Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[kiap]

I’ve never really found it an engaging program. Doesn’t delve into any particular sport in great detail. All surface level stuff. It’s neither been solid analysis or clever humour.

When Barrie Cassidy originally hosted Offsiders (for the first decade ...) it was actually decent.*

Gerard Whateley then took over and that was a step down.

Moving to the current incarnation, though, it became total shite. The show went "Full Melbourne", with everything that this implies.**

* Cassidy, btw, was also the best Insiders host.

** Don't get me wrong, I was born in the joint and it's an OK place. But you never go Full Melbourne.

 

[Giulia]

In the 2010s there were good episodes when everyone on the panel would work in AFL & NRL newspapers and have something to say about what's happening off field. Now it's 35-40 year old ex-players of various sports wanting a media career who are never going to say anything too critical.

 

[JRugby2]

I sometimes wonder if the ABC have commercial interest in cricket and AFL... Offsiders today followed on from the last weeks which was 100% cricket with honorable mentions to AFLW. Rugby internationals against leading nations, football friendlies, some surfing moments, F! car racing, many Australians playing in top line Basketball teams in the US....

If media reports are anything to go by the NRL is looking for a huge media deal, and with the AFL media deal with 7, more than likely resulting in even more attention by commercial networks to AFL & NRL.

I would love our national broadcaster to at least a mention major international tests. On the central coast AFL has so few players they need to partner with Newcastle for a competition. Yet the CC ABC when thy talk of sport will cover cricket and draft pick considerations for AFL teams. Again remember as I said on the CC AFL numbers are small.

Rant over just beyond pissed at no coverage , SFA not even a mention.

They definitely don't - but the real answer is probably the most likely one, in that in all likelihood they just understand where most of their audiences interests lie at this time of year.

It would be nice to get more coverage, but the Wallabies losing again is just plainly not newsworthy in a 30 minute weekly program, while the Ashes are here and the AFLW would probably be close to as popular as rugby in the country right now and reaching the pointy end of their season.

There is almost definitely a push to talk about more Women's sports, whether they inaccurately represent the quality or not is a matter of opinion - but when 25 of your 30 minutes is dedicated to the cricket you probably aren't given the opportunity to do that in a reasonable manner.

 

[Slim 293]

They definitely don't - but the real answer is probably the most likely one, in that in all likelihood they just understand where most of their audiences interests lie at this time of year.

It would be nice to get more coverage, but the Wallabies losing again is just plainly not newsworthy in a 30 minute weekly program, while the Ashes are here and the AFLW would probably be close to as popular as rugby in the country right now and reaching the pointy end of their season.

The North v Melbourne prelim was probably one of the AFLW games of the year too...

 

[Strewthcobber]

I struggle to imagine there is any potential new audience for rugby watching a sports program on the ABC at 11:30am on a Sunday, or listening to local ABC radio.

That's just not where the next generations of supporters are

 

[JRugby2]

If you're a particular fan of Offsiders I can kind of understand the frustration - but otherwise it's a weird one to get annoyed at. There is genuinely so much rugby content to get around in whatever format you want to consume it in. As strewth said I don't think it's one to really be worried about in terms of reaching new audiences.