Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Braveheart81]

A big problem with online streaming as the only method of content delivery is that a significant segment of the market isn't ready for it yet.

Take the Women's Ashes test for example. It was available for free on cricket.com.au but not broadcast on TV like the ODIs and T20s. There was a big outcry about it not being broadcast on TV and a lot of people missed out on watching it.

It will change over time and more and more people will get used to streaming content but at the moment you lose even more of the casual audience than you do by having it on pay TV.

Organisations like Amazon have more money than they know what to do with so as they enter the content market they can certainly pay overs for exclusive rights even if it doesn't produce any sort of reasonable financial return.

The problem for the sports selling their rights to a streaming only service is if it greatly diminishes the number of fans engaging with it.

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[Highlander35]

Casual Audience is why Broadcast (and to a lesser extent FTA) is still important.

It's fine to release something without a time restriction: A movie, a TV show, hell reality TV as long as it's not sequential.

Live things are a much smaller market, and its difficult to carve out anything but a niche.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

A big problem with online streaming as the only method of content delivery is that a significant segment of the market isn't ready for it yet.

Take the Women's Ashes test for example. It was available for free on cricket.com.au but not broadcast on TV like the ODIs and T20s. There was a big outcry about it not being broadcast on TV and a lot of people missed out on watching it.

It will change over time and more and more people will get used to streaming content but at the moment you lose even more of the casual audience than you do by having it on pay TV.

Organisations like Amazon have more money than they know what to do with so as they enter the content market they can certainly pay overs for exclusive rights even if it doesn't produce any sort of reasonable financial return.

The problem for the sports selling their rights to a streaming only service is if it greatly diminishes the number of fans engaging with it.

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Amazon entering the sports broadcasting market is a completely different kettle of fish to that of broadcasting the Womens Ashes on cricket.com.au. Similar to that of Netflix, Amazon is a hugely recognisable brand with immense buying power. While something like cricket.com.au caters much more to a niche market.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Casual Audience is why Broadcast (and to a lesser extent FTA) is still important.

It's fine to release something without a time restriction: A movie, a TV show, hell reality TV as long as it's not sequential.

Live things are a much smaller market, and its difficult to carve out anything but a niche.

If someone like Amazon were to bid for Super Rugby rights you have to remove the Australia centric thinking from the equation. They aren't buying the rights focusing solely on a domestic audience. But for the consumption of a much broader audience that exists on a global scale. In Amazon's case, their 85m odd subscribers. Considering they added 22m extra from when they released figures in 2016 to the current figure of 85m in 2017 it's obvious that sporting content isn't their primary driver in growth. More another string to their bow.

 

[Boof1050]

I thought Twiggy had committed to FTA broadcast?

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No not according to his press conference a few weeks ago. From memory of the presentation has about 10 streaming companies named or in negotiations with.

 

[Highlander35]

No not according to his press conference a few weeks ago. From memory of the presentation has about 10 streaming companies named or in negotiations with.

I was misinformed clearly. Thought that was one of the big draws of the comp.

Not necessarily a bad thing though, just slightly disappointing.

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[Boof1050]

Try to find his presentation it explains a lot in that.

 

[half]

I read a tweet the other day from the US about their NFL or gridiron, and crowds are down and TV Ratings both FTA & Cable are also down. basketball, baseball and hockey the same. Only soccer increased slightly and they think because they are adding teams.

It kinda led me on a bit of a journey and I came across the 2017 web submit. I have attached two youtubes both quite long and not at all aliened to sport both both reflecting what these people believe the future of broadcasting.

BTW both reasonably long and if not interested in this kinda stuff don't listen. In the first one the fatter guy talks of the media in ages and I found iy interesting.

Enjoy if interested.

Media Under Fire | Web Summit 2017

Understanding Your Followers in the Digital Age | Web Summit 2017

 

[mst]

Interesting that reporting has the EPL down 18% without any issues peripheral issues dragging down ratings like Super Rugby.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Interesting that reporting has the EPL down 18% without any issues peripheral issues dragging down ratings like Super Rugby.

It appears to be a trend across most sporting competition globally. Sport in it's traditional formats appears to be becoming less and less relevant in society. And not just the developed one at that. I think there certainly is still a place for it but I tend to think that how it is presented in terms of scheduling may certainly need to be seriously re-imagined by many leagues around the world.

Well, that's my take on it coming from reading about the decline in general ratings across the board in regards to traditional long form leagues and the apparent popularity and emergence of short form alternatives such as the BBL.

 

[Aussie D]

It appears to be a trend across most sporting competition globally. Sport in it's traditional formats appears to be becoming less and less relevant in society. And not just the developed one at that. I think there certainly is still a place for it but I tend to think that how it is presented in terms of scheduling may certainly need to be seriously re-imagined by many leagues around the world.

Well, that's my take on it coming from reading about the decline in general ratings across the board in regards to traditional long form leagues and the apparent popularity and emergence of short form alternatives such as the BBL.

is it possible that reason for BBL not declining is it is arekatively new comp with a relatively young format for cricket. The advantage of this is players are trying new things and the format hasn't become 'formulaic'. all the other pro sports have had individual spontaneity coached out of them to the point that most games follow tge same pattern with all teams following the same game plan resukting in tedium for even the most diehard fans.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

is it possible that reason for BBL not declining is it is arekatively new comp with a relatively young format for cricket. The advantage of this is players are trying new things and the format hasn't become 'formulaic'. all the other pro sports have had individual spontaneity coached out of them to the point that most games follow tge same pattern with all teams following the same game plan resukting in tedium for even the most diehard fans.

