As the negotiation battle for the next rugby media rights contract is waged, Foxtel has been out throwing stones in the media.
I had to laugh at the quotes attributed in the Sydney Morning Herald to Kim Williams, Foxtel’s former boss, given he seems to miss how much they reflect on Foxtel itself and perhaps even his own legacy.
“The issue with rugby that’s a challenge is the sense of self-entitlement from rugby itself,” Williams said.
“Rugby seems to deem itself as inherently worthy and therefore deserving of mountains of money and that’s a major difference to the reality.
“The real value [is] in Tests and the Bledisloe [Cup] but for the major mainstream… it’s a low-value sport. Rugby refuses to acknowledge this.”
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Here’s a jab right back at you, Kim Williams. If Foxtel cancels rugby, as a 15-year Foxtel subscriber, I cancel you.
Fifteen years ago, my family watched everything Foxtel had to offer. Then my kids grew up and streaming arrived and now I find that the only thing keeping that not-so-little black box on my TV stand is laziness and rugby.
I pay Foxtel over $1000 a year for one thing: rugby. And as I now articulate it, that’s totally nuts!
So before you throw any more stones, reflect on whether the falling value of rugby to you is because of rugby itself, or because of Foxtel’s own growing irrelevance in the world, as well as the superficial nature of Foxtel’s rugby commentary and coverage.
Foxtel executives need to invest some time to go out to a Shute Shield game, or even a Sunday afternoon subbies game. There’s hundreds if not thousands of fervent rugby supporters at every game looking for more ways of consuming rugby. There’s no entitlement on display at Melwood Oval on a Sunday afternoon.
Then they need to ask themselves, if every one of these people at these games being run simultaneously all over the country watch a Wallabies Test or Bledisloe Cup game, how many are actually tuning in to Foxtel?
The sad fact is that the problem lies not with the number of people who want to watch rugby – it’s with the declining number who subscribe to Foxtel.
Foxtel’s own sense of entitlement to rugby is the issue.
Rugby is declining in part because Foxtel is failing. The only way to stop this impact on rugby is to find another way of getting rugby content to the lovers of the game at a lower price. It’s called elasticity, Mr Williams. Hit the right price point and the volume piece accelerates.
Foxtel’s price point is still sitting in the world as it existed 15 years ago. It’s time for you to wake up to a future that doesn’t need Foxtel as is exists today.
Speak to your subscribers and unfortunately you’ll find that irrelevant and entitled are two words more commonly leveled at Foxtel.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
"Rugby is declining in part because Foxtel is failing" What an inept statement that is! Basic Foxtel with sports is about $60 per month, that's $15 per week. If you are a rugby fan you will pay that. How much does it cost to attend a 1 game, have 2 beers & then add on the tolls & parking? How many of you rugby fans reading this article can not afford $15 per week? Foxtel knows how many fans are tuning into the watch the games & the numbers are declining. So why wouldn't they offer a lesser deal. Foxtel doesn't exist to support our game, they are there to make a profit. Yes Foxtel is going backwards due to people taking on other entertainment options. But Rugby fans, if you can not justify attending a match, please keep your subscription & tune into a couple of games a week. It's going to have a greater affect than airing grievances on these sort of websites.
Barry Crocker
Guest
Ditched Foxtel a few years back when Force dumped. Got Kayo for RWC & a few BBL games but will ditch in a mth too. Just invested in a one off ($200) app streaming service via UK of all global sport/movie channels incl Fox/Sky/BEIN etc. Will let you know how it goes in a mth or 2.... Gr8 so far!!
Stephen Creagh
Guest
Excellent (albeit short) article. I first joined Foxtel in 1996 and the sole purpose was for the Super Rugby coverage. I still remember that very first game of the '96 season where Queensland were smashed by Otago, only to go on and win the Minor Premiership. I stand 100% with LED and will definitely discontinue my Foxtel subscription if they no longer broadcast the Game They Play in Heaven. Rugby fans are generally very dedicated and are prepared to pay over-the-top amounts to ensure a guaranteed broadcast of all content. And that's something Foxtel should not take for granted.
The Slow Eater
Roar Rookie
the web browser on my Samsung didn’t work well with kayo. I found it better to stream to the tv from my phone
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Far better RA find their level at the ABC . Not much money but easy to watch, there’s nothing else on there.
ScottD
Roar Guru
Yes, I agree. Any deal with a party other than Foxtel would benefit from a FTA component for the truly "casual" watchers.
