NRL TV Rights: A raw deal for rugby union
Roar Guru By Rothers, 22 Aug 2012 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
362 Have your say
3,106 readsThe news that Channel 9 and the Wide World of Sports have once again secured the television rights to broadcast the NRL is an unqualified disaster for the Australian Rugby Union, the Wallabies and rugby union fans.
We are now facing a situation where rugby will continue to receive second-class treatment until at least the 2015 Rugby World Cup, at which time we must hope that the ARU will show some leadership to ensure that rugby free-to-air coverage is the pride of the network holding the rights.
Channel Nine have unfortunately quite obviously considered rugby to be only a second tier sport.
Their lack of commitment to the Rugby World Cup last year was disgraceful for what is the third biggest sporting event in the world, behind only the Olympic Games and Football (soccer) World Cup.
It is simply not good enough that rugby Test matches are not shown live on Channel Nine throughout the country. One wonders why they bought the rights to rugby in the first place.
It now appears conceivable that Nine had no intention of providing decent coverage and simply wanted to minimise the competition to its own NRL broadcasts in the eastern states.
Channel Nine’s treatment of rugby is a far cry from the great tradition of broadcasts harking back to the days of Norman May and Gordon Bray at the ABC.
I call on the ARU and Channel Nine to renegotiate their current arrangement or immediately place the rights to broadcast free-to-air rugby to tender, effective immediately.
Do you agree, roarers?
The Crowd Says (362) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 22nd 2012 @ 2:43am
Mella said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:43am | Report comment
I believe the value of the AFL and NRL rights genuinely threatens the long term existence of pro rugby in Australia, and further down the track even New Zealand. The difference in revenues generated by NRL and ARU will probably now pass a tipping point whereby all the best of the best juniors will be sucked into league. The next generation of players like Digby Ioane, Kurtley Beale, James O’conner and Quade Cooper simply wont choose the no longer competitive entry level contracts provided by Super rugby teams and the ARU. Exciting backline players have been the Wallabies traditional strength so this loss will cause a downward spiral whereby the national team is no longer ranked in the top 5 and ARU revenues dry up until super rugby is unsustainable. This process will take 10 years but anyone with an eye for forecasting business trends should be able to see it. AFL and NRL are both fairly mediocre ‘products’, it really didn’t have to be like this, but when the biggest game of the year is ruined by an Irish dork with a whistle I have little faith in those managing rugby in Australia to turn these trends around.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:01am
Shop said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:01am | Report comment
In Australia, RL and AFL are real threats. NZ and the rest of the world – no.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:32am
Adam said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
Shop I wouldnt be so sure about that. I would not be surprised if some of the cashed up NRL teams send some scouts to 7s tournaments and I dont think they will just be looking at Australian players.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:46am
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:46am | Report comment
But Adam, their are only 16 NRL teams. The fact is, their will still be Many MANY other Rugby players to choose from.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:12pm
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
‘there’
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:12pm
Adam said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Kovana yes there are 16 teams at the moment but it is very likely that it will be expanded to 18 in the next few years. Also the size of the squad is being expanded from 25 players to 30 players. That means there are going to be a lot more oppurtunities in the NRL and it would be foolish to think some of the NRL scouts are not going to looking at 7s players around the world.
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:08pm
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
Okay then Adam.. So if its 18 teams with 30 team rosters.. they will need 540 players okay.
Are you saying all 540 will be Rugby players poached from 7s? Of course not.
Friend, the number of Registered senior male players around the world is pretty big..
Go ahead and take some 7s players.. But there will be more to replace them.
According to the ARU, in NZ alone, there are 27’726 SNR male players..
Are you seriously saying that this is not enough, and if a few go to league… they are irreplaceable?
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
There is no threat to rugby union in Australia or New Zealand. Rugby league have been professional for over 100 years and poaching players from rugby union in both countries but it didn’t make a different then and will not in the future.
School rugby in NZ and Australia is very strong to see both codes doing well at the top for another 100 years. The money in the NRL will never compete with cash in Japan, France and in some UK clubs. Like Kovana said, there’s enough league kids in Australia and NZ alone for the NRL to select from anyway before looking at rugby talents.
August 28th 2012 @ 5:10am
chuck said | August 28th 2012 @ 5:10am | Report comment
Adam there will be no extension in the next five years under this agreement $995 000 a year they need every dollar for clubs too survive their are rumble now in clubs how the money should be spent
this money is just not spent on player remuneration.
Titans are in big crap financially . Storms will be no longer supported and the cowboys by news limited after this opportunities are their if you want play rugby league and thats where it stops nothing
else they are not going too get the same money the top league players get they would head overseas too France England &Japan Rugby union oppertunities are far greater then N.R.L can offer .
where financial rewards are far better then what N.R.L can pay
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:49pm
Mella said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
not a threat to NZ rugby Shop, but a threat to the sustainability of pro rugby. NZ rugby is funded by the All Blacks. If Aus pro rugby and the Wallabies keel over, the best players in NZ will head overseas or take up lucrative NRL contracts when young. That would pull the All Blacks back to the field, overtaken by S Africa, England, France. If that happens how will the ‘All Black brand’ and the lure of the black jersey generate enough revenue to sustain high level pro rugby in the tiny NZ market.
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:08pm
Chris said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
South Africa were the number 1 international team for the first 90 years of professional rugby… Rugby Union was still strong in New Zealand despite that.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:41pm
Christo the Daddyo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
In the amateur era.
August 22nd 2012 @ 7:02pm
JP said | August 22nd 2012 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Rugby has been played professionally for over 100 years.
August 24th 2012 @ 10:44pm
James said | August 24th 2012 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
rugby didnt go pro till 94-95!
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:33pm
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
“If Aus pro rugby and the Wallabies keel over, the best players in NZ will head overseas or take up lucrative NRL contracts when young. ”
This makes no sense at all… IF Aus rugby suffers…. NZ players will then leave NZ???? Um can you please explain.
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:13pm
Mella said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:13pm | Report comment
maybe Kovana, but how will Super rugby work if Australian teams get weaker and weaker, and increasingly rely on kiwi rejects. Its already getting pretty bad, how about in 5 years time when the best juniors in Aus have been attracted by much higher NRL contracts. I hope NZ can pay big enough dough to retain its best players.
August 23rd 2012 @ 12:11am
Leo said | August 23rd 2012 @ 12:11am | Report comment
Well the NRL have no problems attracting many Kiwis and pommies to strengthern their teams so Im guessing the ARU will open its doors to the Kiwis, Pacific Islanders, South Africans and European players to come and do the same.
Don’t worry about NZ rugby Mella, If the all black jerseys doesn’t help keep the players in NZ then the world cups, olympics, yen or the euros will.
