Optus reportedly eyeing off Rugby AU's new broadcast offering

I support your belief in the NRC but not for the reasons you have outlined. I don't believe developing pathways for the Wallaby's is at the forefront of the public's mind nor do I believe that a successful Wallaby side is a guarantee of Rugby's long term development in this country. It is a band aid solution. A well promoted and properly funded National Championship of say; 8 teams with the core of the competition based in and around Sydney and Brisbane and the other four teams located in major population centres like Perth and Melbourne is the way forward. Sure, there would be no tradition attached to the tournament at first but nor was there tradition when the N.R.L introduced Melbourne Storm or Cricket Australia began the big bash. Why did these sporting bodies make such radical changes ? Because they recognised the importance of a national footprint. The key is to get national coverage on free to air tv and to get mentioned across all forms of media on a regular basis. A National Championship would make this obligatory. Wallaby tests do not afford Rugby this same opportunity, appearances are too infrequent. For a National Championship to be sustainable Rugby Australia must centralise contracts so that the competition is as competitive and engaging to LOCALS as possible. It doesn't have to be the best standard in the world but it does have to be exciting and engage the local population. Most Australian Journo's cannot even pronounce "Otago." how can we expect the Australian public to show interest in say The Bull's if they don't even know where they come from. It is true, A national championship will require the strong arm of administration but if done well the invisible hand of manipulation will by and large pass the majority of people by. Rugby League has been manufacturing entertainment for years and are so clever at it that they even have an "integrity" unit to suggest otherwise. People simply want to be entertained and seek a bit of escapism on a regular time friendly basis. Rugby is going to give it to them. "They want a National Rugby Championship they just don't know it yet." We cannot expect that the Media will continue to pay big bucks to flog like just about everyone else has of late the Wallaby's to an ever diminishing audience. But the Wallaby's are not the problem, they are symptomatic of the ill health the game finds itself in and funding them at the cost of all other forms of rugby in this country is throwing good money after bad. The Wallaby's will not improve until the domestic game improves and that won't improve either until domestic audiences can engage with their local hero's. When I grew up even a rugby league network like channel nine in Sydney reported the Saturday Shute Shield Results. Those days have gone. Rugby has fallen off the Radar. A sustainable, boutique National Championship is the best conceivable solution that will again put it regularly in the public eye. The Syndicated News Bulletins will feel compelled to support and follow it. I urge Rugby Australia to do the same. As the saying goes, "Build it and they will come."

NZR won't play them. Apparently they are beneath the All Black's brand's money making mission. Per Steve Hansen on stuff: "Because multiple requests to introduce a global calendar, and a revenue-sharing model that would allow NZ Rugby to earn money from All Blacks’ games in the northern hemisphere, continue to be overlooked a frustrated Hansen suggested NZ Rugby could go it alone and send out its own invites to teams to play the All Blacks." He did say maybe they would consent to a one off game against a tier two nation each year.

double post

Don't disagree, though I do suspect FTA's impact is starting to wane in the modern era. I think you'd get more of a bump having Netflix stream some games with their ~12 million subscribers than Channel 10 tbh. Anyway, my point was more just give me an option to go ad free regardless of there being another FTA ad-filled telecast.

Is RA renewed interest in the Force a reflection of a realisation that they need a franchise in their largest rugby state of a way to get to Forrest’s pocket. I think it is more of the latter.

Indications from Ben Whitaker is they are thinking of going with an A program. Basically a reserve grade below Super AU.

A lot of the existence of the NRC has been reliant on a broadcaster coming on board to cover the base costs of the competition. If there isn't one or anyone with interest in covering those costs via a deal then it's difficult to maintain. Sadly. As above, I'm hoping we see some kind of hybrid competition featuring both club teams and rep squads. At a minimum rep squads from Melbourne, ACT and WA. I'd actually like to see a rep squad from both Sydney and Brisbane as well featuring the players from the other clubs that don't feature in the competition as well as any Super contracted players not affiliated with those clubs. This way we could at least keep a little bit of the development pathways in tact.

I think its more of what will the boardcasters want, get the game back into more health and then restart again. Sucks but we need broadcast dollars then we can restart developement.

From what Im reading (could be wrong), it that 10 will telecast all games that have an Aussie team and Optus will broadcast everything. Wonder what will happen with the NZ one if we have two domestic comps.

