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The NRL needs to start being smarter with their game time slots. I have reviewed the time slots and suggest the times below with key benefits.
1. More daytime games
More daytime games are better for attracting crowds because they are family friendly, allow time for travelling and are warmer during the winter period. The added bonus is that daytime footy allows for faster and more expansive game, which is a much better product than the night game
2. Appropriate times across Oceania
The game is too often Sydney centric. If we want to grow the game across all states of Australia as well as New Zealand and the Pacific region we need to beam our best games live into the lounges across all these areas.
An 8:00pm match in Australia starts at 10:00pm in New Zealand, which is too late to attract potential converts. All Warriors games should be on free-to-air TV in New Zealand and across the Pacific in family-friendly New Zealand time slots. Free-to-air matches would be existing Friday and Sunday games, with the Thursday slot moving to Sunday at 7:00pm.
3. Build a youth base in UK and Europe
There are a number of time slots that allow NRL games to be beamed live into the UK and Europe on a Saturday and Sunday morning. These games should be on free-to-air TV – the time zone difference mean the games would be airing at a usually quiet period in the schedule anyway – and targeted at young people. If the NRL plays the long game, there is a huge potential to gain a large youth following interested, which will pay dividends in ten to 15 years.
4. Enter the US market with a bang
The west coast of the United States has a number of great prime time slots that the NRL must target. With most of the NRL season outside the NFL season, there is huge potential.
If the English Super League focuses on the east coast and expansion into Toronto, the NRL should look to focus on the west coast with a new team based in Hawaii. This team would provide enough interest to gain traction across the US in a city small enough to notice and with a Polynesian population to build from.
(Image: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
This is my suggested broadcast schedule. All headline times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time:
7:00pm Friday
Perth at 5:00pm, New Zealand at 9:00pm.
Not great for other countries as it clashes with the working week.
1:00pm Saturday
Perth at 11:00am, New Zealand at 3:00pm;
Hawaii at 5:00pm (Friday), US West at 8:00pm (Friday).
This is a perfect because it’s a Friday night live game in California. You would ideally favour Titans and Jarryd Hayne games.
3:00pm Saturday
Perth at 1:00pm, New Zealand at 5:00pm;
UK at 6:00am, France at 7:00am;
Hawaii at 7:00pm (Friday), US West at 10:00pm (Friday)
Another perfect fixture, with Friday night game live in Hawaii.
5:00pm Saturday
Perth at 3:00pm, New Zealand at 7:00pm;
UK at 8:00am, France at 9:00am;
Hawaii at 9:00pm (Friday).
A ideal fixture because of the child-friendly Saturday morning fixture in the UK and the Saturday night time slot fo Warriors games in New Zealand.
7:00pm Saturday
Perth at 5:00pm, New Zealand at 9:00pm;
UK at 10:00am, France at 11:00am.
Another child-friendly fixture for European audiences.
12:00pm Sunday
Perth at 10:00am, New Zealand at 2:00pm;
Hawaii at 4:00pm (Saturday), US West at 7:00pm (Saturday), US East at 10:00pm (Saturday).
A great opportunity to play matches in Hawaii because they can be live across the US.
2:00pm Sunday
Perth at 12:00pm, New Zealand at 4:00pm;
France at 6:00am;
Hawaii at 6:00pm (Saturday), US West at 9:00pm (Saturday).
A perfect chance to play live on Saturday night for Hawaiian audiences.
4:00pm Sunday
Perth at 2:00pm, New Zealand at 6:00pm;
UK at 7:00am, France at 8:00am;
Hawaii at 8:00pm (Saturday).
This would be the match of the round because it could be broadcast live across the world.
7:00pm Sunday
Perth at 5:00pm, New Zealand at 9:00pm;
UK at 10:00am, France at 11:00am.
This is the ideal slot for State of Origin and international matches.
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