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:00pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
I suppose you haven’t heard of the NZ schools rugby union comps then which outrates NRL games on sky tv. The best players in NZ will stay with the All Blacks and then take a break and play a couple of games in Japan and France for more money and still get to play in a world cup and Olympics.
August 24th 2012 @ 10:41pm
James said | August 24th 2012 @ 10:41pm | Report comment
JP, what are you smoking? I dont follow much of union, but I know for sure rugby union didn’t go pro till 94-95.
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:52am
Matt said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:52am | Report comment
In your opinion. It’s quite easy to say Australian rugby is mediocre, they didn’t exactly set the world alight in the season, and it’s much slower than both AFL and NRL (especially when genia is playing).
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:50pm
Mella said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:50pm | Report comment
disagree, if you sit 100 general sports fans from around the world down to watch an average AFL/NRL game they’ll think its pretty mediocre, nothing to get excited about. If its a really open attacking NRL game they will think its exciting.
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:02pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Is that why rugby union is bigger than both codes worldwide?
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:31pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:31pm | Report comment
When Americans see rugby league for the first time they are blown away by its pace and skill. They don’t feel that way when they see rugby union.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:46pm
the realist said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:46pm | Report comment
and that was a joke right? The pace? I don’t get that. The games are shot within a few feet of the play the ball, at the ground you realise there isn’t much happening off the ball. So pace comes down to fast play the ball and dummy half runs, hardly exciting. The skill – ok there are skillful players in all codes, but league is the only code with guaranteed possession and therefore zero pressure. It’s easy to be skillful when not under pressure.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:35pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:35pm | Report comment
The 10 metre rule and guarantee of possession allows rugby league players to sharpen their skills to a level that is unattainable in rugby union. The halfbacks, five-eighths, centres, fullbacks, wingers and second rowers, and even the props, can regularly plan and execute advanced attacking plays because they don’t have to worry about fighting for possession and are blessed with open space. The flyhalves, scrumhalves and centres in rugby union rarely get this opportunity because the defence is in their face and they rarely get the ball.
The centres in rugby union aren’t very good at running an attacking line.
How can they be?
They don’t have much space to work with and are rarely in a position to get the ball. The second-rowers in rugby union are always at the breakdown, so they cannot aid their centres by playing inside of them as a potential receiver/decoy runner. The lack of decoy runners in rugby union leads to the defence being soft, as the defenders never have to learn how to cover 2 or 3 potentional attacking options at once. It’s why rugby union relies on rugby league coaches to teach their players how to tackle.
The scrumhalves and flyhalves in rugby union are hopeless at creating space for themselves and their outside backs. IIt’s not their fault. The rules give them few opportunities to try their hand. If you were to get a flyhalf/scrumhalf to play rugby league for the first time in their lives then it woudl take them a while to learn the art of when to run at the line, when to pass, when to dummy, when to straighten an angled run before passing, when to chip, when to grubber, when to use the cut out pass, when to use the wrap around, when to take on the tightpost defenders, when to target the wingers, etc.
The superior backline play in rugby league leads to a more entertaining game to watch. If you like watching fat blokes stuff their heads up one another’s backsides then union is for you. But if you enjoy watching quick-witted halves, five-eighths, centres and second rowers bamboozle defenders with sheer skill and genius, then rugby league is the only game to watch.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:05pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:05pm | Report comment
Yes, the American gets blown away by the fast pace and skills in American football where every player touch the ball. Thanks QGIRL, maybe that’s why there are more rugby union players in American than league and still growing every year. Thanks for reminding us why rugby union is bigger than rugby league world wide, its because rugby union actually played in many countries while rugby league fans do all their talking and growing on the internet.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:25pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:25pm | Report comment
“Yes, the American gets blown away by the fast pace and skills in American football where every player touch the ball.”
There are over 300,000,000 Americans. Not all of them like American football. The ones that find it too slow are drawn to rugby league because they love the fast-paced nature of the game.
“Thanks QGIRL, maybe that’s why there are more rugby union players in American than league and still growing every year.”
I knew you would pull out that ill-informed crap!
Rugby union has over 100,000 players in America because the sport has been played there at an organised level for the last 90 odd years. Rugby league has been played at an organised level the US since the late 1990s.
Rugby union has been a failure in North America. Rugby union was introduced there in the 19th century, but it never caught on. Canadian football and American football are improved versions of rugby union. Don’t you find it odd that Canadian and American football share the following in common with rugby league?
- decided to split away from rugby union and form their own rules
- reduced the amount of onfield players
- replaced the silly ruck and maul system with something that can be officiated properly and provides a good spectator product.
There must be something wrong with rugby if 3 countries decided that its rules needed to be changed!
Rugby union is a minority sport in America.
The growth of rugby league in America since it was set up by Nui in the 90s is amazing. They now have two semi-pro competitions, a reserve grade comp and junior comp in Florida and expansion is underway in the mid-west, western states and Hawaii.
August 23rd 2012 @ 12:17am
Leo said | August 23rd 2012 @ 12:17am | Report comment
From what its been said your supposely fast pace game is struggling to field some teams in both league comps in America so Im guessing the most exciting game in the world theory is out the window. Do you have another theory why league is behind rugby union world wide? Its Vichy I tell ya.
August 23rd 2012 @ 12:22am
Leo said | August 23rd 2012 @ 12:22am | Report comment
Rugby union has over 100,000 players in America because the sport has been played there at an organised level for the last 90 odd years. Rugby league has been played at an organised level the US since the late 1990s.
Rugby union in the USA was form in 1975. So what happens to rugby league in places like New Zealand and the UK where both codes has been played at a organised level for over 100 years?
August 23rd 2012 @ 12:25am
Bakkies said | August 23rd 2012 @ 12:25am | Report comment
”Canadian football and American football are improved versions of rugby union.”
And have a huge following and participation rate outside of their own country….
Both games are over coached, too role orientated (Imagine getting paid to kick a handful of punts a match, rarely having to tackle a player or get your hands dirty. Talk about money for jam), repetitive and too formulated.
August 23rd 2012 @ 1:11am
Leo said | August 23rd 2012 @ 1:11am | Report comment
Excuse QGIRL, his hatered for rugby union is getting the best of him. He’s putting down rugby union as slow and then goes on how great American and Canadian football is which is even slower. Funny this leaguies.
August 23rd 2012 @ 7:22pm
silegusta said | August 23rd 2012 @ 7:22pm | Report comment
QGIRL – Pointing out that Rugby Union has been played there for 90 years and is a failure is extremely redundant. It flourished as an amateur game at an amateur rate. It is now growing at a rate reflecting the shift to professionalism.
Unaware whether you have left Queensland in the last 12 months, but if you have and travelled to America in this time period and actually had a look around you would be very surprised. ESPN is currently looking at an agreement to air college Rugby as well.
