TV eyeballs v bums on seats: the dilemma facing the NRL in next broadcast deal
Date
June 29, 2015 - 4:24PM
Brad Walter
Sports Reporter
The NRL's biggest drawing clubs are leading a push for the code to regain control of scheduling from broadcasters in a bid to stem a 7 per cent decline in crowds so far this season.
South Sydney and Canterbury officials had been hoping for a crowd of 50,000 for their round 24 grand final rematch at ANZ Stadium if the match was played on a Sunday afternoon but now anticipate about half that number attending as Nine wants to televise it on a Thursday or Friday night.
Brisbane officials are also disappointed about the likelihood of hosting St George Illawarra on the previous Thursday night, rather than a Friday night or Sunday afternoon when more families are able to attend the game.
Midway through the current $1 billion broadcast deal with Nine and Fox Sports, there is clear evidence that the interests of the television networks conflict with those of the clubs.
Ratings are up, particularly for free-to-air matches on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons in Sydney, which have increased by 21 per cent with the introduction of live 4pm coverage this season.
However, attendances are down by an average of 7 per cent and more for some of the NRL's marquee games.
As a result, the clubs are unified in their belief that one of the most important issues for the NRL when negotiating the next broadcast rights deal is the control of fixtures as Nine and Fox Sports now effectively decide the draw.
Under the terms of the current deal, Nine chooses 52 matches across the season, of which the NRL guarantees to deliver 48 into the time slots the free-to-air broadcaster chooses. This season, 43 of those matches are scheduled for Thursday or Friday nights.
Fox Sports then selects 52 games for its Saturday night and Monday night time slots.
The NRL is due to reveal the schedule for the last six premiership rounds on Tuesday, which will include Thursday night matches for the final four rounds.
Fairfax Media understands that scheduling a Thursday night match every second week has been discussed as part of the next television deal, beginning in 2018.
With the emergence of Netflix, Stan and other television and movie streaming services, free-to-air networks are going to rely on live sport and news to drive their advertising revenue and will want games on more nights to attract viewers.
However, crowd figures demonstrate that fans will not attend matches in the same numbers on a weeknight, and the clubs are suffering.
To develop loyal members, clubs need to attract them to a game and then try to offer an experience that will encourage them to return so they want more matches in family friendly time slots such as Sunday afternoon.
Souths chief executive John Lee said the scheduling of matches was vital to the health of the game.
"The people with responsibility for the nutrition of the game need to work out if they want lots of sugar hits through broadcast or whether they want the good building blocks of carbohydrates and protein by getting people going to games and becoming members," Lee said.
"At the moment, our protein levels are down 7 per cent and our sugar levels are up, but is that healthy in the medium to long term?
"It's about a balance but the balance went too far one way, and I think there is serious agreement within club land that we would strongly support the code getting back in its control and command on what days particular games are played and at what time."
Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle said the club had been able to attract 40,523 fans to the Good Friday match against Souths and 27,291 for the Queens Birthday public holiday match against St George Illawarra because they were both afternoon matches.
"If that Dragons match had been on the Monday night it probably would have drawn 12,000, so they are probably two really good examples of making a sensible decision around placement of games that get everyone – the fans, players and broadcasters – a great outcome, and the tills keep ringing," Castle said.
