoping for 50m+ at a minimum? 35m was a lowball deal at our absolute nadir. We have a few bargaining chips this time round that should also help Stan bring in more subscribers.

What are they? Fewer super rugby games. Likely no 2026 RC. RWC isn't in the package.

Are Nation's Championship rights global or negotiated by individual unions? This may be the real uptick in revenue if it is global.

 

[stoff]

And the core $$$ figure is a bit misleading too. These things can/should include in-kind promotion, marketing etc etc that fall outside the number that's on the cheque.

At very least it's nice to have a negotiation period free of Jamie Pandaram doing Rupert's bidding and talking down the code and its prospects every second day.

Those seem to typically fall inside the number that's announced - definitely the case for AFL/NRL.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Are Nation's Championship rights global or negotiated by individual unions? This may be the real uptick in revenue if it is global.

We should all be hoping that the NC broadcast rights are pooled and then equally split, but I just can't imagine England/France/South Africa etc agreeing to this.

If we just get what Stan is willing to pay, then it's pretty much the same games in July and November as now, and then a GF which will be played at a terrible timezone and probably won't involve Australia. Hard to imagine much of a premium there

 

[Adam84]

We should all be hoping that the NC broadcast rights are pooled and then equally split, but I just can't imagine England/France/South Africa etc agreeing to this.

If we just get what Stan is willing to pay, then it's pretty much the same games in July and November as now, and then a GF which will be played at a terrible timezone and probably won't involve Australia. Hard to imagine much of a premium there

No, i believe itent was that the TV rights and sponsorship would be aggregated and collectively sold with revenue distributed equally amongst 6Nations and SANZAAR, as well as matchday revenue from the 'finals' matches to be hosted in London/Qatar.

 

[Strewthcobber]

No, i believe itent was that the TV rights and sponsorship would be aggregated and collectively sold with revenue distributed equally amongst 6Nations and SANZAAR, as well as matchday revenue from the 'finals' matches to be hosted in London/Qatar.

Even for the July and November games?

That's a great deal for us.

 

[Braveheart81]

And the core $$$ figure is a bit misleading too. These things can/should include in-kind promotion, marketing etc etc that fall outside the number that's on the cheque.

The contra bit of broadcast agreements is always ridiculous.

I understand why they announce it because it results in a bigger number but the reality is it's not really additional to the cash. Of course the broadcaster is going to promote their own broadcasts. That is how they make money from it.