And where is rugby league in all this melee in the USA, If you could tell me it would be great, I would love to know, because I went looking and I couldn’t see hair nor hide of it.
I love rugby league, it will continue to be played and enjoyed in Australia, but please dont even try to suggest it will ever be anything but that.
God, throw a few backwards kids a billion dollars and they think they just became the next global superpower
August 23rd 2012 @ 9:15pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | August 23rd 2012 @ 9:15pm | Report comment
“God, throw a few backwards kids a billion dollars and they think they just became the next global superpower”
Talk about backwards, look at your mate Leo. He threw out the following gem:
“Rugby union in the USA was form in 1975.”
The clown doesn’t even know anything about the history of his own sport!
“(Imagine getting paid to kick a handful of punts a match,”
Isn’t that what most flyhalves do?
All they ever seem to do is kick the ball into touch and kick for goal.
“It flourished as an amateur game at an amateur rate.”
America has over 300,000,000 people. To only have 100,000 of those people playing rugby union after 90 years of history is pathetic. PATHETIC!
“And where is rugby league in all this melee in the USA, If you could tell me it would be great, I would love to know, because I went looking and I couldn’t see hair nor hide of it.”
How about this?
http://www.amnrl.com/news/rugby-league-rising
What was that you were saying about “backwards kids”?
Your ignorance on rugby league in America makes me wonder whether you’re one of those “backwards kids”.
August 24th 2012 @ 8:25am
Leo said | August 24th 2012 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Typical leaguies pipe dreams. He mention USA rugby league and the whole article goes on about Jamaica, Lebanon, Canada and some pub teams who had to a play rugby union side just to get games. Talking about desperation no mention of any rugby league juniors, high schools or college developments but its all pub teams playing some pub teams in Australia or from another state. Rookie rugby in the USA is played by more than 500,000 kids and rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the USA. 100,000 players and more than 500,000 rookie juniors is not bad for a minor rugby nation like the USA. With that rate a minor rugby nation like USA will have more rugby players in 15 years than rugby league players on this planet.
http://www.ttoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1714%3Aas-a-sport-and-an-event-grow-the-us-is-grateful-just-to-be-there&Itemid=227
It takes more than one play to grow a sport. Rugby is on a bit of a roll in the United States, partly because the seven-player version of the sport has been accepted into the 2016 Olympics and the American men and women are among the leaders in that form. Nigel Melville, the former English captain who has been president of USA Rugby for four years, is overseeing a version called rookie rugby, for children to get a taste of moving the ball before they are introduced to contact. Melville says 500,000 children are playing rookie rugby, with 100,000 active players around the United States, mostly in the northeast and on the West Coast, and also as a club sport at a growing number of colleges.
August 27th 2012 @ 10:49pm
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:49pm | Report comment
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/state-of-origin/deals-put-us-origin-games-back-on-agenda-20120513-1yl10.html
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:27pm
silegusta said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
What utter bollocks,
I barely wish to dignify this with an answer.
Rugby is a global game, always will be. League will never achieve this. The future is in global competition, so league will continue to be a game confined to Australia where expansion is limited by our size – I know several people employed in community efforts to promote League in various countries to little or no success and yet having lived around the world from Latin America to now South East Asia, I have always been able to play Rugby and locals have always had an awareness of the sport, which is growing.
Pro Rugby is a much bigger beast than you realise. whether or not it is taken seriously in Australia is irrelevant because of the strength it exhibits on a global scale.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:17pm
mikey said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
silegusta I think you might be exagerating rugbys global status a little bit. Soccer, Basketball, tennis are what you call global games. I too have travelled a good part of the world and you would be lucky if 5% of the world knew what rugby is.
We all bag league for its international presence or lack of it but when you think about it there are only really two countries Japan and South Africa where you can play rugby proffesionally that you can not play league. Not is big as you think it is.
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:06pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:06pm | Report comment
So rugby is not global because there are only professional teams in Ireland, France, Wales, England, Japan NZ, England, South Africa, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Argentina? More than 110 countries play rugby and when 2016 comes around you bet your pants more than 15% of the world will know about rugby if they don’t already have.
August 23rd 2012 @ 11:19am
kovana said | August 23rd 2012 @ 11:19am | Report comment
So they dont play pro rugby in Italy, Wales, Scotland and Ireland?
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:09pm
Mella said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
Where’s the bollocks. I am specifically talking about pro rugby in Australia. The ARU has the budget of a milk bar competing against two other full contact egg ball codes raking in over $200 million a year. I am saying it wont be able to compete, unless someone can show how it can just saying its a ‘global game’ is the utter bollocks.
August 22nd 2012 @ 7:43pm
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
Guys,
Some of you are falling for this global reach crap. Forget it.
Do any of you care about how some municipal council in Canada or Germany services their community better than yours here? Generally – No!
Okay, maybe not the best example I can think of right now, but the point is this – AFL & NRL fans don’t give a toss if their game is not the greatest worldwide. All they care about is that their game continues to give them what they want HERE… LOCALLY.
It is often a fatal mistake for fans of soccer & rugby union to think that because their sports have a greater global reach, that they will eventually usurp Australian football & rugby league.
Yeah, maybe when our great-great-great-great grandchildren have passed on.
The global community has been here at least since the early 90s. Fans of all sports have now had 20 years to digest what other sports offer overseas. But guess what, the majority still support Australian football & rugby league today.
Just as they did in 1992, or 1972, or 1952, or 1932, or 1912…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:43am
Johnno said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:43am | Report comment
-I agree but a contract is a contract not always easy to get out of. The SANZAR tc deal ends in 2015 , so if the record super rugby tv ratings continue, super rugby is up for a big pay day in 2016, as will the RC, if Argentina develop more which i think they will to big a tv market not too ands a rich rugby history, 40 million population a stronger middle class who can afford pay tv than 50 million population south africa. So super rugby if managed will be okay long term, the wallabies just need fix them selves up.
-And showing school boy rugby would be good to rugby league does it is called the GIO schoolboys cup, rugby needs that but the elitist private schools rejected the chance. school boy rugby develops awareness, and in NZ and south africa they do it it attract interest and pride in junior forty something we don’t have in oz.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:06am
Rothers said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:06am | Report comment
Cheers for the comment. Re televising schoolboy rugby, there was a debate quite a few years ago regarding the newspaper coverage afforded the GPS competition compared to that of the Shute Shield. Since that time, the focus has been on making club rugby the third tier as opposed to schoolboy rugby.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:57pm
Cattledog said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:57pm | Report comment
A very NSW centric comment
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:53am
NF said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:53am | Report comment
Can the unionists here just stop blaming NRL/AFL for everything and focus on your administration (ARU) on the way it’s structure and run. The ARU had a golden run in the 90′s/00′s yet couldn’t capitalize on it in the long run giving time for RL to recover from the abyss to where it is today. I expect KPM to go on a another pointless rant about rugby league & how it’s should be pillaged to no end and for rugby to knock off league once and for all in Australia. The ARU had it’s chances but it didn’t deal with it rugby league is here to stay.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:47am
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:47am | Report comment
Agreed NF… reading this article, it seems alot of Rugby fans in Oz seem to have a ‘the sky is falling!’ reaction to this NRL deal.