Ex Force fan RA is doing a hell of a lot of threatening and is risking their bluff being called to try to keep the Aus teams at 5 instead of the 4 so I dont see much reasoning in your "RA is still anti us" statement. You say NZ wants 2 teams yet I saw that they wanted 2-4 and I also strongly believe that Twiggy was in the NZ tent and part of the 4 Aus teams. NZ has been very supportive of GRR to date and I see no reason why Forrest would suddenly not be wanted around from an NZ perspective. RA has been stupid by keeping Twiggy out but I guess they have a reason and maybe that reason was that they lost control if they did what Twiggy wanted...I cant think of any other reason why....As for the conspiracy theories around the so-called unfair treatment of the Force this year with unfavourable draws etc well sorry but it is what it is because of C19 not because of any other reason. And without C19 the Force would not be in the comp at all. I see it as making the best of a bad situation rather than some unfair treatment of the Force.

i dont understand how RA believe that the NRC should not exist. To me its 1 of the KEY elements in developing Sr level players...At 2-3 mil a year its the cheapest development program they will ever get. Club to SR will be a real stretch

That almost seems to be deliberate Max. I guess it suits Fox's purpose to have rugby being seen as not drawing any interest but I think they are underestimating how many will drop Fox if the rugby goes. i certainly will. I will go to Kayo if ALL the rugby is on there but if its some at Optus and some at Kayo or Fox it starts becoming difficult to justify from a cost perspective. I am currently with Optus so hoping they get the lot...

Doubt twiggy will subsidise other teams but rather make an investment in a competition or teams in which he therefore gets a long term return on and also a seat at the table - he has made it clear he is willing to consider making an investment - not a donation. The force of course is different and fair enough.

Cluch TV is showing games on FB from club footage, quality is good. All grades, subbies, country etc. That is strategic key to RA winning back support and making professional rugby viable. They do not get it, just trying to get NRL and AFL fans to watch rugby. Even if SS is tied up, a broadcaster probably can't do the lower grades. It may even have trouble doing all 1st grade games to a broadcaster standard. A large number of bolted on rugby people would buy a "Cluch" subscription to watch all of their own club's games and others in the competition. And any other game. I can watch all grades, colts, women for my club and my mates' sons playing in other competitions, even in lower grades. The most valuable asset in Australian rugby; unloved and free to a good home.

Yep nswru killed nrc as they and clubs would just not support it

Don’t worry - Fox won’t be around for long, so you won’t have to make the tough choice.

Exactly! Almost as many people watch rugby on Kayo - these aren’t counted in the numbers though.... weird. ;)

He should keep his powder dry until he understand what is really offered. I expect that Rugby Australia will expect that Forrest finance the Force and subsidise the other franchises. Forrest may rather want to put his money where he has more control.

We are tired of the everything is anti wa and force Rugby when we know that is not true in what is being played out... There is no-one more tired of the anti WA and anti Force Rugby Australia than me....however you are wrong if you believe that it is not true. Here are some of the facts: - The Force play in this year's Australian Superugby competition because Forrest paid for then to play. All the other Australia franchises' participation is fully funded by RA from revenue likely derived from the broadcasting deal that are more marketable because the Force participate (therefore allowed byes). - There is no offer nor certainty that the Force will play in next year's Superugby competition. NZRU wants to cut the Australian teams to two and I expect that the only way the Force will play is if Forrest are again prepared to pay for the privilege to play (while no other Australian or New Zealand team in the competition will be required to do so) - There is no proposal on what will happen post COVID-19 and if the Force will be included or not - Then there are other smaller issues like the Force getting the worst draw in the tournament, not getting equitable funding for WA rugby etc. The more positive attitude in RA and the media is encouraging however are RA building a bridge or did RA found a way into Forrest's pocket? The real test is if RA is prepared to reform their governance so that they are representative of the Australian rugby community and if the Force/WA Rugby community will be treated like any other Australian rugby franchise/community. Until than the conspiracy against the Force is alive and very real.

I expect a couple more unions to go bankrupt especially in South Africa. If NZ couldn't play Hore mentioned that many NZ franchises/unions will also be bankrupt by now. Watch this space.... The players are still there and will be looking for contracts...