Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Joe King]

I always thought if things went to a trans-Tasman comp then Monday nights could be a good option. When the NRL was on it, it was Fox Sports largest viewing program every week. It only got taken away because channel 9 wanted the Thursday night fixture instead.

How does the thurs night fixture rate? Anyone know?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How does the thurs night fixture rate? Anyone know?

It topped 800k last week. Which was up apparently from last year.

 

[Rebels3]

It topped 800k last week. Which was up apparently from last year.

Yep record audience apparently. No Sydney team involved either

 

[Braveheart81]

Yep record audience apparently. No Sydney team involved either

Does that improve things though given it was the first game of the season?

Halfway through the season that would probably rate a lot worse but for the first game there'd be a lot of NRL fans of other teams who'd watch just because they haven't had a game to watch for so long.

 

[Strewthcobber]

It topped 800k last week. Which was up apparently from last year.

334k on Foxtel as well, up a fair bit on Broncos v Dragons last year 261k

 

[Strewthcobber]

Interesting that F1 broke their record for the highest rating Foxtel broadcast ever last weekend as well.

Kayo doesn't seem to be impacting the ratings numbers for these sports - which is one of the reasons given for the dramatic decline in A-League ratings.

How much kiwi interest would there be in a mid-week super rugby game?
It's one thing watching a game til midnight on the weekend. Thursday/Monday are another story

 

[kiap]

highest rating Foxtel broadcast ever last weekend as well.

How to explain these highest rating broadcasts ever … if … ?

(a) Foxtel users (including Kayo users) are down by 484,000 in the twelve months to February​

(b) If you go back 18 months, Foxtel users are down by 636,000​

(c) Kayo are not included in the ratings​

Something's missing/not adding up. Is there dark matter in this universe?

Have peeps who still have Foxtel just started really, really, reeeely watching TF out of their TVs to get value for money?

Wot's doin'?

 

[Braveheart81]

How to explain these highest rating broadcasts ever … if … ?

(a) Foxtel users (including Kayo users) are down by 484,000 in just the three months to February​

(b) If you go back 18 months, Foxtel users are down by 636,000​

(c) Kayo are not included in the ratings​

Something's missing/not adding up. Is there dark matter in this universe?

Have peeps who still have Foxtel just started really, really, reeeely watching TF out of their TVs to get value for money?

Wot's doin'?

I think the Australian GP was live on Channel 10 but every other race only has highlights on FTA.

I think this is the first year that Foxtel is the only live broadcaster for the remainder of the season so maybe there has been a big uptake in the number of F1 fan subscribers.

It would be interesting to see where Foxtel is losing subscribers. You'd have to think that a lot are those who subscribed for the variety of TV shows and now have a number of much cheaper streaming options with lots of content. If sport was a major reason for subscribing then you'd think that those numbers have stayed strong. The sport offering on Foxtel has improved greatly over the last 5 years as well.

 

[kiap]

a big uptake in the number of F1 fan subscribers.

Mmmm. Is there an uptake in NRL subscribers to produce one-off results like a 27% increase in Fox viewers, when FTA had a 1% effect?

The half million users+ that dumped out of Foxtel could be fictitious.

… or maybe those folk were solely sokkah fans?

 

[Braveheart81]

Mmmm. Is there an uptake in NRL subscribers to produce one-off results like a 27% increase in Fox viewers, when FTA had a 1% effect?

The half million users+ that dumped out of Foxtel could be fictitious.

… or maybe those folk were solely sokkah fans?

I have no idea. If you're a die hard NRL fan though you now get all the games on Foxtel, compared with only three per week on FTA and they've bulked up their non-game NRL content with the dedicated channel.

Undoubtedly they would have lost soccer fans who subscribed predominantly for EPL when they lost those rights.

I am speculating but given the changing TV landscape what sort of viewers do you think Foxtel would have lost the most subscribers from and what sort of viewers do you think new subscribers would most likely be?

 

[Strewthcobber]

How to explain these highest rating broadcasts ever … if … ?

