Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[LeCheese]

Still ~50% of people though - you'd imagine many of whom fall into the 34% who do not use a streaming service.

Not to point out the obvious, but it's also important to remember that these are numbers for all streaming services, not just Stan (or whichever platform rugby will be on moving forward). Maintaining another streaming service - particularly if for a 'sole purpose' such as watching rugby - is a barrier for many people, especially the casual fan. I still think there's a very strong case for FTA access as a result.

 

[KevinO]

blows my mind that 71% of under 29 watch free to air. None of my mates do.

One of my aerial connections is broken, it does not bother me in the slightest as I never watch FTA and I'm nearly 40. My 4 and 8YO know how to work streaming services so they don't, and it's actually a blessing as ABC kids adds tend to be for toys they want if the TV is on free to air.

I have 5000+ stations available and besides rugby pretty much stick to VOD so I don't have to bother with adds.

 

[Braveheart81]

"ABC iview continued to attract the largest FTA catch-up TV audience (58%)"

Would be good to get a breakdown of how much of this is just Bluey episodes.

 

[John S]

When we built three years ago, we purposely did not put a TV aerial in. We don't watch any FTA. All our viewing is streaming online (either with the FTA channels platform, or Stan etc).

Pretty much the only time I watch anything live is the rugby.

 

[wamberal99]

Ch 7 today announced major senior management cuts, Ch 9 also major management cuts.

DID YOU SAY CUTS???

 

[liquor box]

blows my mind that 71% of under 29 watch free to air. None of my mates do.

I think it is females, I cannot think of the last free to air show I watched, but my wife and her friends (and the girls at my office) all seem to watch endless "reality TV" programs.

Edit- just thought of one, I watch the Matildas on free to air

 

[Merrow]

This female watches some FTA. Planet America, 4 Corners, The Weekly…
Not a reality show watcher. Last night watched SOO on FTA

 

[Strewthcobber]

In the latest Television & Media Survey (2023) women are a fair bit more likely to watch streaming services, and there are more women than men who say they pay for Netflix, Stan etc.

Australian men watch more FTA and Youtube.

The differences can be explained mostly by older men watching news and sport on FTA, and households with children have more streaming services (which skews female)

 

[Slim 293]

This female watches some FTA.

In our household it's fairly similar with ABC really the only FTA channel that gets any regular viewing...

Four Corners (sometimes) and Media Watch on Monday nights, and my partner might try and squeeze in a little bit of ABC News Breakfast in the morning before a kid's show has to be loaded up on Netflix or Stan.

She also watches Insiders, but on catch up via ABC iView.

Otherwise, it's just occasionally the AFL on 7 in the background while cooking on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night.

I didn't know the State of Origin was on last night... here in Melbourne.

Apparently 90,000 others did though...

 

[Dctarget]

There were ads everywhere in the city, the monuments were lit up in red & blue.

 

[Slim 293]

I assume they were only lit up yesterday though?

I actually stayed in the CBD over the weekend and didn't notice anything... but I was also more concerned with what I was drinking.

 

[dru]

Entirely understandable, Slim.

 

[Derpus]

I too drink when in Melbourne.

 

[liquor box]

Not a Rugby article but some big changes in broadcasting-

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/next-in-the-firing-line-crisis-could-switch-off-network-10-in-tasmania-and-nt-regional-wa-services-bailed-out/news-story/c4307d2687539b53d6054a8d6032f155

There are fears that Network 10 could stop broadcasting in Tasmania and the Northern Territory after the closure of a major regional market earlier this week and a last-minute bailout.
Ten stopped airing in Mildura at midnight Sunday with the network’s evening news show – The Project – warning, “and next in the firing line? regional WA, the NT and Tasmania.”

Ten does not own its regional stations in Australia but rather is distributed by a series of joint ventures to air its programs in such markets.

Mildura in Northern Victoria became the first region to turn off the network’s transmissions to some 70,000 potential viewers after the collapse of one such joint-venture operator run by Seven and the WIN Network – Mildura Digital Television (MDT).

In a statement, it was confirmed MDT had been running “at a loss” since it was established in 2006 and continuing broadcasting no longer made “commercial sense”.

“While no one likes to see services decline in regional Australia, it does not make commercial sense to subsidise a signal which is not making any money,” it said.

This is an interesting development, I guess it will see regional Australians use free to air streaming if they cannot use an antenna.

 

[Adam84]

Seperate but related…because it’s mentioned in this thread previously..

APL set to slash distributions to A-League clubs from $2.5million to just $500k for coming season.

This is the same APL who squandered the sale of a a PE stake for $140million over the past 3 years.

Funding cut as A-League clubs forced to cover $20M loss

https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...y/news-story/ea68437e66d32109dea0ced3c5d36aec

 

[Highlander35]

wow

 

[SouthernX]

This is very concerning.

Wonder if there’s any rebels like scenarios coming down the pipeline for the A-League?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Just when you think Rugby is unsurpassed in it's financial incompetence.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Crazily enough they are adding Auckland to the mix for next season and there's a push for Canberra in the next season or two.

 

[SouthernX]

yes - but Auckland will be a big time ownership group in Bill Foley. Owner of the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

I don’t think every a-league club is that deep pocketed and if interest rates weren’t so high and bills were being paid on time- the rebels might still be here.