Mark
Guest
The EPL on Optus is a far inferior product to what was available on Foxtel Streaming sport is horrible
Mark
Guest
Several problems with that 1. Streaming isnt great unless you have decent speed - which a lot of people dont 2. Even then - the quality is all over the place 3. You cant record and then watch at your leisure and fast forward (dont give me on demand - that only works if every game is available on demand - which hasnt been the case with the EPL - and you have no fine control over fast forwarding/rewinding)
frisky
Roar Rookie
Yep. I rejoined Foxtel for the Rugby World Cup. Too lazy to cancel,and also hanging on for the next season. The other programs have very peripheral value to me. Quite handy at times, but I would not have subscribed if not for rugby.
Adrian
Guest
Agree, no rugby on Foxtel and good bye to me as a 20 year subscriber
Cantab
Roar Rookie
Really, that’s might be my go. Casting from phone drives me crazy.
Paul
Roar Rookie
I think they have more than just Foxsports content on Kayo though. It seems to aggregate a lot of sports from multiple sources. I know what you're saying though, if someone doesn't turn up with some cameras and a commentary team it won't be on platform anywhere...
Paul
Roar Rookie
FNFF, Ten did a magnificent job with the Big Bash. With digital TV and multiple channels, once CBS rights the ship, Ten might be in a position to do a FTA deal.
Paul
Roar Rookie
Hazel Nutt, I heard via word of mouth that the US version of Disney plus includes ESPN. I wouldn't know how to check, never used a VPN and wouldn't know how.
Paul
Roar Rookie
No lockin contracts with Kayo either. I only have it for SR rugby season and come back to it each Feb. I spend my money on Netflix, and plumped 89.99 for a year’s worth of Disney. .For the stuff I miss out on such as the Arrowverse shows I buy off Googleplay. I will never go back to Foxtel. It’s full of reruns.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Kayo on my Android phone and a Chromecast does the trick for me. I do like the idea of a niche streaming service, though for all of Rugby
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Brainstrust, Yoe make some sensible points, Paying too much? What about Ch 7?AFL & Cricket? News Corp & Telstra, owners of Foxtel, have stronger Balance Sheets than Ch 7.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Have a look at Rugby Pass .
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Foxtel and News are digging their own grave, attacking your current offerings in the media is a strange way to do business. Foxtel are super desperate though two bail outs from News, when Game of Thrones ended they had to get people to stay for 10 dollars a month. Rugby is Currently the most profitable sport for Foxtel, because they pay little, they have exclusivity, and a large number of the rugby watchers are sticking paying big money on Foxtel instead of switching to Kayo, and also they have not let it be available on free to mobiles. Problem though is they have to claw back money to compensate for the money they are losing on AFL and cricket. The basic problem with these deals is the lack of exclusivity. In cricket they thought they were being smart believing the marketing and media men that told them test cricket is dying and they wrapped the one dayers and T20 which no one cares about outside world cups. plus some extra Big bash matches. They even took off cricket from telstra mobile. However that was to no avail, the most valuable cricket team for Kayo is India , Australians fans are not that fanatical about their cricket and ony watch it during the summer. The problem with the AFL deal is its structure to show home teams in every state, imagine if you could watch Waratahs in free to air in NSW and Reds in QLD plus one other super rugby match then there goes most of the rugby subscribers;. Plus AFl is also available on mobile as well. I would say they break even on NRL though Brisbane Broncoes they have almost every match on free to air. The only sign of hope for Foxtel is Chernobyl being a show for people to maintain their subscriptions or they need to gain more exlcusivity.
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Richard, It is obvious that you don't know what you are talking about. You said,quote ''Anyway back to TV audiences? Who wants to really want to watch Super Yawion? Nobody who is not indoctrinated ?'' While I agree that some laws in Rugby need tweaking to get more ''ball in play'',the Japanese disagree with you. Crowds for all games were sell outs or close to. Richard, Japan's population is 126.5 million. ”Japan’s win over Scotland in the last of the pool games last Sunday at Yokohama attracted 53.7 per cent peak audience share for the host broadcaster, representing a 54.8 million audience, which was bigger than the audience for football’s 2002 World Cup final in Yokohama on NHK. ” I think that the Japan v South Africa game TV audience was even larger. 54.8 million people watching in Japan ???? together with further worldwide audiences, huge numbers.