Broadcast options for Australian Rugby
- Thread starter WorkingClassRugger
- Start date
Wallaby Man
Trevor Allan (34)
I personally think Kayo/Fox is a better move than having it on Stan. We are talking about one of the biggest subscription bases in Australia. However I do like the idea of some FTA. Perfect world for me would be having FTA offering 1 game a week but that 1 game been the state where the broadcast is sent to. This is what happens in US sports. FTA offers the local team and then needing to subscribe for the remaining games. It even happens here in Aus with AFL, QLD gets different FTA games to what Victoria gets sometimes.
For the record I think Stan has done a great job, however Stan sport doesn’t have a large audience
For the record I think Stan has done a great job, however Stan sport doesn’t have a large audience
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
I do like the idea of the local game as it does draw more attention. I know I’ve skipped a Force game v the Highlanders because I just don’t care. (Except our Force die hards go off so I enjoy lurking here during it)
The Marketing Pigeon
Herbert Moran (7)
This is a great idea
half
Alan Cameron (40)
How to word this without inflaming the more traditional posters. My stance has always been from the late 90's when per team Rugby was the highest paid code per team and per game and had the second best attendance, we needed to develop a National Domestic Competition, as position I held until a couple of years ago, when i said we are no longer strong enough to develop a NDC .
Further I said I don't know what to do anymore as we are right now past a recovery to a much better place.
Having said all this, I just read a US article on big tech, and how they are getting involved in sport, I have copied only part of the article, what stands out for me is totally new competition and the answer just maybe if we can alien Rugby to somehow connect into the newer hhhmmmm say actives or sports, if streaming is the new God then the young are who we need and thats were our investment should be, its clear in the US anyway Football is connecting to the young.
As I said our investment should be aimed at the young,
To the copied bit
"""
The woes of legacy leagues are unlikely to stop tech titans from acquiring even more of them–but Big Tech should be looking at the most popular sports on digital. This wave of new sports, from E-Sports and Robo Sports to Trick Shots and Parkour, are the sports of the future, racking up billions of views from Gen Z males.
Apple scores big with the MLS
In a big move that does look to the digital future, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, SVP of Services, secured exclusive rights to MLS. It’s the one and only traditional sports league that attracts the same demographics as streamers, including Gen Z males. In fact, it has the youngest audience among all legacy leagues."""""
Further I said I don't know what to do anymore as we are right now past a recovery to a much better place.
Having said all this, I just read a US article on big tech, and how they are getting involved in sport, I have copied only part of the article, what stands out for me is totally new competition and the answer just maybe if we can alien Rugby to somehow connect into the newer hhhmmmm say actives or sports, if streaming is the new God then the young are who we need and thats were our investment should be, its clear in the US anyway Football is connecting to the young.
As I said our investment should be aimed at the young,
To the copied bit
"""
The woes of legacy leagues are unlikely to stop tech titans from acquiring even more of them–but Big Tech should be looking at the most popular sports on digital. This wave of new sports, from E-Sports and Robo Sports to Trick Shots and Parkour, are the sports of the future, racking up billions of views from Gen Z males.
Apple scores big with the MLS
In a big move that does look to the digital future, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, SVP of Services, secured exclusive rights to MLS. It’s the one and only traditional sports league that attracts the same demographics as streamers, including Gen Z males. In fact, it has the youngest audience among all legacy leagues."""""
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
F1 has embraced the new world
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
I posted recently about the Las Vegas Golden Knights Ice Hockey team is offering its own platform for $69 per year for all their games. I like the concept for engaging your direct audience. Others will still get a league wide pass but a lot of casuals only want the local side IMO
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
I feel like we are getting closer to a Champions League style comp each day. Waugh made some comments in the Roar article about RA losing Crichton (could be from earlier) saying the way we get better is playing more varied teams e.g. South African.
If a champions league comes into play, do Stan retain the rights to stream it because it would likely involve Super teams. Or does that competition hit the open market?