Perhaps. But there's also the fact that it doesn't require a huge commitment of time in order to watch and enjoy an entire season of competitive matches.

 

[wamberal]

On the subject of cricket, there was a story last night on the ABC about a new format for young kids starting to play the game. Quite an interesting innovation. Batters keep batting, even when they are out according to the rules.


In the world today, nothing stays constant. Everything changes. A slight exaggeration, but not by much.


When change does occur, it tends to be towards a speeding up, and a simplification, of the status quo.


BBL is traditional cricket sped up, and simplified. That is why it is currently popular. That popularity will probably not last. Nothing does, apparently, these days.


Where does that leave our game?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

On the subject of cricket, there was a story last night on the ABC about a new format for young kids starting to play the game. Quite an interesting innovation. Batters keep batting, even when they are out according to the rules.


In the world today, nothing stays constant. Everything changes. A slight exaggeration, but not by much.


When change does occur, it tends to be towards a speeding up, and a simplification, of the status quo.


BBL is traditional cricket sped up, and simplified. That is why it is currently popular. That popularity will probably not last. Nothing does, apparently, these days.


Where does that leave our game?

The world has always been in a state of flux. It just occurs at greater speeds now. Which makes it more noticeable.

T20 is condensed not necessarily sped up as much as many believe. It certainly hasn't overly simplified either. It offers the same level of entertainment as the 50 over format but in a much shorter time frame. So it offers essentially the same or very similar product in a much more attractive and family friendly package.

As for where it leaves our game. Well, with a choice. Or more an opportunity. Rugby is far more dynamic than Cricket. It's more reliant on the intent of the play and the overall packaging of that play. The NRC proves that the game can provide highly entertaining content with little actual tweaking. It's more about getting the marketing mix right. Restructuring to be more consumer friendly and consumable in terms of scheduling.

 

[wamberal]

T20 also has the huge advantage of natural intervals between the action, i.e., between overs.


I do not know how much marketing the world with a small "w" cup final in the other code is getting. Not much, from what I have seen. I wonder how the ratings will go?

 

[Highlander35]

Out of the box thinking:

Round Robin Sevens tournament using Asia/Pacific Soup and Twiggyball teams. Run it outside the World Sevens Series so Aussie/Kiwi/Japanese players can play in it, and other teams players are available as marquees.

Just running mens, with a 25 minute slot for each game (slightly larger than the standard 22 for extra ad breaks) gives you about 3 and a half hours worth of content with plenty of room for ads.

That gives you 18 evenings (15 round robin, 1 quarter finals, 1 semi finals, 1 finals) of content to flog at a variety of locations. Lots of travelling potentially involved, but only 1 game a day probably helps the legs (I have no idea of the Strength and Conditioning demands apart from lots).

No idea if it's financially viable, but I like Sevens, and it would be a cool way to expose content, as well as provide more opportunity to Aussie boys outside the inner circle, as has been the complaint from many on here.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Out of the box thinking:

Round Robin Sevens tournament using Asia/Pacific Soup and Twiggyball teams. Run it outside the World Sevens Series so Aussie/Kiwi/Japanese players can play in it, and other teams players are available as marquees.

Just running mens, with a 25 minute slot for each game (slightly larger than the standard 22 for extra ad breaks) gives you about 3 and a half hours worth of content with plenty of room for ads.

That gives you 18 evenings (15 round robin, 1 quarter finals, 1 semi finals, 1 finals) of content to flog at a variety of locations. Lots of travelling potentially involved, but only 1 game a day probably helps the legs (I have no idea of the Strength and Conditioning demands apart from lots).

No idea if it's financially viable, but I like Sevens, and it would be a cool way to expose content, as well as provide more opportunity to Aussie boys outside the inner circle, as has been the complaint from many on here.

There was a proposal posted on The Roar earlier this year based around a very similar concept to the one you've suggested. Focused more on Australia and New Zealand but quite similar and at the time I thought it was quite a good idea. From memory the entire thing would be run and won within a month. Which seems like a pretty good timeframe for such a concept. I still think it and your suggestion are both good ideas.

In fact, with the incoming IPRC structure I actually think there is an opportunity for such a format to be floated to Forrest & Co. considering its already public record that they intend to run a separate 7s circuit but connected to the IPRC. Look to add a few more squads to the IPRC squads and I think you could have something pretty solid on your hands.

,br
Could even go as many as 12. Split into two pools competing separately from one another. Twelve locations over 12 individual nights. Both men's and women's. Tops 3 hours each night. Could be worth a shout.

Edit: Here's the link to the proposal http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/08/15/the-wrap-introducing-rugby-sevens-smash/ it's actually from Sept last year. But still a good overall concpt in my opinion.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

T20 also has the huge advantage of natural intervals between the action, i.e., between overs.


I do not know how much marketing the world with a small "w" cup final in the other code is getting. Not much, from what I have seen. I wonder how the ratings will go?

The ratings will do fine for that game. It's a final. Featuring Australia. In Australia.

 

[wamberal]

The ratings will do fine for that game. It's a final. Featuring Australia. In Australia.

And, most importantly, it is a code which is widely popular.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Pro14 have announced their new broadcast deal. BBC won't be involved anymore, all games shown on paytv with one game a week on a free channel (of which I've never heard)

The 14 teams will share around 30m pounds (a bit under $4m each) up from 18m

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/new-pro14-tv-deal-revealed-14594775

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