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:15pm
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
It appears the sky is falling because they’ve got their head in the clouds…
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:59pm
Henry said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
They are scared for a reason actually there are a billion reasons to be scared. RL has always been let down by poor administration. Now they finally have a good adminstration they have got they deal they deserve.
Would it be a bad thing if all the top rugby players got signed by the NRL. I dont think so, imagine if it did happen the NRL would be one hell of a comp. It is already brilliant as it is but this could take it to a new level. It would also give these players are profile in Australia they will never have playing rugby.
August 22nd 2012 @ 7:05pm
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
Henry, I follow both League and Union and in relation to your second paragraph, yes it would be a bad thing. I like our National team irrespective of the sport to be competitive
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:08pm
JVGO said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
Some people need to calm down. At least boys will hopefully be picking up a rugby ball rather than an AFL one and the boys will probably have a go at both codes. That’s the way its always been. The codes have coexisted for 100 years in NSW and Qld. Most League fans are happy to watch a good game of union, but unfortunately there just aren’t enough good games. Just ask the 74,000 out there on Saturday night.
Union has a pretty good structure with S15 and tests which should be attractive to league fans and should be able to provide competitive salaries for the top union players. But maybe there could be more crossover and cooperation at the junior level with the kids, keeping the mums onside etc.
Union needs to worry about its product on the field and providing some entertainment for its long suffering hardcore fans. That should eb the number one priority.
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:18pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:18pm | Report comment
Its ok for rugby league to have one boring international match but its not ok for rugby union. Nothing wrong with rugby union I could easily said rugby league was so boring by just mention the Warriors/Panthers game but I won’t. Majority rules and numbers in both participations and clubs worldwide suggest rugby is more exciting. Enjoy your tv money and your Australian national wide conquest. When you finally have teams in Perth, Adelaide, Central Coast and Darwin we might also have teams in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Suva and New York. The world is your oyster and there’s plenty of that tasty stuff in NZ.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:28pm
JP said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Soccer must be extraordinarily exciting compared to union.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:41pm
Stevie said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:41pm | Report comment
Handball, tennis, ping pong, basketball, volleyball must be more exciting than rugby as they are much more popular sports than rugby worldwide.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:47pm
the realist said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:47pm | Report comment
They probably are. Did anyone watch the Cincinatti final? Beat the pants off any football code to be honest.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:16pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:16pm | Report comment
I cant wait to see the ping pong and volleyball world cup. Is it as popular as the RLWC?
August 23rd 2012 @ 2:46pm
clipper said | August 23rd 2012 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
The Boot Throwing World Cup was – made $6million profit!
The problem being that people in Australia can’t imagine why people don’t love Aussie Rules or league and aren’t instantly converted – just like people in Germany, Poland or Finland can’t imagine why people don’t love Boot Throwing – it’s a subjective matter.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:09am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:09am | Report comment
In 1996 the ARU decided to put 2 professional teams up against the massive numbers of NRL and AFL teams and even though now there are 5, there are over three times as many NRL and AFL teams.
This decision was effectively the suicide of the sport.
The NRL and AFL already has three times as many squad places to offer to young athletes, taking most of the talent in the process, and with three times the markets they get three times the TV deal, which means they now have 1 billion to pay teenagers to join their code.
Basically this will probably finish off rugby, as well as cricket and the Olympic sports. The end of Australia as an international sporting nation has arrived.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:34am
Johnno said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:34am | Report comment
Good point KPM very good point. How ever one could argue back then rugby was only just pro 1st year it would of been risky to throw big cash on new teams. and lose millions at the start. So maybe since rugby was amateur it has been playing catch up and lsot ground ever since. These new deals will hurt rugby, but i think come 2016 SANZAR will get a massive tv deal as it goes over 3 countries and 50 million sty africa KPM rugby league only has 226 million traction aust, NZ. PLus super rugby will feed off some argentina viewers too, in 2016 KPM being factored into the deal. But a new team from each country is needed KPM. But yes AFL and NRL have the jump it would be great if SANZAR could re-negotiate now to get a jump in KPM.
-Aussy sport in in big trouble KPM outside of AFL and rugby league it just hasn’t the big money to compete with big nations and it is going to get tougher not easier.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:37am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:37am | Report comment
Johnno in the end though, with 5 or 6 or even 7 vs 16 there’s only going to be one winner (16 now, soon to be 18).
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:45am
peeeko said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:45am | Report comment
you could argue that with only 5 teams and a large internation al contract rugby could hand pick the finest of the talent and league would get the scraps
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:14am
mania said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:14am | Report comment
KPM – i reckon what is more suicidal is putting up abysmal performances by the rebels, force and tah’s. if they had played quality rugby then you wouldnt have lost so many fans. putting up a team for team vs nrl isnt the answer. for one aus hasnt got the depth and 2ndly its just not very intelligent.
if ARU are smart they can win this battle. just dont play like wallabies would and they can stave off the onset of league world (read australia) domination
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:06am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
KPM,
As we touched upon this yesterday, it’s not necessarily the end, but it could be the beginning of the end.
The question is what or how the ARU intends to respond to this, or whether they even care, or are in a position to respond.
The unfortunate & brutal fact is that most of the rugby presented by our leading teams & players is….. RUBBISH!
We lost the entertainment battle years ago. Some will argue we were never a serious entertainment alternative at any point in our professional history.
There is one small but significant way that we can turn this around reasonably quickly, & I’ve stressed this several times over the past weeks & months.
The leading players & coaches of the Wallabies, Waratahs, Reds, Brumbies, Rebels & Force have to go out there & play a more attractive & compelling brand of rugby.
There is simply no other way to do it.
Unfortunately, thus far, they are either unwilling, incapable, uncaring or totally oblivious to their potentially precarious futures…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:32am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:32am | Report comment
sheek I agree that entertainment is important, but it isn’t the very most important thing here.
The important thins is that there are 15 NRL teams and 5 rugby teams.
This means there are three times more squad places in three times more locations for the NRL to offer, hovering up three times as much talent.
This means the game’s financial value with three times the market is three times as large resulting in a TV deal that is (for the Australian part in rugby) three times bigger.
That all means that the NRL can pay more young players more from now on to join its code and hover up yet more of rugby’s talent.
Which all means rugby is doomed.