If a champions league comes into play, do Stan retain the rights to stream it because it would likely involve Super teams. Or does that competition hit the open market?
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
I'd imagine it's up for grabs. Rugby will want to cash in again.
Isn't some of the Soccer separated? I'd hope Stan would grab it though.
Isn't some of the Soccer separated? I'd hope Stan would grab it though.
Pone's Mullet
Alex Ross (28)
I remember an article from a couple of years ago that Stan gained nearly 150,000 sport subscribers since it began broadcasting rugby union matches - do the math that 150k x $24 - that's $3.6m per month they'd lose if they dropped rugby.
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Another new SVOD set to enter Australian Market: Warner Brothers ‘Max’
Foxtel/Binge is the big loser here as they currently hold the Warner Bros catalogue but it expires in 2025.
Warner Bros streaming boss flags local Max rollout in blow for Foxtel
https://www.afr.com/companies/media...l-out-in-blow-for-foxtel-20231001-p5e8x9?btis
Foxtel/Binge is the big loser here as they currently hold the Warner Bros catalogue but it expires in 2025.
Warner Bros streaming boss flags local Max rollout in blow for Foxtel
https://www.afr.com/companies/media...l-out-in-blow-for-foxtel-20231001-p5e8x9?btis
Rebel man
Jim Lenehan (48)
When he says knowledge of the industry he is correct. How have they survived as the major player for so long?
They have no interest in growing rugby, but if Stan lose rugby it’s a massive blow for Stan Sports. It also would really hurt Stan’s chances of getting the NRL rights and that is the end game for Fox
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
In the case of Stan Sport where it’s a ‘value add’ product, it’s more than just number of users. A key metric they reference in the annual report is average revenue per user and the retention rate of customers that improved.
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Yep, procuring the rights to rugby is a cheap way to kill off opposition long term than risk losing additional sports when they next come up.
Rebel man
Jim Lenehan (48)
It could work in our favour.
KevinO
Geoff Shaw (53)
The amount of subscription services is becoming crazy, sports passes alone have gone crazy. As long as rugby does not believe you can follow the premier league model.
As for the Stan/Fox arguments, when rugby was on Fox you got Super Rugby and Top14, had to pay extra for other channels to get URC, Premiership and Heineken Cup. There was even a season where the Heineken Cup wasn't available at all in Australia. Since then I cracked it with Australian providers and have found alternative ways to watch rugby, I have to admit I enjoy watching the World cup mixing up which broadcaster I use.
As for the Stan/Fox arguments, when rugby was on Fox you got Super Rugby and Top14, had to pay extra for other channels to get URC, Premiership and Heineken Cup. There was even a season where the Heineken Cup wasn't available at all in Australia. Since then I cracked it with Australian providers and have found alternative ways to watch rugby, I have to admit I enjoy watching the World cup mixing up which broadcaster I use.
People are so quick to forget that for 20+ years while the game was on Foxtel the regular argument was that if the games were on FTA then lots more people would tune in just because they had access to it.
Now we're on Stan where the coverage is a lot better than it ever was on Foxtel and people are arguing we should go back to Foxtel because there are more potential eyeballs that could watch the game because they have access to the platform. We were there for 20 years and it was very clear they didn't watch. Rugby League and AFL fans didn't watch in any meaningful way just because they had access to the channel with rugby on it.
Now we're on Stan where the coverage is a lot better than it ever was on Foxtel and people are arguing we should go back to Foxtel because there are more potential eyeballs that could watch the game because they have access to the platform. We were there for 20 years and it was very clear they didn't watch. Rugby League and AFL fans didn't watch in any meaningful way just because they had access to the channel with rugby on it.
Pfitzy
George Gregan (70)
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
Getting more than just the Wallabies games for the RWC ('27) on FTA would be essential. This year, the Optus paywall was the largest criticism of the Women's football WC. Some nights, I wouldn't have minded putting it on in the background, especially when some of the larger teams, e.g. Germany and USA, were playing. If you took the Matilda's success out of the equation, you wouldn't have realised the tournament was on.