Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[The_Brown_Hornet]

To be honest, I think the reckoning around broadcast rights is well overdue. Things got silly for a while and with the sheer number of options we as consumers have, both in terms of the type of entertainment available to us and the number of platforms to consume it on, at some point there would have to be a contraction. FTA networks are hurting, pay TV is hurting and the landscape is as least as competitive as it ever was.

I liked the lateral thinking above from Dru about a soccer/rugby package deal. In tough times the good organisations innovate and pivot. Unfortunately RA is not a good organisation but one can always hope.

 

[KOB1987]

I admire your optimism and hope you are correct. The Wallabies are the big trump card, but the layer below is the weak link. Not sure in the current climate where the value of sports broadcasting rights is declining that it's possible.

In 2018, the Australian Football League (AFL) was the Australian sporting code with the highest annual revenue from broadcasting rights sales, earning 418 million Australian dollars from broadcasters. Australian Rugby Union was the least profitable in terms of broadcasting rights sales, training just behind the Football Federation of Australia and Tennis Australia.
https://www.statista.com/statistics...adcasting-rights-by-sport/#statisticContainer

I don’t dispute at all that the broadcast environment in general has deteriorated.

What I was saying is that a Super rugby comp under a TT format would have to be worth more (on a per team basis) than whatever they were prepared to pay under the current (2021 pre-CV19) format.

 

[Grumped]

"I don’t dispute at all that the broadcast environment in general has deteriorated.

What I was saying is that a Super rugby comp under a TT format would have to be worth more (on a per team basis) than whatever they were prepared to pay under the current (2021 pre-CV19) format."​

There could be more dollars from AU and NZ broadcasters for a TT comp but would it be enough to offset the drop in TV revenue from overseas broadcasters as our games will not be a favourable timezone for South Africa/Europe? The boost in cash from the last TV deal came from Europe, which would be unlikely to occur again as our TT games would be in the morning.

​

 

[Braveheart81]

"I don’t dispute at all that the broadcast environment in general has deteriorated.​

​

What I was saying is that a Super rugby comp under a TT format would have to be worth more (on a per team basis) than whatever they were prepared to pay under the current (2021 pre-CV19) format."​

There could be more dollars from AU and NZ broadcasters for a TT comp but would it be enough to offset the drop in TV revenue from overseas broadcasters as our games will not be a favourable timezone for South Africa/Europe? The boost in cash from the last TV deal came from Europe, which would be unlikely to occur again as our TT games would be in the morning.

I don't think it is just the South African games which provide the value of the broadcast rights in Europe. Those games also compete with the local content due to the time they are on.

 

[Quick Hands]

I don’t dispute at all that the broadcast environment in general has deteriorated.

What I was saying is that a Super rugby comp under a TT format would have to be worth more (on a per team basis) than whatever they were prepared to pay under the current (2021 pre-CV19) format.

You could be right, although it would depend on the value of the SA teams. The games held in SA might not rate highly here but maybe NZ v SA games held in NZ would be of more interest to NZ viewers than NZ v AU games?

Other than the Wallabies, I'm not so sure that there's that much value in Australian rugby from a TV perspective. Presumably FTA networks having been knocking on the door to take advantage of the availability of Super Rugby rights?

 

[Quick Hands]

There is speculation Fox Sports will not support the domestic Super Rugby competition, but would prefer to broadcast Sydney and Brisbane club rugby, which would provide the pay TV network, which has its own financial challenges, with cheaper content to drive subscriptions from the rugby heartland.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...l-pain-felt-widely-but-not-shared-universally

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

There is speculation Fox Sports will not support the domestic Super Rugby competition, but would prefer to broadcast Sydney and Brisbane club rugby, which would provide the pay TV network, which has its own financial challenges, with cheaper content to drive subscriptions from the rugby heartland.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...l-pain-felt-widely-but-not-shared-universally

Really? They clearly haven't been tracking the Shute Shield ratings then.

 

[Quick Hands]

Really? They clearly haven't been tracking the Shute Shield ratings then.

Much lower outlay for the rights and a fraction of the cameras, etc. They don't need huge ratings. If you remember when Foxtel walked away from Super Rugby they made an offer to the SRU to televise SS.

The SRU have covered the $250,000 costs by attracting advertising for the telecasts for that amount.

The re-instituted Sydney Rugby Union currently has a deal with the Seven Network, which shows one Shute Shield game live each week on 7Two, but this arrangement costs the SRU $300,000 a season, paying Seven $250,000 a year for broadcasting and advertising and $50,000 to production company Club Rugby TV. Meanwhile, Fox Sports has unexpectedly offered to broadcast the entire competition from this year onwards, throwing the cat among the pigeons.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/06/rugby-australia-fox-sport-broadcast-deal

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Much lower outlay for the rights and a fraction of the cameras, etc. They don't need huge ratings. If you remember when Foxtel walked away from Super Rugby they made an offer to the SRU to televise SS.

