Super League coverage idea

[Foreign Legion]

Willie Mason is to join Glenn Stewart, Todd Carney and Frank Pritchard in Super League next year. Is it time the European competition tried to get a slice of the Australian market?
Of course, the general wisdom is that, with half the salary cap of the NRL, the only other full-time professional league we have is a pale shadow of the all-powerful southern hemisphere comp.
But as James Graham said after England scored a series-clinching 20-14 win over New Zealand recently, "the man of the series, Sean O'Loughlin, he doesn't play over there. Zac Hardaker's been great for us, Kallum Watkins, Jermaine McGillvary today, Matty Smith. They don't play over there.

Some of the standouts for England don't play in the NRL."
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Super League games may not be up to the exacting technical standards of NRL coaches – but they are not as boring as the NRL coaches often make them, either.
I'm not suggesting the Brits and French TAKE ON the NRL in Australia and New Zealand. But those championing NRL games at Wembley aren't suggesting the Premier League will collapse either.
While Super League has trouble getting national attention in the UK, there is proven market for the sport in the southern hemisphere.
Why can't Super League play a Sunday morning fixture that would be beamed live into Australian loungerooms at 7.30pm or 8.30pm? It's a timeslot that is often left blank by the NRL.
Or a midday game that would slot nicely on the end of Super Saturday?
Why can't it set up an office in Sydney and sell perimeter advertising and naming rights?
Why can't Leeds play Catalans in Perth or Wellington? People would show up to watch three of those players in the first paragraph of this story, and two from the fourth par, wouldn't they?
David Gallop used to say "fish where the fish are". I am not going to make a "fush" joke about New Zealand but you get my drift.
Of course, a few weeks ago we couldn't even get a Test match on TV live from Hull, so obviously there's a bit of work to do.


...... i would love to see more super league games
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...rl-circles-20151125-gl86l5.html#ixzz3sX9GxBf0
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[adamkungl]

I'd love to watch Super League on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Nothing else worthwhile on!

 

[Foreign Legion]

With new tv deal just about to be announced. They have stated in 2017 there will 24 hour nrl channel. Lets hope they can screen all super league games live on it

 

[roughyedspud]

For overseas rights i think IPTV is the future..

Maybe the RFL,ARLC & RLIF should work together to deliever a global iptv RL channel..

Everyone pays £10/$15 a month to access the channel

Super league would be available to everyone outside the uk..

NRL would be available to everyone outside of aus/nz

All the RL shows would be available on there

All the tests that are streamed live would there too..

Theres no shortage of content too sustain the channel imo

 

[adamkungl]

It would be completely baffling if the 24 hour NRL channel doesnt have SL.

 

[whall15]

I'm confused as to how Saturday 7:30pm is a timeslot ignored by the NRL.

 

[roughyedspud]

It would be completely baffling if the 24 hour NRL channel doesnt have SL.

fox has super league rights does'nt it??

 

[langpark]

It would be completely baffling if the 24 hour NRL channel doesnt have SL.

??? Is there gonna be an NRL channel??


I do agree with the idea, but I'm not sure it's worth inconveniencing fans in the UK with odd scheduling, simply to cater to an indifferent audience, it would be very risky. The average NRL 'fan' usually scoffs when you dare to mention Super League.

I think the first sentence of this article kind of summed it up too: Willie Mason is to join Glenn Stewart, Todd Carney and Frank Pritchard in Super League next year. Is it time the European competition tried to get a slice of the Australian market? As though it had nothing going for it before this.

Anyway. On the whole I agree and would like to see them trial it. But then again, it's a very 'saturated' time of the year. All the NRL matches are on, plus juniors and amateurs have matches to play. That's why a few months ago, I suggested a similar idea for the FRENCH league, seeing as they still play in winter! They'd have a complete monopoly from November until February. I know the standard is lower, but a midday kickoff on a Sunday would be 10pm Sydney, 9pm Qld. Match of the round I think would be watchable.

 

[deal.with.it]

Yes a 24/7 rl channel

 

[langpark]

Yes a 24/7 rl channel

About time!! When did that start?

