Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Rebel man]

The AFL would be crazy not to invest heavily in AFLW given their financial position. It is a rapidly growing segment that has significant interest and the easiest way to improve it rapidly is to make it more professional.

It really doesn't take much in player payments to provide the ability for players to train and play enough to improve the standard rapidly.



Free tickets or not (and I believe tickets aren't free now), the games are popular. People suggesting that it's easy to fill a sporting event if the tickets are free mustn't have been to many NRC games. Whether those were free or not made a negligible difference to the crowds. Likewise things like domestic one day cricket and Sheffield Shield games.

You could hand out tonnes of free tickets to most Super Rugby games and it would only make a marginal difference to the crowds. Not many people give up an evening to do something they're not particularly interested in just because it's free.




This would be the case for every second tier sporting league. The whole point of the exercise is that they can grow AFLW at a much faster rate by investing in it rather than having to wait 150 years for it to grow to the size of the AFL through just its own means.

Women's sport, particularly in formerly male dominated sports are the growth areas. Ultimately this feeds into interest in your main product.

I find it strange how much animosity there is towards women's sport and investment in it. It's a no brainer in terms of the most effective way to grow your overall interest.

Few points you raise the NRC and shield as examples of free tickets yet still lack of crowds. Neither of them have been marketed or promoted in the same way and the shield is played 10-6 on business days.

The AFLW is doesn’t grow the game and will struggle to ever turn a profit. One issue is it highlights issues already within the AFL, there isn’t a big enough market in Victoria to support another 10 professional sides

Also the AFL is reluctant to give them a proper season with how the conference system worked last year with the number of teams and games you could go two years without playing a club.

If the AFL want it to work they have to do the right thing by the women and give them a proper season but they don’t want to meet the cost of that. Also they know what ever attention it gets now will die if it competes with the men’s comp

I think the only way it can work going forward is if they play same team at the same venue before the men’s. They tried with dynamic pricing the other year. They could sell the tickets for 60% of what they normally go for if you get a general admin seat for the start of the women’s

 

[Braveheart81]

The AFLW is doesn’t grow the game and will struggle to ever turn a profit. One issue is it highlights issues already within the AFL, there isn’t a big enough market in Victoria to support another 10 professional sides

Do they need it to turn a profit though?

It provides additional content outside of the main AFL season and will improve in quality rapidly as they fund it better.

Why do you think it doesn't grow the game? More people invested in clubs and the sport in general leads to more interest overall.

 

[Rebel man]

Do they need it to turn a profit though?

It provides additional content outside of the main AFL season and will improve in quality rapidly as they fund it better.

Why do you think it doesn't grow the game? More people invested in clubs and the sport in general leads to more interest overall.

Yes it does, it’s not viable long term if it can’t be self sufficient.

Why doesn’t it grow the game? Because the main growth in the AFLW is getting AFL fans to watch it as there is nothing wrong with that. In expansion markets it has helped grow the game but in the traditional footy fans it’s just getting rusted on footy fans to embrace women’s sport so it’s not growing the game

To be fair I would play the Super W before the Super Rugby Au. Try and encourage bigger crowds also means less overheads when it comes to broadcasting the games

 

[Braveheart81]

Why doesn’t it grow the game? Because the main growth in the AFLW is getting AFL fans to watch it as there is nothing wrong with that. In expansion markets it has helped grow the game but in the traditional footy fans it’s just getting rusted on footy fans to embrace women’s sport so it’s not growing the game

To be fair I would play the Super W before the Super Rugby Au. Try and encourage bigger crowds also means less overheads when it comes to broadcasting the games

I think the growth is from increasing women's participation which feeds down into increased participation from girls who are then more likely to be fans of the men's game that you generate the revenue from.

The trouble with the curtain raiser fixtures is that the requirement to have the field free means there is too big a gap between the games to get much out of it. If you could turn up an hour before kick-off and see the last half hour of the curtain-raiser I think you'd get a lot more people seeing part of that game.

 

[sendit]

Oh, do they? OK then I'm convinced... carry on.

thanks champ, its better than anything you put out there lol

 

[Rebel man]

I think the growth is from increasing women's participation which feeds down into increased participation from girls who are then more likely to be fans of the men's game that you generate the revenue from.

The trouble with the curtain raiser fixtures is that the requirement to have the field free means there is too big a gap between the games to get much out of it. If you could turn up an hour before kick-off and see the last half hour of the curtain-raiser I think you'd get a lot more people seeing part of that game.

It’s something like 48% of the viewership of the AFL are already women

Just do what they do at club land warm up on the practice field, there is one right next to AAMI

 

[sendit]

This would be the case for every second tier sporting league. The whole point of the exercise is that they can grow AFLW at a much faster rate by investing in it rather than having to wait 150 years for it to grow to the size of the AFL through just its own means.

Women's sport, particularly in formerly male dominated sports are the growth areas. Ultimately this feeds into interest in your main product.

I find it strange how much animosity there is towards women's sport and investment in it. It's a no brainer in terms of the most effective way to grow your overall interest.

No animosity towards female sport here, i love watching it. But the AFLW cocked it hard with their top down approach, they expanded far too quickly and as a result had to draft in way too many players that are subpar or from a totally different sport in the hope they'd pick up the game quickly, fun fact QLD actually has the highest female AFL participation numbers (or they did up until a year or two go, i haven't seen most recent numbers) I think that highlights just how not ready their female pro comp was for rapid growth. Only now are they starting to see a consistent amount of players come through that have played the game from juniors through to seniors

NRLW have a great model, they only have 4 teams as they identified they didn't have the talent for more, they'll expand around 2024 and their second tier has expanded this year in preparation for that

WBBL have amended the field playing size to make boundaries more attainable for players

AFLW did neither of these things and it shows

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

I think the growth is from increasing women's participation which feeds down into increased participation from girls who are then more likely to be fans of the men's game that you generate the revenue from.