The ARU’s strategy of adding a team every 4 or more years is useless. The NRL plan 18 teams by the end of the decade, way ahead of rugby.
I was thinking until now that there were two choices to escape this situation:
1) Evolution. Adding a new team every two years with many foreign players and NRL converts to make it work. Plus single private ownership.
2) Revolution. Halving the squads in each of the current franchises and giving one half to each of five new teams (same in the other SANZAR countries if they’re interested) and the old teams keeping half, plus increased concessions to all on foreign imports/NRL converts. 10 teams, again single private ownership.
Until now I thought 1 might be enough, but now I’m thinking 2 would be the only solution to fight back. But even with 2, that’s still only 10 times fighting 18!!!!!
What do you think?
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:52am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Yes KPM,
Rugby union only has 5 franchises against rugby league’s 15.
But the ARU is broke, or it has only a smelly, oily rag compared to AFL & NRL.
Right now KPM, the only tools the ARU has to fight back with, make that claw back, are our 6 leading entities – Wallabies, Waratahs, Brumbies, Reds, Rebels & Force.
They must become rugby’s sales reps, it’s development officers. They do this by playing a style of rugby that “brings the house down”. Get people talking about how good the rugby is.
Get more people who want to go through the turnstiles to watch a match live. Get more kids who want to go down to a field to play rugby.
This past week, all we’ve read from Rugby fans on The Roar is how much the Wallabies suck.
These past few months, all we’ve read from rugby fans on The Roar is how much our super rugby franchises suck.
Even the diehards are clutching at straws to find the positives.
The rubbish the Wallabies, Waratahs, Brumbies, Reds, Rebels & Force are dishing up must STOP!
Until our leading coaches, players & teams start playing a brand of rugby that attracts more people to watch & play, we’re stuffed!
Only when we get more fans, more players & more money, can we move onto your suggestion of more teams. But at present Australian rugby is caught in a vicious downward spiral, largely of its own making.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:58am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Ok I agree they need to play more entertaining.
But in terms of the current set-up, if it won’t work and is too small scale to beat it’s competition, why not throw it out?
I think there’s a chance of exaggerating that the whole of the problem is how entertaining the sport is. Many sports such as baseball are appalling to watch but people do so because they are the sport that is played where they live and they have local teams to support. Boring kicking rugby has filled endless northern hemisphere club and international stadiums. What drives many sports fans to watch is not quality, but local identity.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:08am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
No KPM,
It’s not about entertainment in isolation.
It’s about the quickest way of turning things around. Of turning a potentially dire circumstance into a workable future.
The ARU has little or no money. It can’t compete with AFL or NRL monetarily. It has to find another way.
The ARU doesn’t have funds to throw at development officers, to send them into schools to encourage kids to play rugby.
The quickest way is to use the Wallabies, Waratahs, Brumbies, Reds, Rebels & Force.
But so far they are oblivious to the challenges ahead…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:13am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
sheek the ARU could throw out the current 5 team model though for one with more teams and private owners? It’s not out of their power.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:26am
Brett McKay said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
You’re heading back down that well-trod path of yours, KPM, the highway of massive assumptions. Again I’ll say it, don’t you think if the privateers were out there ready to lose money on a rugby team, they would already have made contact??
You’re taking yourself back to this magical land you’ve created, where private owners fall from trees, where thousands of super-talented better-than-provincial-standard players wait below to catch them, and where any town bigger than Bendigo with litte rugby history is begging for a Super Rugby team to support in massive numbers in unbuilt stadia 10-15 times a year.
I mention all this not to make light of a subject you’re obviously very passionate about, but just to highlight the sheer absurdity of some of the things you’re convincing yourself of.
Come on mate, just think about where your soapbox is taking you…
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:29am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Brett I’m suprised you make this point: single private owners aren’t allowed in the franchise system, so how would anyone know how many there are?
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:33am
Brett McKay said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
They are allowed KPM, the ARU changed its model to allow them in for the Super Rugby sides. They won’t allow majority ownership, which is a whole other story, but all five sides are welcome to bring private money in. If it’s out there..
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:37am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Brett that’s the whole key though.
Private investment is one thing, single private ownership another.
Private investment is just normal anonymous business speculation, and not very interesting to megalomaniac tycoons.
However owning a team completely means the tycoon can determine the entire direction it takes, be in the spotlight, exert his ambitions and create a great enterprise.
So this is why you only get owners when they can own the majority stake. The ARU and NZRU will at some point have to let this happen because the millions pumped in every year are being lost.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:04am
Brett McKay said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:04am | Report comment
But why does it matter whether it’s one person or a consortium? It’s still money the ARU doesn’t have to find. The only restriction currently is that private owners can’t hold a majority. That may change in time.
But either way, if there really was five megalomaniac tycoons out there that suddenly wanted to lose money on an Australian rugby team, the ARU would – as it did to allow the money into the Rebels – make the necessary change to allow it.
Currently, that change isn’t required, because the investers aren’t there. You can say “just allow private ownership” as much as you like, but it doesn’t make them suddenly appear. We’ve been through this before…
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:11am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Ah but Brett they haven’t wanted to surrender control so far, because they fear it as a risk.
I will stake my inconsiderable reputation that if the ARU allows single private ownership of the type described, the tycoons will flood in and with it the money! They just need to be brave and take the final leap, allow that majority ownership.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:27am
mania said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:27am | Report comment
lol brett, i remember saying the same thing to KPM last year about private owners and getting no where.
what kind of billionaire/millionaire would even consider buying an aus side? they def not knocking down the door.
why would they invest all that money if they dont get full control?
if they do get full control how can u be sure that they would have the national teams interest at heart? i reckon they wouldnt give a toss bout the test side.
and KPM, please please please not an adelaide side. havent there been enough underperforimg aus sides this season without inflicting more on us?
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:52pm
Ian Whitchurch said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
“But the ARU is broke, or it has only a smelly, oily rag compared to AFL & NRL.
Right now KPM, the only tools the ARU has to fight back with, make that claw back, are our 6 leading entities – Wallabies, Waratahs, Brumbies, Reds, Rebels & Force.”
Rugby union is broke because none of the above are playing this weekend, in Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney or Brisbane.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:44pm
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
Ian,
That of course is the next argument – the lack of a national domestic comp. But that’s for another day…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:28pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:28pm | Report comment
And how many tools did the ARU play with in the 80′s?
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:04am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
KPM,
We can’t ignore the entertainment factor. I’m no longer tolerant of people arguing back that you still need 10 man rugby at times or whatever. That might be okay for countries like South Africa, but not Australia.
If Australians, or anyone else, wants to know what I mean by “entertaining rugby”, or “compelling rugby”, just look across the ditch, across the Tasman Sea, to New Zealand.
