I switched on last Thursday night’s NRL contest between the Bulldogs and the Tigers almost as an afterthought. The swathes of vacant sky-blue seating at the Olympic Stadium confirmed I wasn’t alone in my ambivalence.
When the Nine Network brains trust booked this kinda-sorta western Sydney derby into the Round 24 Thursday night slot a few weeks back, they were no doubt free-diving into their Scrooge McDuck sized money vaults with glee about the impending ratings bonanza.
The game ultimately failed to crack the ratings top 20 nationwide that night, while The Footy Show which followed could only draw in 207,000 viewers across Sydney and Brisbane, down from 309,000 the previous week.
And while NRL games played in front of sub-10,000 crowds are hardly an anomaly, the Bulldogs-Tigers match-up which drew a hardy 9877 last week managed to pull in 22,225 five weeks earlier. On a Sunday afternoon. In the very same ‘soulless’ stadium that every rugby league fan supposedly enjoys as much as a colonoscopy.
Unfortunately for Nine, a perfect storm of factors rained down on their parade, including a spectacular month-long Tigers implosion, Thursday night shopping, the fact that a sizable percentage of the NRL loving population had work or school to contend with the next morning, ASADA, #ballboygate, and actual rainfall.
The Doggies had racked up a Zimbabwean’s cricket score after 30 minutes, the commentary team were more interested in whether Josh Morris’ leg was about to drop off than the actual game, and I decided re-watching the 1994 season of Frontline now available for free on YouTube – thank me later) was a more stimulating way to be spending my evening.
Nobody wins, apart from the guy whose one job it is to monitor average browse time stats at YouTube.
Imagine if The Big Bang Theory was filmed in a near-empty studio, with only half of the cast members managing to drop their ‘zingers’ – and I use the phrase very, very loosely – with the timing and flair expected. Home viewers wouldn’t know when they’re supposed to laugh, and the overall atmosphere would be as flat as Christmas In July celebrations hosted by Joe Hockey and The Treasury department.
This is how Thursday Night Football presents, particularly to the neutral fan. Only some Rabbitohs razzle-dazzle served to lift the previous week’s instalment above the mediocre as well.
In fact, the only real positive I can draw from this month of Thursday night matches to close the season is that it means the shelving of the second Friday night game with its lengthy commercial breaks, fingers-in-ears attitude to the existence of social media breaking scores as they happen, and Ray Hadley.
Far from reaping maximum value from its NRL product, Nine’s Thursday night experiment serves only to devalue it.
Hopefully Nine boss David Gyngell, NRL boss Dave Smith and the gang get together over the off-season, put two and two together, and come up with something other than five.
And if Gynge insists on playing hardball, bring in James Packer to finalise the negotiations.
Screen that on a Thursday and you’d have a guaranteed hit.
Luke M
Guest
I keep hearing people saying the NRL needs to decide whether they care more about getting fans to games or TV ratings. Personally, I would like them to concentrate on both.
Luke M
Guest
It makes a difference. It's a good sight when a team scores a try and you can see a sea of fans going wild and waving flags etc in the background, as opposed to a handful of fans spread out.
HalfNelson
Guest
steve
Guest
The bulldogs applied to the NRL for compo for having two Thursday night games in a row. They have lost over $400,000 in gate takings so that channel 9 get their little bonanza which didn't come anyway. So the crowds are down because its on TV and yet not that many are tuning in anyway. The TV rights and deals are destroying the live game and the NRL are selling their soul for the dollar. The NRL have refused to give the dogs any compo for making them play two Thursday's in a row yet they are getting all that money from the TV rights deal they made. Its funny as Tod Greenberg the x boss of the bulldogs was probably the one who has refused the dogs any compo which is a bit ironic.
peeeko
Roar Guru
he is not a drug cheat, he took recreational drugs
peeeko
Roar Guru
that is true, i watched it live in the USA last week but couldnt talk about it to my mates until the delayed broadcast in sydney
Poppy
Guest
Bet the matches rate well in Fiji though
Poppy
Guest
I bet it rated well in Fiji
Robshots
Roar Guru
I actually preferred the Sunday night games they were having at 6:30. You could go and watch some local games then head home and get your live NRL fix after the delayed debacle.
marco
Guest
So this week should easily be a success with the mighty souths playing canterbury. 30000 plus. The live telecast is a big thursday night benefit.
