I’m a rugby league tragic. Each year I buy my season ticket, renew my Foxtel subscription and enjoy seven months of the greatest game of all.
But this year something has changed, seeing me turn off the television of a Friday night.
The problem isn’t something the NRL is or isn’t doing.
It’s Channel Nine.
Deep inside the Channel Nine bunker at some point between Anthony Minichiello raising the Provan-Summons Trophy in October last year and kick off for the 2014 season there was a meeting held. At this meeting a question was asked, the answer to which defies all logic and belief.
“So who should we get to call the second Friday night match?”
Someone suggested Ray Hadley as an option, and someone else, presumably more qualified and highly paid, approved it.
I sometimes wonder if it is actually a social experiment being played on the rugby league fan-base, or maybe a mole from the AFL has infiltrated Channel Nine?
Certainly no one with the game’s best interests at heart would subject us to the gibberish that is Ray Hadley, especially combined with the nonsensical Wally Lewis.
Regardless, we have been stuck with Ray for most of the year. This has more often than not had me switching off Bronco Night Football. This round though I was rather excited about the Manly versus Broncos match. Manly are flying and a joy to watch, and the Broncos were desperate for the two points. But again I had to go to the big red button after about 20 minutes.
Why you ask?
Because for about 20 minutes Ray talked about Manly’s jumpers. They were yellow, and he didn’t like them. Neither apparently did “someone” he spoke to outside the ground before the game. Ray was very, very upset that Manly were wearing yellow jumpers, and lamented that “some marketing guy with a pig tail and a Porsche” forced this sacrilege.
In the time I watched there was no explanation of why Manly wore the yellow jerseys, Or why four other teams would also be wearing special jerseys across the weekend.
Ray and “someone” (I assume “someone” is related to “they said”), weren’t happy. The rugby league university was headed towards an imminent implosion because of the colour of a jersey.
Well Ray I have some news for you, and sit down because this might come as a shock. You were wrong, very very wrong. And your imaginary stereotypical marketing guy was right.
Entering Canberra Stadium on the weekend, I walked behind a family with two small children. Have a guess what the kids were talking about? Have a guess what toys they had? Have a guess what jerseys they were wearing?
Even in the tiny crowd of diehard fans, you would not believe the number of Hulk Raiders jerseys being worn, especially by children. In a year when the club should be refunding season tickets, people were putting their hard earned down to buy new jerseys by the hundreds.
Hulk masks and movie tickets were being handed out inside the gates, you could feel the buzz for the families and see the smiles on the faces of the kids as they walked around the ground.
The super hero round was a brilliant piece of cross-promotion.
Would anyone not turn up next week because Manly were wearing yellow? Not at all, and if they tell you differently they were not real fans to begin with.
In fact, did anyone not come again after the Raiders wore yellow jerseys early this year for charity? Of course not.
Could a family who enjoyed a day out at the footy consider it again because their son or daughter now has more of an interest in the game and wants to wear their Hulk/Wolverine/Captain America/Thor/Iron Man jersey? Absolutely.
So Ray, next time you want to talk about getting crowds back to the game, it might be worth checking in with one of the the pony-tailed marketing guys. Sometimes they actually know what they are doing.
Oh and one more thing, give yourself an uppercut.
NQ Cowboy
Guest
I don't care what the Cowboys wear as long as they play like that every week.
jay C
Guest
What I mean is we disagree. We have both stated our point. And we are just saying the same thing over and again. Some people liked. Some not. And that is fine. I don't know what can be added at this point.
AR
Guest
"This conversation is boring now."..?? And here I was thinking you had responded to *my* posts.
mushi
Guest
thank you for the acknowledgement glad I could make you see the error of your ways
Andy og
Guest
They will have an away strip,european strip,cup but at home they are always in there colours
JT
Guest
Great response. Thanks for your valuable input.
Jay C
Guest
You don't need to see it. The figures speak for themselves. This conversation is boring now.
AR
Guest
"The Marvel brand is way bigger than NRL, and has one of the top marketing departments of any in the world. All i’m saying is maybe there is something to learn." I just can't see how any of that is that remotely relevant to the NRL. The implication, is that the only way to engage kids, is to change the club jersey to their favourite comic book characters. That's obviously not true at all.
cedric
Guest
I thought the Manly super hero jersey should have been given to the Broncos for obvious reasons. It was as silly as the day the knights wore the orange safety jersey when they played Balmain. Or is it just me, but after a few refreshments you gotta shake your head and realise you gettin confused which team is which. Maybe I should drink low alco beer. Thought the Roosters/Dragons jerseys were good though, but ho hum maybe the kids liked it? Good on them for given it a try.
Jay C
Guest
Not offended. Just think it is silly to mock one of the most successful enterprises going around at the moment. The Marvel brand is way bigger than NRL, and has one of the top marketing departments of any in the world. All i'm saying is maybe there is something to learn. The whole thing about this sort of stuff is. It isn't aimed at making you enjoy the game more if you have been watching for 20 years. It is about getting kids interested. And anything that does that is a positive. It's not like any of us keyboard are going to forge handsome NRL careers.
AR
Guest
You're probably right. Sorry if I offended you, or Marvel, for referring to them as being merely comic book characters...especially cos that's exactly what they are. Pokemon is a billion dollar business too...maybe that could be the next themed round?
Jay C
Guest
I love how your attempting to denigrate Marvel as some 'comic book characters'. Marvel Turns over BILLIONS of dollars a year. It is huge, and marketed insanely well to its target demo. I think the turnover of these uniforms as well as the excitement of kids more than makes up for a few grumpy old men yelling get off my lawn.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I always thought oikee was just Johnno's alter ego?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
The Hulk raiders jerseys made some degree of sense, but the Wolverine jerseys for Manly when they were playing the Broncos (you know, the team with the yellow regular jersey and the white/maroon clash gear that looks a lot like the Manly jersey/shorts) were beyond stupid -- it was badly timed and badly thought out.
AdelaideWill
Guest
Sorry must have missed it
AR
Guest
Having a sponsors logo on the front is one thing - completely changing the entire club uniform to promote a comic book franchise is another. Just my opinion.
AR
Guest
Having a sponsors logo on the front is one thing - completely changing the entire club uniform to promote a comic book franchise is another. Just my opinion.
Ray Charles
Guest
Great debate here on this issue. Lets just pull ourselves together and watch the classic "Basketball". It really puts it all in perpective. Quote below belongs to Bob Costas from the movie by Trey Parker and Matt Stone "Joining us in the booth this evening, big fan of BASEketball, Tony Nocholino, who plays, as you know, Latino cut-up "Scooter" on the new hit comedy series "What's the Difference?" airing between "Recycled Junk" starring Lisa Campbell and "Same Old Crap" featuring teen heartthrob Mark Swenson, all part of the great fall lineup on our network's "Who gives a rat's ass?" Thursdays.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Don't Barcelona and Man U have strange looking white and Multi colour, and blue jumpers respectively. Or are they just training jerseys. Cause I've seen ppl with those on
Cathar Treize
Guest
Apparently the $3 million figure is rising with overseas sales from people who have not even heard of the NRL buying up bigtime, clicking on NRL.com and watching replays of games featuring the jerseys.