Look at how the All Blacks play, look at how most of their super rugby provinces played on most weekends during the season. That’s what Australians teams should be modeling their game on.
But this leads to another problem of course – the average Aussie senior rugby player lacks the comparative skill set of his kiwi cousin.
So maybe we’re just stuffed anyway…..!
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:08am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Yes sheek, one important element in entertaining rugby is having good enough players to make it work. But to do that you need to be a code producing, keeping talent and to do that you need more teams, private ownership to pay them to keep them from going to other codes etc…
I suggest to Sam below building an ark to escape: maybe it would touch down in Argentina or somewhere where the game is still alive.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:23am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
KPM,
We don’t need an ark, no does the ARU need a massive monetary war-chest.
But as a start it would help if the ARU started thinking smarter as to how they wish to grow the game & take it forward.
Yeah, we would all like more pay-masters in our game. But I’m sure there would have to be some kind of payback down the track. So I’m not necessarily excited about that option.
Harry Mitchell has been awesome for the Rebels. A man of great vision & integrity who sees the importance or developing rugby in Victoria.
We could certainly have more wealthy benefactors, but only if we could ensure ourselves half-a-dozen Harry Mitchells, & no Russell Crowes, Nathan Tinklers & Clive Palmers.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:34am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
sheek I’m sure there are plenty. If you had offered Mitchell the chance to own the Rebels instead of just invest he would doubtless have taken it and ploughed millions in.
Rugby is played throughout the schools that produce many of the wealthiest men in the country. In the same way in England ex-private (public so called) schoolboys own teams, such as Nigel Wray at Saracens and Bruce Craig.
So there are doubtless enough for several teams, but even if there were only two or three it would take huge financial pressure of the ARU and free up millions.
There are few problems down the track so long as some of the powers of the owners are limited from the outset. In France numerous tycoons pour millions in every year making the game the richest in the world with no problems.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:07pm
Jiggles said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
“The unfortunate & brutal fact is that most of the rugby presented by our leading teams & players is….. RUBBISH!”
You don’t watch super rugby. how on earth would you know what they dish up is rubbish or not? 3 of the 5 Australian teams are playing rather attractive rugby.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:09pm
mania said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
which 3 jiggles? force, rebels and tah’s were pretty below average
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:20pm
Jiggles said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Reds, Brumbies and Rebels. The Rebels played some fantastic games, and were just outgunned in the others. Loosing dosen’t mean they are not enjoyable to watch.
The people who cry about rugby being dull usually don’t even watch it or take the time to try and watch it. Sheek being the perfect example. They don’t take the time to understand the rules, or appreciate that this game can be played many ways none of which are correct.
Being a Brisbane born boy I grew up being exposed to League, despite being a union fan first. I have gone from watching every league match I could in the 90s to only watching SoO now. If you want an example of a sport which has gone from an amazing spectator experience to dull, League is it. The only backline moves in League anymore are second man plays!
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:27pm
mania said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
jiggles – reds only pulled finger in the 2nd half of the season. rebels i’ll admit i didnt watch much of but the few games i saw they got a hiding. brumbies powered thru the season but then came apart in the end.
however i totally agree about league. i was a hard core league follower until the whole superleague saga. i watched SOO for a little while but then grew bored. league for me when i first follwed it has gone backwards entertainment wise. back in the day, arty beets, wally lewis, alfie vs stuart, gary jack vs ian roberts really made watchng it awesome. these days i cant be bothered
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:50pm
Sprigs said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
mania, you didn’t see the Rebels lick the Crusaders hollow? That was one of the best games of the year.
OK, the licking and the hollow bit might be an exaggeration, but it was a thrilling encounter, especially from an Australian perspective.
And let’s remember, the Reds beat the Chiefs, who won the comp.
The Reds were handicapped by the loss of Ioane for far too many games– talk about shooting entertaining rugby in the foot. And, of course, the injury to Quade.
The Reds could help by higher quality pre-game and halftime entertainment, and better promotion of their stars. Perhaps more than two could stay behind and sign autographs after a big victory.
August 23rd 2012 @ 5:31am
mania said | August 23rd 2012 @ 5:31am | Report comment
sprigs – yeah saw that game and rebels played well. how bout the rest of the games though? how did rebels do in the aus conference? those games were absolutely mind numbing tho that can be said for all the other aus vs aus games.
other than the crusaders game did rebels play well in any others?
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:40pm
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
Jiggles,
If you’re looking for a war, I can accommodate you, & burn you in seconds (insert smiley face here).
I never said I don’t watch super rugby. What I did say is, “I don’t watch super rugby much”.
There is a significant difference between none & some. Even you could understand that!
And I watch enough super rugby to have an opinion on it.
Collectively, the Australian provinces played rubbish rugby a lot of the time.
Next……….!
Just to offer you an olive branch, because I’m that kind of guy, & I genuinely love my rugby so consider this.
Back in 2011, when the Reds won the super rugby title, they did so filling out Ballymore & Lang Park (I refuse to call it by its sponsor’s name) by playing exhilarating rugby.
Fans came in their droves. Even better, they would give a huge cheer to the Reds as they ran onto the field in anticipation of another rousing performance. And even if occasionally they played a dull game it didn’t matter, because most of the time, they were delivering to the fans.
The same thing happened with the Brumbies in their hey-day. Exactly the same. Fans would pack out Bruce Stm (still Bruce Stm in my book) & cheer the Brumbies players in anticipation of another rousing night at the office. Mostly the fans were rewarded.
Now if you were a professional rugby player, wouldn’t you love the crowd cheering for you because they love the way you play? For me, the way forward is obvious.
But the Wallabies haven’t delivered consistently since about 2004, & the super rugby sides this year were very disappointing as a whole, & that’s being kind.
The way forward is obvious.
It’s already been demonstrated by the Reds of 2011, the Brumbies of 1997-2004, the Waratahs occasionally here & there, & the Wallabies back in 1998-2003.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:55pm
moaman said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Hey Sheek….I heard you say that you haven’t got the mastery of the smiley face on an earlier thread…and now you say”(insert smiley face here).” Try this…..
Hit the key immediately to the right of your ‘L’—–colon/semi-colon and you will get this—> ;
Now hit the hyphen key and you will have this——> ;-
Finish with a flourish by hitting the right-hand ‘bracket’ or —-> )
Put them all together and presto!
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:10pm
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Thanks Moaman,
Brett McKay had also given similar advice. I’ll have to practice…..!
Hey I did it!!!
My daughter explained it to me ages ago. But I didn’t understand that the smiley face didn’t appear until after i sent. i kept on thinking it wasn’t working.
Durrrrr me…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:53pm
Sprigs said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:59am
Brett McKay said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:59am | Report comment
small detail KPM, and it won’t change your current doomsday preaching, but it was actually three teams in 1996..