The trouble with the curtain raiser fixtures is that the requirement to have the field free means there is too big a gap between the games to get much out of it. If you could turn up an hour before kick-off and see the last half hour of the curtain-raiser I think you'd get a lot more people seeing part of that game.

People can bag Pulver all they like but he recognised this. I saw him speak and he actually had a break down of whom invested and how much each year in the entire ecosystem. From playing amateur, to super rugby membership, having foxtel, going to test matches, buying merch etc. People playing the sport were clearly the biggest investors and so if you ignore 50% of the population this was going to be difficult to increase investment.

Double headers are difficult. There are the issues you have noted but also the fact that the games back to back and setup for the tv viewer. Most people are trying to watch the earlier game at home/pub or travel to the match.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

It’s something like 48% of the viewership of the AFL are already women

Just do what they do at club land warm up on the practice field, there is one right next to AAMI

Most sports and venues don't have option. Even when they do they still warm up on the field (think tennis or cricket). I like the idea I just don't think it is feasible.

 

[Braveheart81]

No animosity towards female sport here, i love watching it. But the AFLW cocked it hard with their top down approach, they expanded far too quickly and as a result had to draft in way too many players that are subpar or from a totally different sport in the hope they'd pick up the game quickly, fun fact QLD actually has the highest female AFL participation numbers (or they did up until a year or two go, i haven't seen most recent numbers) I think that highlights just how not ready their female pro comp was for rapid growth. Only now are they starting to see a consistent amount of players come through that have played the game from juniors through to seniors

NRLW have a great model, they only have 4 teams as they identified they didn't have the talent for more, they'll expand around 2024 and their second tier has expanded this year in preparation for that

I think the differing approaches are largely about what the overall tactic is. The AFL one is certainly more expensive but should lead to a proper competition of decent strength much sooner.

The NRL one produces a better product now but it's tiny and will take a lot longer to grow.

I think the overall premise that providing the ability for women to play professionally produces a good product pretty quickly holds true. The WBBL is excellent because they've had that environment for a number of years now.

 

[Rebels3]

As the AFL learned with the Swans. Any investment is a 20yr investment. They play the long game with teams and now comps.

 

[Rebel man]

Most sports and venues don't have option. Even when they do they still warm up on the field (think tennis or cricket). I like the idea I just don't think it is feasible.

Double headers work, they are going back to them in the NRL and it’s good business by them. The cost to take temporary broadcasts facilities to box hill for the super W makes no sense

 

[Rebel man]

I think the differing approaches are largely about what the overall tactic is. The AFL one is certainly more expensive but should lead to a proper competition of decent strength much sooner.

The NRL one produces a better product now but it's tiny and will take a lot longer to grow.

I think the overall premise that providing the ability for women to play professionally produces a good product pretty quickly holds true. The WBBL is excellent because they've had that environment for a number of years now.

Putting money into youth sport is where you get the benefits from

 

[Up the Guts]

Allana is a good get despite not playing the 15 a side game.

 

[Braveheart81]

Putting money into youth sport is where you get the benefits from

Which the AFL does.

I think having stars to emulate makes a big difference here though. Giving girls heroes of their own that they can aspire to follow is a big carrot to increasing youth participation.

 

[Henry]

So anyway, I suspect a huge amount of the Rugby Union fanbase already has Stan, and for an extra $10 a month, this is an amazing deal. The new commentary team looks great. Ransome and Hoiles would have been great, but Ransome is at the ABC and Hoiles will be coaching in the US. I'm more excited for this season than for any for quite a few years. Billboards and other advertising all over Sydney. Rugby will be given good exposure in SMH/The Age. Heaps keen.

 

[oztimmay]

So anyway, I suspect a huge amount of the Rugby Union fanbase already has Stan, and for an extra $10 a month, this is an amazing deal. The new commentary team looks great. Ransome and Hoiles would have been great, but Ransome is at the ABC and Hoiles will be coaching in the US. I'm more excited for this season than for any for quite a few years. Billboards and other advertising all over Sydney. Rugby will be given good exposure in SMH/The Age. Heaps keen.

Would have been interesting to watch Hoiles commentate a Rebels game. Worth the $10 alone...

 

[Rebel man]

Which the AFL does.

I think having stars to emulate makes a big difference here though. Giving girls heroes of their own that they can aspire to follow is a big carrot to increasing youth participation.

It doesn’t a lot of metro and country clubs are struggling to keep their heads above water

 

[Adam84]

So anyway, I suspect a huge amount of the Rugby Union fanbase already has Stan, and for an extra $10 a month, this is an amazing deal. The new commentary team looks great. Ransome and Hoiles would have been great, but Ransome is at the ABC and Hoiles will be coaching in the US. I'm more excited for this season than for any for quite a few years. Billboards and other advertising all over Sydney. Rugby will be given good exposure in SMH/The Age. Heaps keen.

There was a study done, and I think that was reflected, that a large number of rugby fans already have Stan. Think I posted it earlier in this thread.

 

[Adam84]

Ok, I’d just like to stop and reflect.
I’m a massive rugby fan, but I also think I’m a realist about its current standing, and 8 months ago I thought professional rugby was done and dusted in this country, things looked bloody grim. I thought any chance of getting a broadcast deal was next to nothing, and if they did it would be parked on Foxtel for much less then previous. Meaning no money to retain the best players.

I’m bloody amazed that we’re here now, with 5 teams nonetheless and live fucken FTA coverage of Super Rugby for the first time in 25 years. Sure you won’t please everyone, but I’m stoked I get to watch my team again 2021.