Mike Pearsall
Roar Rookie
I feel like a lot of the displeasure coming from the author is based on the fact that the game was scheduled back when the Tigers were in form and the game had a bit of a attraction to it. No matter what time slot the game was on last weekend, it would have been a shit game and rubbish to watch. Put a Manly vs Souths on Thursday night and you won't hear anyone complaining.
FeralBunny
Roar Rookie
Thursday night footy = home made pizza & buffalo wings. Yes it depends on the teams playing.
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
Your article focuses too much on last Thursdays two opponents. It doesn't matter if the Tigers play on a Thursday or a Sunday arvo, at the moment i'm not really interested. This week the Dogs play the Rabbitohs and it should be a cracker! I bet the ratings go up dramatically. Also nothing beats live footy, so it is great to have the Thursday game on live instead of a second Friday night game on delay.
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
I totally agree, I love hearing Vossy calling the Warriors games and most people i speak to agree. Surely they should get him back
col in paradise
Guest
the Afl strategy of building small top class stadiums for new teams that get atmosphere even half filled.games that can't fill the big Melbourne Sydney stadiums being played in tissue or Canberra plus 4 to 5 free to air games plus cable is a great marketing plan compared to the NRL emphasis on ratings adverts and pay TV is the results..Afl gets more spectators and viewers for the home and away season... and agree on the bloody commentators... But Bruce Macavaney drives me nuts when doing the Afl...league wants to grow it needs crowds at game and atmosphere..a cheering crowd is the best advert for any code
col in paradise
Guest
the Afl strategy of building small top class stadiums for new teams that get atmosphere even half filled.games that can't fill the big Melbourne Sydney stadiums being played in tissue or Canberra plus 4 to 5 free to air games plus cable is a great marketing plan compared to the NRL emphasis on ratings adverts and pay TV is the results..Afl gets more spectators and viewers for the home and away season... and agree on the bloody commentators... But Bruce Macavaney drives me nuts when doing the Afl...league wants to grow it needs crowds at game and atmosphere..a cheering crowd is the best advert for any code
Knightblues
Guest
Keep the footy to fri'nite, sat'day and sunday only, and make the general admission tickets to ALL GAMES ten dollars each, lets get the familys and more fans back.
Monstrous
Guest
Spreading the game over 5 days/nights means some people feel its too much of a good thing so people actually aren't in anticipation of watching something - If I miss tonight's game there another one very soon.... Not everyone can play Sunday arvo and still get a $1BN TV deal. The RL should advertise the fact that their grounds are half empty and you can get a good seat - my mate just forked out $55 for a average seat at the Swans - better off going to penrith or my local ground where I can sit anywhere and get reasonable food easily for a cheap ticket without the hassle.....
Glenn Innes
Guest
Christo - There are two ways you can spin those figures,on the one hand you can say "look crowds are holding up well, they have been very consistent for nearly a decade". Alternatively you can say crowds have been stagnant for nearly ten years and once you factor in population growth are in real terms in slow decline.
Belmore eel
Guest
Thursday night is definately alot better than a second friday night game - from a tv viewers perspective. The crowds will obviously suffer as they do on monday nights. For me, i much prefer watching matches on hd on fox compared to ch9. I also refuse to watch the delayed garbage on sunday arvo, even if my team is playing. Its 2014, and ch9 are still dishing up 1980's style delayed matches on sundays. My suggestion to ch9 is, 1. Sortout yr hd for nrl 2. Show sunday arvo live, then put the sunday footy show on after the game to wrap things up leading to the news - similar to monday nites with matty johns