(a) Foxtel users (including Kayo users) are down by 484,000 in the twelve months to February​

(b) If you go back 18 months, Foxtel users are down by 636,000​

(c) Kayo are not included in the ratings​

Something's missing/not adding up. Is there dark matter in this universe?

Have peeps who still have Foxtel just started really, really, reeeely watching TF out of their TVs to get value for money?

Wot's doin'?

Obviously answer (d) ratings =/= viewers

(and just to clarify what I meant, this was the highest rating F1 race ever on Foxtel)

What I think could be happening is that the people who have dumped Foxtel recently weren't sports fans, who have kept their subscription. SO the percentage of Foxtel viewers watching sport on the Oztam sample has increased and hence ratings have gone up

Except for A-League.

 

[kiap]

what sort of viewers do you think Foxtel would have lost the most subscribers from

Viewers across the board, including sports fans lke #1622 and #1624, that don't rate the bundled service as deserving of their continued patronage.

and what sort of viewers do you think new subscribers would most likely be?

Heh. It's going the other way. My prediction be would be north of 150,000+ un-subscribers, net, this year.

 

[kiap]

People dumping Foxtel aren't sports fans?

Reckon I could do a straw poll on this thread and find a dozen dumpers without even trying hard.

 

[Strewthcobber]

People dumping Foxtel aren't sports fans?

Reckon I could do a straw poll on this thread and find a dozen dumpers without even trying hard.

Could you find more that that dumped that weren't sports fans? Those that have gone to Netflix?

That is what the numbers point to

 

[Sully]

I was talking to the missus about Kayo and foxte. She rang Foxtel and told them my plan and got $40 a month off our plan for a year. Kayo hasn't released an app for my TV yet anyway so more than happy with that.

 

[Braveheart81]

Viewers across the board, including sports fans lke #1622 and #1624, that don't rate the bundled service as deserving of their continued patronage.

Heh. It's going the other way. My prediction be would be north of 150,000+ un-subscribers, net, this year.

Of course there will be sports fans unsubscribing. I'm not sure two people going from the Foxtel Now subscription to the Kayo subscription are indicative of much though.

Sure, it is a given that Foxtel is losing subscribers on a net basis. Do you think there are literally no new subscriptions though?

I don't know the answer and neither do you. All I'm questioning is given what has become available at much cheaper price points for streaming of TV shows and movies compared with sport through Foxtel, FTA or otherwise, where do you think most of the movement would be.

If you think it must be true that Foxtel's retention rate is similar regardless of whether people primarily are interested in sport or not at all then that's fine. I just don't think that is likely.

In my opinion the offering for sport from Foxtel is far more compelling than the entertainment/movie offering compared to the competition.

 

[kiap]

Could you find more that that dumped that weren't sports fans? Those that have gone to Netflix?

That is what the numbers point to

I see old pay TV eaten away on all sides … 'entertainment' - reality and imaginary, and including sports. BTW does anyone believe Sky News drives subscriptions? LOL

Average revenue per unit is only going one way, and that's down.

 

[kiap]

Of course there will be sports fans unsubscribing. I'm not sure two people going from the Foxtel Now subscription to the Kayo subscription are indicative of much though.

It's indicative of people moving toward paying less. Foxtel know their business model is shrinking. They're trying to hang on through the likes of Kayo Sports

 

[mst]

Could you find more that that dumped that weren't sports fans? Those that have gone to Netflix?

That is what the numbers point to

Add Stan in to the conversation about the shift from Foxtel. All Disney content has moved to Stan. Thats a big reason for those with kids to change.

 

[Slim 293]

In terms of exclusivity, Foxtel are really only left with HBO now............

All other premium TV content is either being produced by Netflix, Amazon Prime, or being snatched up by Stan, who also acquired the Showtime contract.........

SBS are also picking up a few scraps too..........

All new film releases that are on Foxtel are also poppin up on either Stan or Netflix at the same time, or sometimes before their Fox release date.........

And as mst pointed out, Stan also have the Disney contract, which includes Marvel.