The SRU have covered the $250,000 costs by attracting advertising for the telecasts for that amount.

The re-instituted Sydney Rugby Union currently has a deal with the Seven Network, which shows one Shute Shield game live each week on 7Two, but this arrangement costs the SRU $300,000 a season, paying Seven $250,000 a year for broadcasting and advertising and $50,000 to production company Club Rugby TV. Meanwhile, Fox Sports has unexpectedly offered to broadcast the entire competition from this year onwards, throwing the cat among the pigeons.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/06/rugby-australia-fox-sport-broadcast-deal

It mentions using the competitions to dive subscription by Rugby fans. I ratings don't matter then what's the point?

 

[Double Agent]

Rather than driving acquisition it may be that Foxtel are looking at that as strategy to stop current rugby fan subscribers from cancelling if they get it relatively cheaply. Would SS on its own and make me sign up if I wasn't already with Foxtel... probably not, will it stop me cancelling... probably.

 

[Rebels3]

I’d cancel and prob just watch euro rugby on RugbyPass. Only really want to engage in pro rugby from a broadcast point of view

 

[hoggy]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...l-pain-felt-widely-but-not-shared-universally

Wow, so its come to this, i dare say Fox exerting there bargaining position, but unlike the NRL/AFL its not like theirs been a clamoring of interest in the comp to restart, apart from the usual die-hards, so maybe they see more value in the Syd/Bri comps if its cheaper and can retain subscribers, especially when Super rugby doesn't even know what it will be next year.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I’d cancel and prob just watch euro rugby on RugbyPass. Only really want to engage in pro rugby from a broadcast point of view

I certainly wouldn't be resubscribing for anything less than some kind of national competition. There's a bunch of different options out there in terms of Rugby. I'd definitely have more interest in say MLR than just Sydney and Brisbane club Rugby.

 

[KOB1987]

It does say it’s only a rumour. The other rumour is that a deal from Fox to broadcast the AU is imminent to fulfil the remainder of this years obligations

 

[Rebels3]

It does say it’s only a rumour. The other rumour is that a deal from Fox to broadcast the AU is imminent to fulfil the remainder of this years obligations

Stop talking with sense

 

[Quick Hands]

I certainly wouldn't be resubscribing for anything less than some kind of national competition. There's a bunch of different options out there in terms of Rugby. I'd definitely have more interest in say MLR than just Sydney and Brisbane club Rugby.

I understand your position and I realise that there are many posters here who either aren't interested in club rugby or who have a passing interest at best. Generally these rugby supporters prefer as Super Rugby type product to watch which is fine. But equally, there are plenty of people I know who have the opposite view. There's a sizeable group of rugby people in Sydney who are interested in the Wallabies and club rugby but have little or no interest in the Waratahs or Super Rugby.

Assuming the article is correct, then I would assume that Foxtel would have conducted some market research and made some sort of cost/benefit analyis prior to making any decision.

I should also point out that Foxtel made an offer to broadcast SS only after failing to come to agreement with RA for the other parts of the game, but RA rejected the approach and wanted all levels of rugby bundled into one deal.

 

[KOB1987]

Isn’t the other issue that community sport hasn’t been given the go ahead yet? Other than U18s starting contact training from July 1 that is.

 

[KOB1987]

TBH, if it does turn out to be true I would watch it, provided the top players are playing, which presumably they would be. I’d be surprised if it was anything beyond a fill gap for this year though, and it would be an interesting exercise from which to construct a domestic comp model from if we have to go it alone next year.

I’ll just point out though that the NRC has already been buried for this year, I doubt that would have been announced by RA if they thought that Supe wasn’t going ahead, and nor would the Brumbies have re-signed Ben Hyne.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I understand your position and I realise that there are many posters here who either aren't interested in club rugby or who have a passing interest at best. Generally these rugby supporters prefer as Super Rugby type product to watch which is fine. But equally, there are plenty of people I know who have the opposite view. There's a sizeable group of rugby people in Sydney who are interested in the Wallabies and club rugby but have little or no interest in the Waratahs or Super Rugby.

Assuming the article is correct, then I would assume that Foxtel would have conducted some market research and made some sort of cost/benefit analyis prior to making any decision.

I should also point out that Foxtel made an offer to broadcast SS only after failing to come to agreement with RA for the other parts of the game, but RA rejected the approach and wanted all levels of rugby bundled into one deal.

Is all of the SS played at the same time? Wouldn't it be hard to develop a following on TV if all the interested parties are tied up with their own team at the time? Or is there a proposal to perhaps play the TV game at a different time?

 

[RugbyReg]

Isn’t the other issue that community sport hasn’t been given the go ahead yet? Other than U18s starting contact training from July 1 that is.

QLD Premier Rugby has released their draw and Fox are lined up to broadcast a game a week