Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Mick The Munch]

Absolutely, the argument for sticking with fox has always been that we couldn't get as much money elsewhere. If we're going to take a hit it's a good opportunity to consider what we might be able to gain in the process.

To my point, viewing figures in the UK grew 40% when moving away from Sky (Foxtel)

"Television audiences for Premiership Rugby have risen by 40 per cent following its move to BT Sport.

​Aviva Premiership Rugby recorded an average live weekend TV audience of 358,000 during its first season with the channel.

A combined season audience of 7.88m watched Premiership Rugby clubs live on BT Sport this season, compared with 6.14m for the same period last year"

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

This sucks, I'll be pissed off if I have to subscribe to a new service just to watch the Reds. Last weekend the viewing audience apparently averaged 33k. Why would Optus touch that?

52k is what's been reported over on the ratings thread.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Plus we might get away from Kafer and Kearns

To my point, viewing figures in the UK grew 40% when moving away from Sky (Foxtel)

"Television audiences for Premiership Rugby have risen by 40 per cent following its move to BT Sport.

​Aviva Premiership Rugby recorded an average live weekend TV audience of 358,000 during its first season with the channel.

A combined season audience of 7.88m watched Premiership Rugby clubs live on BT Sport this season, compared with 6.14m for the same period last year"

 

[John S]

Plus we might get away from Kafer and Kearns

That would be a huge plus

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't necessarily see Rugby being off Foxtel as a bad thing - In England, cricket coverage and F1 moved to Sky (Foxtel) and saw huge declines in support and participation.

The loss of revenue might be a short term hit, long term gain

If the alternative is Optus though, you're probably heading somewhere with even less viewers.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

I found it very interesting when I looked at the headlines from the Murdoch Press:
Rugby on its knees after $285m blow
Rugby blows its Fox Sports deal
25-year break-up has Australian rugby on life support

Yet this isn't very news worthy for other new organisations, with the Australian (owned by 9) wrote about how the Shute Shield impact on the rights deal.

I think Fox is just being commercial and trying to force the ARU's hand for a lower price; there is no reason (that I am aware of) Fox Sports couldn't bid during the open tender process. Moreover I'm not sure that what Fox say is going to have any impact on Optus, ultimately just because Fox say 'we're taking our ball and our bat and going home.' doesn't mean they are going home.

The Australian is not owned by 9. It's a Murdoch paper.

 

[Silverado]

If the alternative is Optus though, you're probably heading somewhere with even less viewers.

Optus sport only costs $15 a month at the
moment which is more affordable than $65 basic fox or $25 for Kayo

 

[Mick The Munch]

Optus sport only costs $15 a month at the
moment which is more affordable than $65 basic fox or $25 for Kayo

Plus there would be more FTA games.

 

[Braveheart81]

Optus sport only costs $15 a month at the
moment which is more affordable than $65 basic fox or $25 for Kayo

Sure, but I think you're relying on most current Foxtel rugby viewers to buy an Optus package to get the viewership we currently have. A decent number will surely drop off.

Your other option is that there are enough existing Optus customers who don't currently have access to rugby via Foxtel that would start watching. I am skeptical of those numbers being at all significant.

You lose out on the Foxsports website content and the crossover with News Corp papers in providing media exposure which will decrease the public visibility of rugby. It's hard to see News Corp continuing to publish as much rugby content as they currently do (which is not a massive amount) if the product has less visibility to the general public and isn't being shown through a related party's platform.

 

[Braveheart81]

Plus there would be more FTA games.

How so?

 

[kiap]

If the alternative is Optus though, you're probably heading somewhere with even less viewers.

Viewers - it's hard to prognosticate.

In terms of customers, though. Optus have more signed on than Fox (multiple millions more, IIRC).

The existing Optus Sports add-on is very cheap, like $5 a month for pre-paid,

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Viewers - it's hard to prognosticate.

In terms of customers, though. Optus have more signed on than Fox (multiple millions more, IIRC).

The existing Optus Sports add-on is very cheap, like $5 a month for pre-paid,

10.1m (mobile customers) to 2m as of last year from what I've been able to find.

 

[qwerty51]

If this somehow breaks down the Super Rugby deal from 2021-2025 that would be fantastic. Fox holding RA hostage, time for RA to hold SANZAAR hostage.

The problem here is Super Rugby, not Rugby Union, not Fox Sports not Rugby Australia. Keeping Super Rugby will fix nothing.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Plus there would be more FTA games.

That's assuming there's some kind of FTA component. Which is far from guaranteed but would be most welcome.

 

[Braveheart81]

Viewers - it's hard to prognosticate.

In terms of customers, though. Optus have more signed on than Fox (multiple millions more, IIRC).

The existing Optus Sports add-on is very cheap.

10.1m (mobile customers) to 2m as of last year from what I've been able to find.

https://www.afr.com/companies/media...als-sport-subscribers-numbers-20190807-p52em9

Optus last year said they had more than 700,000 active subscribers to Optus Sport.

The challenge is how many of those are going to watch rugby. It may be more than we currently have but it also could be a lot less.

Currently Optus Sport is just a soccer broadcaster. Clearly that could mean that Optus customers who have access to Optus Sport but don't use it because they aren't interested in soccer start using it because they are interested in rugby.

If Fox Sports withdraws from the bidding altogether Optus might be the only option and we'll see happens. I certainly don't see this as a blessing though. There's a strong potential that we become even less visible.

 

[Micheal]

Oooh.

I have Optus for the EPL.

I'm one of the few who watch both. Would be stoked if this happens.

 

[Strewthcobber]

The challenge is how many of those are going to watch rugby. It may be more than we currently have but it also could be a lot less.

Especially if we end up having to pay our players and coaches less and as a result we are less competitive against our international competition

 

[redstragic]

52k is what's been reported over on the ratings thread.

That's a better number, I read the 33k on a news corp site somewhere. Should have been a little more skeptical.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

https://www.afr.com/companies/media...als-sport-subscribers-numbers-20190807-p52em9

Optus last year said they had more than 700,000 active subscribers to Optus Sport.

The challenge is how many of those are going to watch rugby. It may be more than we currently have but it also could be a lot less.

Currently Optus Sport is just a soccer broadcaster. Clearly that could mean that Optus customers who have access to Optus Sport but don't use it because they aren't interested in soccer start using it because they are interested in rugby.

If Fox Sports withdraws from the bidding altogether Optus might be the only option and we'll see happens. I certainly don't see this as a blessing though. There's a strong potential that we become even less visible.

It's up to over 825k now apparently.

At present. Yes. Optus Sport is just a Soccer broadcaster. But that doesn't mean they'll only ever be that. We don't know what they have planned down the line and as a telco they much like their customer base also have a significantly greater commercial base to draw from.

Visibility will be interesting. I would like to think the smart move from both RA and Optus' perspective would be to actively seek a commercial FTA partner as a means of driving interesting in 1) the competition and 2) the platform. It's a stated ambition of RA's to achieve FTA exposure and would allow Optus to drive its offering to a wider audience.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

That's a better number, I read the 33k on a news corp site somewhere. Should have been a little more skeptical.

I'll take our numbers over News any day.