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Rugby TV Ratings 2016

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Kel Varnsen

Frank Row (1)
But not surprising, is it? It's a very popular sport here.

The NRL is very popular, but it's always seemed to me that even the league media don't give international league much credibility or attention. Maybe I am old, but it doesn't seem that long ago that Bledisloe's were rating alongside origin games, now our jewel in the crown is getting outrated by league tests nobody is supposed to care about. The code has fallen far.
 

The_Wookie

Chris McKivat (8)
The NRL is very popular, but it's always seemed to me that even the league media don't give international league much credibility or attention. Maybe I am old, but it doesn't seem that long ago that Bledisloe's were rating alongside origin games, now our jewel in the crown is getting outrated by league tests nobody is supposed to care about. The code has fallen far.

Its been quite puzzling to me that league which gets massive crowds for Origin, schedules International fixtures at Newcastle and nib Stadium.
 

mst

Peter Johnson (47)
Its been quite puzzling to me that league which gets massive crowds for Origin, schedules International fixtures at Newcastle and nib Stadium.

I think its strategic. Stadiums not too big so you can fill them with crowds not overloaded on the game and it rewards those people who cant usually get to regular season games.

We all know that 9.5 out of every 10 Sydney sports fans like to stay home based on the TV rating v crowd numbers for most games.
 

flat_eric

Alfred Walker (16)
People have been saying that for 30 years. 'Soccer is coming, watch out'. 'It's going to take over, because it's the World Game'.

And yet the game is, more or less, in the same place it was 15 years ago. I'd actually argue it's worse off now than it was a decade ago.

The A-League has stagnated, and was belted by the Big Bash this year. Crowds are down, as are TV ratings. The Socceroos have won the Asian Cup but still struggle to fill stadiums for WQ qualifiers. They are playing Greece in June and I reckon they will be lucky to get over 40k.

I actually don't think they are a huge competitor to rugby due to season timings. The A-League had it's final yesterday, and in reality our season has barely started. We aren't losing crowds to the A-League, or media attention.

At a participation level they are a juggernaut, but they always have been.
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So far in 2016/17 A-League crowds and ratings are (significantly) up. I think the FFA made a smart move by front ending the season with the big Sydney and Melbourne derbies, capturing media attention in the traditional lull between the end of the AFL/NRL season and the start of the cricket season. The Sydney derby in particular got the new season off to a bang with 62k at the game and 142k tuning in on Fox. Rugby would love to have that kind of night out.

With expansion and a new TV rights deal on the horizon, which is supposedly courting FTA interest, I'd say the growth trajectory of domestic football/soccer is a lot higher than rugby right now.
 

Beer Baron

Phil Hardcastle (33)
So far in 2016/17 A-League crowds and ratings are (significantly) up. I think the FFA made a smart move by front ending the season with the big Sydney and Melbourne derbies, capturing media attention in the traditional lull between the end of the AFL/NRL season and the start of the cricket season. The Sydney derby in particular got the new season off to a bang with 62k at the game and 142k tuning in on Fox. Rugby would love to have that kind of night out.

With expansion and a new TV rights deal on the horizon, which is supposedly courting FTA interest, I'd say the growth trajectory of domestic football/soccer is a lot higher than rugby right now.
There needs to be a "dont like but agree" button

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barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
You could be right. They always get the advantage of no footy or cricket in the first few months, so they have a clear run. Really their numbers should be much higher given they are the only game in town.

I'll reserve judgement until February. They have certainly benifitted from the first genuine marquee player they have had in years - Tim Cahill.
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half

Alan Cameron (40)
You could be right. They always get the advantage of no footy or cricket in the first few months, so they have a clear run. Really their numbers should be much higher given they are the only game in town.

I'll reserve judgement until February. They have certainly benifitted from the first genuine marquee player they have had in years - Tim Cahill.
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Mostly agree, however Yosihi has had assisted as well and their rating are up hugely, not just a little. The big bash normally halves their ratings so will be interesting to see when it starts..
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
But Half the point is if they are putting all their best rated games at the start of the season, of course their ratings will be up huge.

You're comparing it to previously when less desirable games were played at the same time.

Super Rugby would be exactly the same.

But ultimately at the end of the season it will all even out.

I think people are getting carried away with individual numbers from single A-League matches. But ultimately based on their recent season averages it means that some matches are seeing huge lows in these same numbers.

Ultimately their trajectory is in the right direction (the opposite to ours!) and that is concerning. But it's more so moving at glacial pace. In over a decade their attendance has barely improved 1%.

Their TV Ratings have not blown rugby out of the water per game. Supposedly SBS are not too impressed with the ratings their matches are getting. Which leads me to the point that looking at the numbers, opening up some games to close to 70% more viewers has not seen a huge increase in their ratings, which sort of addresses the point to many who believe that FTA presence at any cost is the key to Australian rugby's problems.

Perhaps we will look at the end of the A-League season and see them making good strides. But I'm skeptical considering that with FTA presence it wasn't seen in 2015/2016.

As I said yes they are moving in the right direction and we are moving in the wrong. But no crowd and TV viewer averages support this view that they are some sleeping giant.
 

Strewthcobber

Mark Ella (57)
Reds v tahs did 149k this year, Brumbies tahs 120k.

Then AFL and NRL started.

Also interesting that premier league games are much more popular on FTA than the A-league even taking into account the increase and simulcast. Probably means there's lots more football fans our there for the domestic comp to capture
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
And further to this, the Daily Telegraph is reporting the following today:

"Questions are being asked about FFA's decision to form out $1 million to bring Tim Cahill to the A-League.

Some top ranking officials are concerned about seeing a return on their seven figure investment after only 8076 people turned out to watch the big money signing play at home in Melbourne against Perth."

Now I have not doubt a lot of it is a media beat up as the Tele is undoubtedly an NRL supporting publication. But the fact remains that the 8k crowd in Melbourne, against no other codes competition is very low and in fact below any A-League season average in it's history.

It's a tough market out there.
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
Kewell and ADP factor wore off too.

Plus Timmy didn't buy many favours among the Domestic Football community when he called the A-League, lacking in vi$ion.
 
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flat_eric

Alfred Walker (16)
And further to this, the Daily Telegraph is reporting the following today:

"Questions are being asked about FFA's decision to form out $1 million to bring Tim Cahill to the A-League.

Some top ranking officials are concerned about seeing a return on their seven figure investment after only 8076 people turned out to watch the big money signing play at home in Melbourne against Perth."

Now I have not doubt a lot of it is a media beat up as the Tele is undoubtedly an NRL supporting publication. But the fact remains that the 8k crowd in Melbourne, against no other codes competition is very low and in fact below any A-League season average in it's history.

It's a tough market out there.


Yeah I'd take that story with a grain of salt. Melbourne City membership is just a tick over 10k (third highest in the league behind Victory and WSW), a huge increase over previous seasons. That's probably the more important metric to consider rather than a one-off cold and wet night out in Melbourne. I think the signing of Cahill was exactly the shot in the arm the club needed (it was always facing an uphill battle to capture supporters given Victory's established dominance). When you take into consideration wider media publicity and ratings, FFA should see a return on its investment many times over.

As someone previously mentioned football isn't a direct competitor for rugby, but it's worth keeping an eye on how their code is doing in the marketplace.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
A one-off cold and wet night in Melbourne?

I take it you've never been to Melbourne Eric?

10k for city certainly isn't great considering that's hardly above the Rebels that compete directly with AFL.
 
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