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:04am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Brett yes indeed. Doom doom doom Brett!
Right now NRL clubs will be fattening their financial offers for Australian and New Zealand schoolboys.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:09am
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Now I’m beginning to remember why I frequent the Roar less and less. Hysteria and paranoia reign supreme
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:53am
The Bush said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:53am | Report comment
These thread do tend to get hijacked by the same few offenders who tout the same ideas and opinions over and over…
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:58am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:58am | Report comment
Bush this is the subject of the thread and it’s apt and important and if you bothered to read the posts instead of pontificating and judging others you would see that there’s lots of new stuff there and anything old is remodelled into a new form. And what ideas exactly have you added to this thread?
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:30am
The Bush said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:30am | Report comment
KPM,
“And what ideas exactly have you added to this thread?” – See towards the bottom of the thread.
I’d actual particpate in more debates with you, but the length of the posts are so draining – but power on, I do appreciate your passion and energy. I will agree that today, in this thread, the “usual topic” is relevant. However, unfortunately, every Rugby Union thread on this site is pushed towards these same few topics over and over.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:52am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:52am | Report comment
The Bush ok but given the significance for rugby of its biggest competitor getting a 1 billion dollar TV deal and therefore finally being able to significantly outspend it, it’s no suprise it’s much discussed.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:09pm
Jiggles said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
The doomsday brigade have even admitted to watching litte/no super rugby…. go figure.
August 22nd 2012 @ 12:20pm
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
I never said that Jiggles! I do watch a lot of it even such delights as Force/Rebels and Sharks/Stormers.
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:35pm
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Bush,
I don’t know if I’m also one of the “offenders” you’re referring to, or exactly what the “same ideas & opinions” it is you’re referring to today.
The thrust of my argument today, in response to Rothers question, “NRL TV Rights: A Threat To Rugby Union?”, I have offered the view that rather than being a threat it provides an opportunity.
Whether the ARU will accept the challenge is a matter of interest & debate.
And if that means bring up old arguments so be it.
Anyway, there were numerous threads with numerous hits these past few days on the woeful Wallabies last Saturday night.
If one wanted to be unkind, you could have suggested posters cut & paste their comments from any of the past 7 years. Brett McKay mentioned ‘deja vu’ & he’s right.
Whether its the Wallabies, or the future of Australian rugby, we relive it every day, week, month, year, decade…..
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56pm
The Bush said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
Fret less sheek, you have not yet moved into the business of hijacking threads. Today, it must be true (as I’ve admitted to KPM above), the usual topic(s) are relevant.
I also agree that deja vu is a part of being a Wallabies fan, especially these past five (5) seasons under the Messiah…
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:48am
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:48am | Report comment
This!
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:15am
Rothers said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Unfortunately at the time rugby didn’t have resources and background to support any more than 3 professional teams (not 2 – NSW, Qld and ACT). The worry is that rugby is not producing enough young talent compared to the other codes. This is simply due to the fact that establishing a decent third tier competition has simply been put in the “too hard” basket, despite the fact that rugby has been a professional sport for 16 years now.
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:30pm
silegusta said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
Oh so people are going to stop swimming and running, because they want to play afl… this makes sense…. what utter generalised stupidity, and I usually enjoy your writing…
August 22nd 2012 @ 5:35pm
Leo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 5:35pm | Report comment
I see the USA olympic team still doing well every four years even when baseball, American football and NBA had their billion dollar deals years ago.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:33am
Kuruki said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:33am | Report comment
Channel Nine is a disgrace. The ARU are cowards. The NRL and channel Nine have effectively bought out their rugby rivals and are now embarrassing and disgracing the game. The little episode with the first 10 minutes of the Scotland test being on repeat for the whole scheduled time was no accident. It was channel Nine ridiculing the ARU.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:36am
Johnno said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:36am | Report comment
Kuruki you right the ARU are cowards and should back themselves in the marketplace more for sure, i hope come 2016 SANZAR get a good tv deal.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:38am
Steve said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:38am | Report comment
If rugby was serious and wanted to compete they would blow these two comps out of the water with broadcast deals. Already more people watch super rugby than the afl or the nrl with half as much content. The current super rugby deal is worth the same as the nrl and afl deals on a per game basis. But because of the calendar and the currie cup and NPC rugby will never reach its full value.
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August 22nd 2012 @ 11:42am
Adam said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Already more people watch super rugby than the afl or the nrl with half as much content.
Steve If you combine Australia, NZ and Sth Africa then your statement would be correct but in Australia RL murders union for tv ratings. That is why the NRL has signed a deal worth over 1b. The ARU could only dream of those figures.
August 22nd 2012 @ 1:20pm
Ken said | August 22nd 2012 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
‘If rugby was serious and wanted to compete they would blow these two comps out of the water ‘
I’m a League supporter who follows a bit of Union and generally am loathe to wade into the line of fire but surely you don’t believe that? Union has run a distant second to League in Australia for over 100 years – and these days League is chasing AFL. They’ve had a lot of time to get ‘serious’ surely they would have done it by now.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:44am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:44am | Report comment
Steve you seem to forget that while the SANZAR deal may be as much as the NRL and AFL deals, it is split three ways, meaning Australia only get a third, so that means the ARU is only getting a third as much from its TV deal as the NRL and AFL get from theirs.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:00am
Pete said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:00am | Report comment
The current total SANZAR deal for 437m USD is closer to a third of the NRL and AFL deals then it is to the same. The ARU gets 30% of that, but its probably lucky to get that much given the difference in audiences between the different countries.
The reality is test match Union isn’t rating the same as club NRL games, so I am not sure how the ARU is going to be in a position to demand anything from any broadcaster. The best bet for them would be to try and max out the pay component and basically give away the test matches to FTA in exchange for favorable coverage including perhaps one super 15 game a week replayed at a decent time.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:09am
Johnno said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:09am | Report comment
Sure the NRL get 1 billion but they have more expensive overheads. 16-18 clubs , plus a national under 20 youth league to that eats into the coffers of that tv deal. Rugby union only has 5 teams and no pro youth comp. ANd if they get a better deal in 2016 it may even itself out.
August 22nd 2012 @ 3:59am
Shop said | August 22nd 2012 @ 3:59am | Report comment
Channel 9 haven’t “considered rugby to be only a second tier sport”. They see it as real opposition to rugby league and are deliberately sidelining it. I cannot believe J. O’Niell has let this debacle happen. His first stint as ARU boss was fantastic. His second has been an absolute disaster.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:01am
Pete said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:01am | Report comment
This is a joke post right? If it is genuine opposition to Rugby League then why does it get hammered by it on Pay TV, where they go head to head as equals?
