Pre-season trials: The NRL is losing money

[Pedge1971]

Sorry nothing beats match fitness, Trials are needed for the clubs.
The fact people are talking about getting rid of them due to not raising any revenue, then it just shows what a shit place RL is in

Next thing will be people calling training as unnecessary as it robs our game of elite players injured during training (where most players are injured)

Enter T-Boon....

 

[T-Boon]

Enter T-Boon....

If they trained 2 hours a week rather than 20 it would effect my enjoyment of the game none - or the money in the game. In that sense it is unnecessary. It was arguably a better spectacle when it was semi pro.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Ban training altogether. And contracts. Just gather 34 blokes off the street give them jerseys and a football and tell them to go for it. Stream it live @ $1000 bucks a quarter.

I think this will allow for more attacking football and get the little men back in the game.

 

[muzby]

Ban training altogether. And contracts. Just gather 34 blokes off the street give them jerseys and a football and tell them to go for it.

Ahhh.. the Adelaide Rams approach.

 

[Lambretta]

How many people advocating for trial games to be televised have actually been to one?

Do yourself a favour - go and watch a couple. Then it will be patently obvious as to why they're not televised

 

[Lambretta]

Ban training altogether. And contracts. Just gather 34 blokes off the street give them jerseys and a football and tell them to go for it. Stream it live @ $1000 bucks a quarter.

I think this will allow for more attacking football and get the little men back in the game.

This approach is genius - especially if you ignore the referees and get all 34 blokes on the pitch at the same time.

 

[DiegoNT]

How many people advocating for trial games to be televised have actually been to one?

Do yourself a favour - go and watch a couple. Then it will be patently obvious as to why they're not televised

Bingo!
There's a reason fox and 9 don't want them televised. They are boring. They are about coaches finding out information before a season begins, and players getting match fitness. They aren't great tv. Fox and 9 build up excitement for rd 1, footy is back after a long off-season, they build on that early season hype. They lose that if there has already been a month of low quality trials beforehand

 

[siv]

I remember 9 got the rights a few years ago and then locked everyone out

 

[T-Boon]

How many people advocating for trial games to be televised have actually been to one?

Do yourself a favour - go and watch a couple. Then it will be patently obvious as to why they're not televised

I went to one at Maitland sports ground between Parra and the Knights in 2001. It was awesome - the town was pretty excited - 4000 crowd. The game was exciting - but this was pre wrestle. I also went to one in Campbelltown in maybe 2010. Another very exciting game had me thinking Parra was going to be competitive - we were not.
Both games were very televisable.
In addition if clubs know their games are going to be televised and the sponsors are getting exposure they are going to put on an ok show. I think the games you've been to sound like a good argument for not having trials at all.
Your point is not a good one.

 

[adamkungl]

I went to one at Maitland sports ground between Parra and the Knights in 2001. It was awesome - the town was pretty excited - 4000 crowd. The game was exciting - but this was pre wrestle. I also went to one in Campbelltown in maybe 2010. Another very exciting game had me thinking Parra was going to be competitive - we were not.
Both games were very televisable.

You only think this because you either dislike or are unable to even recognise professional standard Rugby League. Reserve grade squads having a casual run around is basically your idea of rugby league nirvana.

 

[betcats]

IF there was much money in it they would of sold the rights already im sure. For networks to pay any decent amount for these games they would no doubt want a guarantee that the games would be a certain level of quality or feature a certain number of top tier players etc which takes away the flexibility for the coaches to run who they want which is the point of trials. to have a look at different guys and combos and get a bit of match fitness which is why they are so often poor quality. Unfamiliar positions and combinations, mass changes at half time and lack of game fitness make for shit viewing more often than not. We do not want to be broadcasting piss poor quality games to people sitting on the fence about RL.

 

[Frank Discussion]

I called the Sharks v Manly trial last year at Shark Park.
The sharks live streamed it, and they offered me the job calling it because of our podcast profile. It was a lot of fun.

We were all set to go until an email came down from the NRL that said that if the sharks were to stream the trial (all at their expense mind you) this would be in breach of the Telstra digital rights. It was only through some wrangling at NRL level and some subsequent bad press that this was allowed to go ahead, at the 11th hour.

While I can't divulge how many people watched the thing, it was much, much less than a standard NRL round game on FOX. The opportunity to make money is limited.

 

[betcats]

I called the Sharks v Manly trial last year at Shark Park.
The sharks live streamed it, and they offered me the job calling it because of our podcast profile. It was a lot of fun.

We were all set to go until an email came down from the NRL that said that if the sharks were to stream the trial (all at their expense mind you) this would be in breach of the Telstra digital rights. It was only through some wrangling at NRL level and some subsequent bad press that this was allowed to go ahead, at the 11th hour.

While I can't divulge how many people watched the thing, it was much, much less than a standard NRL round game on FOX. The opportunity to make money is limited.

I'm fairly certain the panthers were allowed to livestream a trial last year as well.

 

[Frank Discussion]

I'm fairly certain the panthers were allowed to livestream a trial last year as well.

The Tigers did one as well.
To get around it the clubs had to use Telstras live stream tech.

 

[siv]

IF there was much money in it they would of sold the rights already im sure. For networks to pay any decent amount for these games they would no doubt want a guarantee that the games would be a certain level of quality or feature a certain number of top tier players etc which takes away the flexibility for the coaches to run who they want which is the point of trials. to have a look at different guys and combos and get a bit of match fitness which is why they are so often poor quality. Unfamiliar positions and combinations, mass changes at half time and lack of game fitness make for shit viewing more often than not. We do not want to be broadcasting piss poor quality games to people sitting on the fence about RL.

Happens already and people still watch them

Watch how many people are wanting a live stream thus weekend

Just to get a glimpse of whats to come or how the coach is trialling combinations

 

[T-Boon]

I

While I can't divulge how many people watched the thing, it was much, much less than a standard NRL round game on FOX. The opportunity to make money is limited.

Some of the club members might have known it was going to be live streamed. But the general public wouldn't even know the match is on. If a network or fox broadcast the game league fans will know and the ratings will be pretty high. I can't see why they wouldn't be comparable to an NRL round match.

 

[Frank Discussion]

Some of the club members might have known it was going to be live streamed. But the general public wouldn't even know the match is on. If a network or fox broadcast the game league fans will know and the ratings will be pretty high. I can't see why they wouldn't be comparable to an NRL round match.

The stream was heavily promoted on club website and social media channels. Every member received an email too.

You can argue from your position of absolutely no knowledge that the ratings will be high, or you can listen to someone who was involved in broadcasting a trial and has seen a breakdown of the numbers.

 

[horrie hastings]

There is a live stream of the Roosters vs Cowboys trial match for Roosters members

 

[siv]

It would be less than the regular competition

But if you start with a NSW Cup David Tapp style production

No need for all of the multi angles

Diehard fans will watch it

And with no other sport in Feb it will rate higher than most people think

While I wouldnt travel to another teams trial match I will watch them either on tv or live streamed

 

[betcats]

Happens already and people still watch them

Watch how many people are wanting a live stream thus weekend

Just to get a glimpse of whats to come or how the coach is trialling combinations

Of course people still watch them but not enough for it to be profitable for a TV network which is the whole point.