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2019 TV ratings and crowd numbers

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
A - league is in real trouble huh


Crowds are down averaging 8k and the viewing figures have been very poor for some time. So, you'd have to begin to think things are looking too rosy. Foxtel are currently trying to get out of paying an extra $7m a year for the inclusion of the two expansion sides thanks largely to the dramatic fall off in ratings. It has to be close to terminal at this stage. Not that true believers want to admit it. They were maintaining that there was been some mass migration to Kayo and now its the MyFootball Live App.

But if either of those were true then Foxtel wouldn't be trying to withhold funding as they have cross platform arrangements with MyFootball Live App. There also hasn't been a huge uptake of the app and from all accounts from those who have it's not great so there's question around it's retention.
 

Rebels3

Jim Lenehan (48)
Yeh it’s not going very well for the a-League. I can tell you there is a fta network floating around the idea of engaging in more a-League rights tho. It’s very much at the inquiring stage tho, they are wanting to see what happens with the transition over to an independent league structure.
 

Pass it to Dunning!

Bob Loudon (25)
Yeh it’s not going very well for the a-League. I can tell you there is a fta network floating around the idea of engaging in more a-League rights tho. It’s very much at the inquiring stage tho, they are wanting to see what happens with the transition over to an independent league structure.

It's the network that declared bankruptcy last year. No doubt the rights would be very cheap.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer...d-for-a-league-tv-rights-20190329-p518ye.html

Gallop desperately trying to drive some interest in the FTA rights for next season.

Ten would have to be mad to a) pay for it and b) show it at any important time when advertiser's might be interested. Could you think of a better way to lose money?


And we cannot get our game on FTA in at least some capacity, how? The A-League is tanking making our ratings look out of this world. If it does get what it wants and we don't get something then we're truly up the creek.
 

Aurelius

Ted Thorn (20)
Whatever the future holds for the A-League specifically it's inconceivable that professional soccer wouldn't exist in this country in some form or other, or that it wouldn't be broadcast.

It has been quite a strange sort of season in that the top six were basically determined halfway through, leaving the bottom four basically playing for pride for the last few months. I don't blame the fans of the stragglers for not turning up - there's not even the prospect of avoiding relegation to keep them motivated. Hopefully next season will be more competitive across the board and people will tune in again.

Not that I'm complaining as a Glory fan, mind you.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Whatever the future holds for the A-League specifically it's inconceivable that professional soccer wouldn't exist in this country in some form or other, or that it wouldn't be broadcast.

It has been quite a strange sort of season in that the top six were basically determined halfway through, leaving the bottom four basically playing for pride for the last few months. I don't blame the fans of the stragglers for not turning up - there's not even the prospect of avoiding relegation to keep them motivated. Hopefully next season will be more competitive across the board and people will tune in again.

Not that I'm complaining as a Glory fan, mind you.


But the poor ratings aren't just confined to the 4 bottom sides. It's right across the board.
 

Aurelius

Ted Thorn (20)
But the poor ratings aren't just confined to the 4 bottom sides. It's right across the board.


Well, yeah. The top six is all set. Not a great deal of tension for neutral fans.

Actually, I was thinking about the shape of the clubs the other day and concluded that only Glory and Victory are in really good shape. Sydney FC's lost their aura, Melbourne City are stuck with an egomaniac for a coach who fell out with his best player, Adelaide fell out with their coach and Wellington are apparently facing the prospect of getting axed just as they're becoming a force on the field (I can relate a fair bit to that, but still). And those are the teams that are playing well!

It makes you think that if the game was a bit better run it would result in a more popular competition. At least the A-League's trying to turn its fortunes around, adding new teams, trying to change the ownership structure of the comp, etc. But as I said, it's inconceivable that professional football won't exist in Australia. Whether the comp is called the A-League or whether it involves the current clubs is the question.

PS As I've also mentioned in (I think) this thread, having private owners willing to fund the clubs' losses makes a big difference to the viability of any comp.
 

Strewthcobber

Mark Ella (57)
And we cannot get our game on FTA in at least some capacity, how? The A-League is tanking making our ratings look out of this world. If it does get what it wants and we don't get something then we're truly up the creek.
Ten would be mad to put more rugby on to. They already put the tests on, and the Argentina game is their lowest rating slot all year - Super rugby games are much less popular than even that test match.

And as we have seen with A-league on one, having regular FTA games has made no difference to the sports popularity.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Ten would be mad to put more rugby on to. They already put the tests on, and the Argentina game is their lowest rating slot all year - Super rugby games are much less popular than even that test match.

And as we have seen with A-league on one, having regular FTA games has made no difference to the sports popularity.


True but at the same time as the ratings are suggesting participation or casual interest in a sport doesn't mean popularity. I'm not suggesting getting a game a week on FTA would return remarkable ratings but Soccer suffers from being a mediocre league in comparison with the elite leagues in the world. Super Rugby can still make an argument as to being the best Rugby competition in the world. Perception is a very powerful element to the equation.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Whatever the future holds for the A-League specifically it's inconceivable that professional soccer wouldn't exist in this country in some form or other, or that it wouldn't be broadcast.

It has been quite a strange sort of season in that the top six were basically determined halfway through, leaving the bottom four basically playing for pride for the last few months. I don't blame the fans of the stragglers for not turning up - there's not even the prospect of avoiding relegation to keep them motivated. Hopefully next season will be more competitive across the board and people will tune in again.

Not that I'm complaining as a Glory fan, mind you.


I'm not suggesting there won't be something at a level that can be considered professional but I just don't think it will a serious contender for some time. If ever.
 

Aurelius

Ted Thorn (20)
Oh, yeah. It's the AFL's world and the other sports just live in its shadow. I think we can all agree with that.
 

Rebels3

Jim Lenehan (48)
Ideally I’d like FTA to be able to provide the local teams game live each week. That way people get exposed to their team, while Fox can continue to keep most of the games behind a paywall. Eg. All Tahs games shown live into NSW, Rebels into Vic on channel 10 and then fox can still cash in on rugby consumers looking for more etc. initially I think it’d be easier to drive audiences this way, and then look at providing more FTA content once there is demand for it

One thing people don’t realize with Super Rugby is it’s lack of appeal to a FTA broadcaster because their isn’t consistency in time slots. NRL/AFL etc. can provide structure for their other programming to work around. People are very habitual in their viewing and it’s not ideal to provide content that isn’t consistent.
 
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