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:07am
Shop said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:07am | Report comment
RL is obviously much stronger than RU in Oz. That is why something needs to be done at grass roots level. The current ARU have a blatant top heavy pyramid policy and aren’t interested in building the base.
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:55am
Matt said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:55am | Report comment
Exactly, so it’s not in opposition at all. It’s not as if rugby is growing that quickly 9 are trying to stifle it to save league.
August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56am
kovana said | August 22nd 2012 @ 4:56am | Report comment
Strange article, and some comments regarding some sort of conspiracy by 9 and NRL against rugby is just rubbish… Pretty soon someone will mention Vichy.
As seen in many other league articles here in theroar, 9 is also hated by many league fans as well.
August 22nd 2012 @ 7:15am
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 7:15am | Report comment
Lol
Bit of a doomsday article and slightly hysterical!
I’m pretty sure the ARU had very little to do with 9 getting the FTA rights of Union. foxtel bought the broadcast rights and on sold them to 9 so there is little the ARU could do. If you want to be a sports fans in Australia you need Foxtel. End of story. The last piece was the NRL. Foxtel have now sown up Rugby, AFL, League and the A-League. Channel 9 is hopeless on all fronts with broadcasting. The Olympics was abysmal and the NRL is painful to watch when most games are on delay and filled with ads. This will get worse based on yesterday’s deal. You can watch foxtel with sport for about $60/month. How much does it cost to go to one game (ticket, parking, food). It costs more than $60. Now multiple that if you take the family.
Will Rugby die now that the NRL has $1b? No. Rugby will not command the money RL or the AFL does in the foreseeable future, so it needs to get smarter. Will the future Quades, JOCs, Beales be playing RL in the future now there is more money? Not necessarily. Cronk, Thurston, Inglis, etc aren’t playing Rugby now because there is more money. They play RL because they enjoy the game amongst other factors. Money isn’t everything. If it was they would all being playing in Japan and France. Rugby needs to look at its strengths and promote them.
Would a 17,18 year old want to tour the world on the 7s circuit? Would they want an Olympic Gold medal? Would they like to live in Asia or Europe or (the soon to be) North America and play professional rugby? Rugby just needs to improve its pathways in Australia and that doesn’t require $1B. One of Rugby’s strengths is its business connections. Look at how the Tahs are getting their house in
order and the calibre of people they are bringing in. Rugby needs more cash, but it doesn’t need $1B. There are only 5 pro teams compared to 16/18 in the NRL/AFL who have to spread their billion over all that infrastructure.
The media deals for the other codes are not ideal for Rugby, but it’s not doom and gloom. Rugby use to be an amateur sport in Australia with no cash yet we won a world cup. Top quality players still choose rugby. Australia isn’t going to plummet down the World rankings because the NRL got more cash.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am | Report comment
p.tah teenagers are most influenced by the most fashionable code around them, which is league in NSW and QLD, and AFL elsewhere. That trumps travelling the world.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:15am
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:15am | Report comment
KPM, League has been more fashionable in QLD and NSW for 100 years, yet Rugby has survived and done well.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:35am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:35am | Report comment
p.Tah but things have changed. I’m not sure what started it, maybe in a way rugby’s professionalisation.
Or it could be that the AFL’s advance prompted a response from the NRL. Whatever the case these codes have grown stronger and stronger than ever before, taking in the talent for the cricket team and Olympic sports along the way. It’s all over now though.
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:52am
MAJB said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:52am | Report comment
KPM,
on another link I said that the social aspects of Rugby will be its saviour. I still maintain that. League and AFL are not social games. Much of the enjoyment from Rugby is the interaction after the game. Crowds at Super Rugby and Test level are fair more less hostile than at League and AFL games. Rugby is more family orientated. All these factors will continue to influence good players to stay with Rugby.
However, NZ Rugby could be at more threat, particularily, if the NRL exands a second team into NZ. If the salary cap in the NRL is lifted to 6 mill per club then the payments to players will be similar to Rugby in France and Japan. You may see more talented NZ Rugby players staying at home but playing League.
On another note I hope the Wallabys take out the ABs this weekend. To see the ABs hold up that trophy for another year would be far too depressing.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:00am
kingplaymaker said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
MAJB the AFL plan a team in New Zealand as well. New Zealand is indeed under threat and the worst of it is the lack of awareness by the woolly old NZRU of what’s happening.
Rugby may survive as a social game in the same way that darts does. A handful of players will have a game for fun sometimes, and the importance and stature of the game will be the same as darts.
Almost nothing persuades good teenagers to stay with rugby anymore. They all go to league.
August 24th 2012 @ 1:14am
JVGO said | August 24th 2012 @ 1:14am | Report comment
KPM, you are massively overreacting in regards to NRL’s effect on other sports. Some simple facts regarding international sport are that the NRL dominated states of NSW & Qld have provided;
All the Australian gold medals in London were won by NSW & Qlders.
The two emerging Aus superstars of the next games Jess Fox and Steve Solomon are from NSW
The two most ridiculous should have been certainties who somehow fumbled gold at the games James Magnussan and Michael Diamond are also from NSW.
ln the final Cricket test last summer NSW provided 7 reps to Vics one.
All time of the players to represent the socceroos 50% have come from Western Sydney alone.
U19 Australian boys basketball Emus 10 of the 17 players are from NSW.
This is quite apart from the fact that both the Wallabies and the Kangaroos may as well be NSW/Qld selections and are also rated in the top two internationally in their respective sports.
The fact is that RL has been dominant in NSW and Qld for about 100 years and yet these two states provide the basis for our international sporting representation.
It would appear that AFL in the Southern states has a far greater effect on other sports than RL does.
I’d suggest if RU can hold onto its strongholds in the wealthier demographics of NSW and Qld against the AFL and make some incursions into the Southern states in terms of growth it could do very well for itself.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:02am
langou said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:02am | Report comment
“Would a 17,18 year old want to tour the world on the 7s circuit? Would they want an Olympic Gold medal? Would they like to live in Asia or Europe or (the soon to be) North America and play professional rugby?”
Nah, I think they would rather play State of Origin
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:06am
p.Tah said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:06am | Report comment
If that’s the case how many places are there for SOO players? Not everyone can play
August 22nd 2012 @ 2:35pm
silegusta said | August 22nd 2012 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
Well worded,
first measured even handed comment
August 22nd 2012 @ 6:11am
Billy Bob said | August 22nd 2012 @ 6:11am | Report comment
Why do NRL fans hate 9 Kovana?
Not enough league hype ?
August 28th 2012 @ 11:41am
Dan said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Why? As a fan of both codes I’ll tell you: it’s a combination of only offering 1 live game a week and having a commentary team that has idiots like Fatty, Fittler, Voss etc. Oh, and don’t forget this is the channel of human leg of ham Eddie McGuire