NSWRL: Media Exposure, Suggestions

[mono_mal]

The NSWRL has developed its profiled considerably for its Bundaberg Red Cup and NSWRL Cup competitions through increased media exposure eg. Foxtel highlights package, weekly NSWRL articles in the Daily Telegraph, Sydney League News,radio coverage, internet etc.

Despite this it could be argued that the Qld Cup still dwarf's the NSW Cup, despite the NSW Cup being equal, if not better in standard. I believe a lot of this is to do with the ABC telecast of a Qld Cup game weekly on the ABC. This increases public awareness and exposure and allows clubs to attract greater sponsorship etc.

Whilst the ABC continue to choose not to broadcast the NSWRL in NSW I believe we should look at alternatives. A highlights package is currently broadcast on Foxtel on a considerable delay and at an unattractive time slot.

Possible alternatives:

Live Foxtel/Digital Broadcast: Saturday 3pm.
Could be played as part of 'Super Saturday' and would perhaps be the impetus for ABC interest.

Thursday Night Game
There are currently no rugby league games played on Thursday nights so a NSW Cup game could be potentially played live on free to air (through Channel Nine, ABC or a digital network) or live on foxtel.
Reduced competition with NRL fixtures would create further media interest. This format is currently successfully used in England with the National Leagues!

 

[nqcowboy87]

thursday night is not gonna work, with the feeder system set up or even the old premier league, the team trains all week then the left over players go to the feeder/reserve grade side on a thursday giving them no time to train with the side, saturdays and sundays are pretty much the only option id go with a saturday arvo option like a 2:00 like the qcup

 

[mono_mal]

Yeah fair point about Thursdays.
Perhaps such an idea would be better suited to the independently operating Jim Beam Cup teams whilst we strive to have the NSW Cup broadcast on Saturdays at 2/3pm via Foxtel/ABC.

 

[nqcowboy87]

i thought that the nsw cup then fed into the jbc/bundy red cup

 

[girvie]

It'd be fantastic to get an afternoon game on Saturday.

 

[mono_mal]

A number of NSW CUP clubs (Wenty, Windsor) have direct links between their Bundy and State Cup sides though the majority have loose arrangements with Bundy teams. I believe the impact from players changing grades would be significantly less in Bundy Cup than NSW Cup.
The majority of Bundaberg Cup teams retain their core squad throughout the season and may be loaned a few excess players from State Cup teams.

 

[RL Tragic]

In the Big League Toyota Cup gets an average of 5 pages to NSW Cups 1 and RLW is not much different. To get people interested we need a solid coverage with articles and photos. With the broadcasting there may be contractual issues to be worked thru but a few options could be: Change the live Toyota Cup game from 3:15 Sat Arvo to the 4:45 Mon night leading into Mon Night Football and have the NSW and QLD Cups shown as the Sat Arvo game at 3pm. Or Show the QLD/NSW Cups from 2pm and they must be finished by 3:30 which would push the Toyota Cup back as there is a 30 min lead into Super Sat that would need to be shortened. Or approach the ABC to switch from Sat arvo Rugby union to Rugby League in NSW to match the QLD Cup in QLD this would be more attractive to them with Regional teams in the competition eg Canberra, Central Coast, Newcastle, Illawarra