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Opinion

The Sam Burgess coverage typifies rugby league's negative media portrayal

Roar Guru
5th October, 2020
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Roar Guru
5th October, 2020
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Reading the news of Sam Burgess, I found that large parts of the media had already declared him guilty. Not of the horrific allegations, but of being a rugby league player.

Obviously, these are very heavy allegations that require investigation. In appreciation of the seriousness of the situation, I will try to go through this article without making wisecrack dad jokes or going off on a lockdown rant.

This isn’t about Sam Burgess per se. I admit I have a soft spot for him – he was the one that got me into Souths.

I’m following the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ rather than blindly backing your man to the hilt. I am not privy to the details, and there are far better places to go to hear baseless unsubstantiated rumours (on an unrelated note, feel free to peruse the comments section).

Rather, this episode represents the coverage of the game in the UK, or lack thereof. Apologies in advance that this will be a heavily Anglo-centric article.

Rugby league isn’t the most high-profile sport, but its coverage swings between the negative and the minimalist, only appearing in any meaningful quality and quantity when a scandal erupts.

Of course, it is human nature to gravitate towards bad news, while sensationalism is entwined within the fourth estate.

But these stories aren’t appearing in tabloid headlines; I’m not interested in the red-top cannon-fodder in articles next to scantily clad women. These stories are in the sports section – the part you skip to first, what is meant to be our escape from the big bad world.

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The reason I take umbrage with such coverage is not a defensive lash-out to protect one of our own.

If the charges are proven true, then the full force of the law must apply and be reported. But these stories aren’t replacing other rugby league column inches; there simply aren’t any to begin with.

While the Burgess fiasco made the front of the sports sections, I can count on one hand the number of on-field rugby league stories to make such an impact.

Sam Burgess of the Rabbitohs

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Even the obituary-style big-read about his life story focuses primarily on his nine-month foray into rugby union.

There was more talk of his scapegoating to placate England’s perennial disappointment than there was of his grand final heroics or England/Great Britain exploits in league.

I suppose I am less upset by the actual coverage than by its reminder of the sport’s generally low profile and lack of interest.

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At the risk of my profile picture appearing with a tin-foil hat, there is a certain section of class-based unionist favouritism – disgusted retired colonels of Royal Tunbridge Wells don’t want to hear about rugba leeg in Her Majesty’s Daily Telegraph, nor do the sanctimonious middle-classes peruse the Grauniad for tales from Brexitland.

But far more pressing than this latent classism is the fact that the sport needs to get better, much better, at selling itself.

I don’t think it needs manufactured personalities, or attention-seeking gimmicks. People can smell a fraud from a mile off. Nor does it necessarily need to expand to ensure national attention. But it needs to be more confident in itself, shout from the rooftops that it is in fact “the greatest game.”

When I arrived in Sydney a couple of years ago, I sat my jetlagged body down with an 8AM gin and tonic and the local paper. After reading about Tony Abbott on the end of a Tasmanian headbutt, I was heartened to see so much coverage of rugby league.

I’m not expecting The Sunday Times to ditch its coverage of Chelsea versus Liverpool to make room for Wakefield’s trip to St Helens. But I would still like to hear about what is still a very important and well-followed sport.

This goes beyond newspapers, taking account of TV and the internet. If the powers that be are comfortable engaging with a shrinking echo-chamber, then they are simply managing decline. The game needs to reach out and appeal to new fans, wherever they may be, and ensure a national presence.

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This isn’t about dominating or being better than other sports, but maintaining a place in the sporting landscape and remaining accessible to those who wish to interact.

Of course, this is easier said than done, especially with minimal resources it’s very hard to cut through and preach to the unconverted. I’m placing a great deal of hope on the World Cup next year.

A big event, well marketed, designed to reach out to fresh audiences, has the potential to turn new attendees into regular punters and shift attitudes in the media.

It requires joint-up thinking with a long-term vision handled by a competent and passionate team. I suppose hope can be misplaced.

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