 

[roughyedspud]

It hasn't yet

 

[deal.with.it]

Next year

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Next year

Isn't it 2017, not 2016.

 

[adamkungl]

??? Is there gonna be an NRL channel??


I do agree with the idea, but I'm not sure it's worth inconveniencing fans in the UK with odd scheduling, simply to cater to an indifferent audience, it would be very risky. The average NRL 'fan' usually scoffs when you dare to mention Super League.

Oh I wouldn't change UK scheduling for this, just put it on delayed at a reasonable hour. I'm not concerned with watching Live UK sport, a lot harder to get spoiled without saturation coverage and talk

 

[yakstorm]

The dedicated Rugby League channel starts in 2017. Fox Sports current deal with Super League also ends that year as well.

If there was a way for another market to underwrite an increase in coverage of Super League then it is a win win for all concerned. Sky in the UK has made it pretty clear that they'll only pay for their 2-3 games per week leaving a lot of RL content uncovered.

Now if an appropriate time slot could somehow be found which wouldn't mean a stupid kick off time in the UK but also resulted in a game being broadcast at a time people are awake then maybe the RFL could somehow find a way to top up their broadcast revenue from Fox Sports Australia and Sky Sports NZ and suddenly create an extra game or two of broadcast content which the RFL could re-sell back into Europe and other international markets.

Honestly whilst there are a group in Australia and New Zealand who might turn their nose at Super League there is still a healthy audience who will watch the games. Some SL games this year (5amish kick off) have attracted audiences of 20-30K. Not only is this strong in what is a 'dead' timeslot, but is comparable to U20s, some A-League and Super Rugby matches on Fox.

If that audience could double (a better timeslot would help), Fox would be prepared to pay more for the content. Sky would pick it up as well as they love all things Rugby (League or Union).

 

[DlEHARD]

What type of timeslots would work?

If we talk it up, perhaps it will happen.

 

[roughyedspud]

What type of timeslots would work?

If we talk it up, perhaps it will happen.

Does it matter if its live??

They'll need alot of content to fill a 24/7 RL channel,obviously ESL games would be live at daft oclock but will it matter if its replayed (a few times through the week) at a more sensible time..

Plus if you wanna dictate our kick off times..a 10-11am kick off here to suit aussie primetime....you'll have to get your chequebook out..and even then you'll face a fight from the clubs.

 

[Evil Homer]

The dedicated Rugby League channel starts in 2017. Fox Sports current deal with Super League also ends that year as well.

If there was a way for another market to underwrite an increase in coverage of Super League then it is a win win for all concerned. Sky in the UK has made it pretty clear that they'll only pay for their 2-3 games per week leaving a lot of RL content uncovered.

Now if an appropriate time slot could somehow be found which wouldn't mean a stupid kick off time in the UK but also resulted in a game being broadcast at a time people are awake then maybe the RFL could somehow find a way to top up their broadcast revenue from Fox Sports Australia and Sky Sports NZ and suddenly create an extra game or two of broadcast content which the RFL could re-sell back into Europe and other international markets.

Honestly whilst there are a group in Australia and New Zealand who might turn their nose at Super League there is still a healthy audience who will watch the games. Some SL games this year (5amish kick off) have attracted audiences of 20-30K. Not only is this strong in what is a 'dead' timeslot, but is comparable to U20s, some A-League and Super Rugby matches on Fox.

If that audience could double (a better timeslot would help), Fox would be prepared to pay more for the content. Sky would pick it up as well as they love all things Rugby (League or Union).

Sky pay big money for exclusive rights. ESL could split the rights up, sell them to various channels and end up with every match televised but the total amount of money received would come to nowhere near what Sky are willing to pay for exclusivity. So this is a non-starter.

Also moving SL matches to suit an audience in a different timezone, are you people serious?

 

[adamkungl]

Also moving SL matches to suit an audience in a different timezone, are you people serious?

I don't know why the fk people would think this would happen, or even care if they watched SL delayed.

 

[BODISGOD]

It will be a very sad day for rugby league in England if fans who have been going to games all their lives are expected to rock up at 11am to attend a game, just so a digital audience in a country with less of a population can watch some "content" in primetime.