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Don't get me wrong. The administration of the game in this country is a travesty. If you were to do a deep analysis of it you'd likely find much of the financial issues of the game stems directly from it. And I am reading all these reports acting like things like the Nations League is a lock in a state of disbelief at present. And forecasting/budgeting on those assumptions is lunacy.
But, there seems to be this assumption that SR is in free fall in the ratings. Which is what I'm talking about here. And in which the numbers aren't supporting. What the number saying that the season average for 2017 after all game were completed was 51k. The corresponding figures for the 2018 season averaged at 54k. Though that figure can be explained by the loss of the Perth game which drew an average 35k during its broadcast.
This season we are seeing a significant jump in the early ratings. Comfortably above the corresponding period and games to that of last year. And these numbers are kind of important. As they are what broadcasts use as guides for determining the value of a product. Allison has said that her information suggests Foxtel are keen on bidding. I suggest they are more playing hard ball not wanting to be seen as too willing considering they even admitted to paying overs for both the NRL and AFL deals and are currently watching the A-League in which they are paying $68m a season for go into what appears to be a terminal decline in ratings.
When Georgina Robinson first came onto the scene I thought. Great. No more Greg Growden and his endless drivel. Sadly, she's become more or less Growden lite in her propensity to phrase things snidely. Calling this supposed collaboration a 2nd Div as opposed to what it actually will be. A corresponding competition. I think if this is the case it will be a net positive. For Forrest and Co. having SANZAAR endorse the competition (and that's all this really is) will allow them to proceed with less obfuscation on its behalf. Which can only be a good thing.
As maybe, but I have no doubt what she is saying is how SANZAR would very much like this to play out - a separate competition that doesn't compete for players with SR, and maybe even feeds them players and funding.
We have no details on what it is, let alone where it is heading. For all we know that is exactly where it is going. We will have to wait and see.
I’m no stats guru but to me TV ratings depend on the excitement created by the game . One element of that is the Fans that turn up to watch . ( How watchable is a packed stadium with passionate Fans .... Six Nations...Gallagher Premiership....Pro 14 . ) SANZAAR has in its ineptitude totally ignored this and I believe paid the price ( literally) . Bring the Fans back into it !! something that AF and Minderoo are doing........
Last edited by bootsetal06; 21-03-19 at 10:06.
The Herald understands it would be a SANZAAR-endorsed competition part-owned by Forrest, Australia's mining billionaire, with a Japanese team to be added to the founding Rapid Rugby clubs, the Western Force, Fiji, Samoa, Hong Kong and Singapore. A Malaysian team and potentially a second Australian team could be added. The Newcastle Hunter Rugby Union was reported to be in "high level" discussions with the Rapid Rugby team about basing a team out of there from next year."
I had a chuckle at that bit.
For the most part SR has been very watchable across the board this season. Which is being reflected in the ratings. I agree it is hard to get your head around playing in such cavernous stadiums. The Tahs opener at Brookvale proved that people are far more willing to turn up if they feel closer to the action and part of a greater sense of atmosphere.
There was what 15k in a city of almost 5 million and a state of around 8million. That's almost twice the size of New Zealand. Sorry, you can paint this anyway you want but it appears no one turned up.
So 0.0018% of the NSW population turned up and gave a shit about the Waratahs