The TV rights thread part II

[docbrown]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/how-the-nrl-can-cash-in-on-tv-20110722-1hsrq.html

NRL matches could be worth an extra $70 million a year to free-to-air broadcasters by using existing stoppages in play as advertising opportunities.

That would exceed even my estimates and put in the range of $145 million a year.

The estimated windfall is detailed in a proposal from NRL Stats chief executive Andrew Moufarrige, who has looked at the amount of time lost in matches due to stoppages for scrums, goal-line dropouts and conversions, and found that more than 10 minutes of extra game time could be found by simply stopping the clock for 15 to 30 seconds each time to allow a television commercial.


The time-off might also appease fans who complain about time wasting due to such stoppages and trainers being constantly on the field as they would only be allowed to give players drinks during designated breaks.


Moufarrige has discussed the idea with a number of leading officials and coaches, who believe it would have little impact on the game itself while providing obvious benefits.
He also predicted such changes would encourage a bidding war between all the commercial free-to-air networks for matches, as even the lower-ranked games would have far greater advertising opportunities.


The issue has emerged as officials prepare to start negotiations for the next television deal beginning in 2013 once the independent commission is formally in place, with Channel Nine boss David Gyngell saying this week that the league needed to create more opportunities for commercial breaks to have any chance of matching AFL's recent $1.2 billion broadcast deal.


Under his proposal, Moufarrige said State of Origin games could be worth an additional $3 million each, and a regular season NRL match up to $300,000.

Okay - that blows my rep numbers out of the water - that would put the Origin component alone at about $25 million a year.

''Remember, we have got MasterChef, [Australian] Idol, Oprah and Seinfeld all rolled into one,'' Moufarrige said. ''The grand final and State of Origin is like having four Super Bowls. Advertisers would pay a premium for commercial slots in those games, and people would watch them because the ads would be so good.


''NRL is the No.1 TV product. It has seven of the top 10 programs on free-to-air and 72 of the top 100 on pay TV. Also, NRL is the No.1 TV product in 16 of the 20 key TV markets in Australia and New Zealand. AFL only wins in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

''AFL is a longer game, and there are advertising opportunities after every goal. But we can add an extra $70 million in ad revenue for NRL games with some small changes to breaks and restarts that give everyone consistency.''


Under Moufarrige's proposal, each half would be played over 50 minutes of real time that included stoppages for scrums, penalties, tries, restarts and video referee rulings. The players would have to be ready to resume play after the 15- or 30-second break for each stoppage or risk a penalty.


He also suggested introducing a two-minute drinks break after 25 minutes when interchanges could be made. ''That would divide the game into 25 minute packets of content which are more suitable for mobile and broadband providers,'' he said. ''What we want is to get all the free-to-air broadcasters and Telstra competing with Fox Sports.

''Games one to four will rate and pay for themselves on free-to-air without these changes

Note - further evidence that we will see a minimum of four F2A games in the next deal.

but with them they could be worth up to $300K extra per game. The bonus is that games five to eight would now become valuable on free-to-air with even 300,000 to 500,000 viewers, as there is now 10 to 15 minutes ad time set over two hours.''

 

[docbrown]

The big issue though is 4 Quarter x 25 minute (100 minute total football).

That would see each game run for about 112 minutes including half time over our current 95 minute average.

 

[docbrown]

15 or 30 second ads during natural stoppages like goal line restarts would make no difference to a live game and it will get us closer to the 1.4 billion.

Check out Andrew Moufarrige's proposal on the TV rights thread.

 

[docbrown]

The main advantage of all this though is that you can get the ads in but potentially have every game remain live.

 

[moik]

Are there many ads in an AFL game?

 

[Moffo]

Every time a goal is kicked

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Video ref decisions seem suited. Once a decision is made, the ads can end and they can show footage of the best replay that the decision was based on. With the number of replays some decisions take, you'd think there's potential in there.

 

[docbrown]

Video ref decisions seem suited. Once a decision is made, the ads can end and they can show footage of the best replay that the decision was based on. With the number of replays some decisions take, you'd think there's potential in there.

Yes.

They can cut to a break with ads cued up in 15 second spots.

The video ref reviews the footage. In that time the broadcaster can pick the best angle and tags it on the stream.

When the video ref is close to deciding, he signals the broadcaster. When the ad currently airing ends, they come back to the 'Best Angle' footage with a picture-in-picture of the decision being announced.

To me that's better than listening to commentators whinge about "how many times are they going to look at this"

 

[coolsteve]

just have the thread along the bottom of the screen (as in fox sports) and do away with ads period

 

[Loudstrat]

http://www.news.com.au/national/tv-...-limits-with-ads/story-e6frfkx0-1225795498281

I know it's News Ltd, but the above link suggests a limit of 13 minutes of ads per hour.

Games go for 80 minutes, with a 12 minute break for ads called halftime. So that means your program is going to be 2 hours, or 120 minutes. That allows 26 minutes of ad breaks. 80 + 26 = 106. That leaves 14 minutes for previews, half time comments, wrap ups, and stoppages in play.

But what if there is golden point? Last night sapped up 8 minutes, with only the post match wrap up to be chopped to make way for it.

My point is this. There is plenty of room for ad-breaks, and the golden point thing can be removed. But do TV stations want it removed, thus removing the excitement element? Golden point makes the game duration unpredictable - therefore f*cks up programming. Remove Golden point. What's the problem, Gyngell?

 

[beave]

more football.................mmmmmm I likey!!!!

 

[docbrown]

I know it's News Ltd, but the above link suggests a limit of 13 minutes of ads per hour.

The article is correct on this particular point -

The Government's regulatory body, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, sets limits between 6pm and midnight of 13 minutes of commercials per hour. But every one of more than 20 popular, prime-time programs surveyed exceeded those limits - some by as much as six minutes per hour.

Because the majority of programmes from the US come with a 21 minute or 42 minute run time so you usually get about 18 minutes.

Our goal should be about 15 minutes an hour minimum.

You'd get 6 minutes from half time, 4 minutes from outside the game and at least 5 minutes from within the game - per hour.

You might sneak another 1 or 2 minutes if you extend half time.

 

[moik]

Every time a goal is kicked

Wow, seriously?

That's a lot of ads. Do they hold up play for the coverage to start?

 

[docbrown]

I can see an individual game going for 112 minutes or 115 minutes if they go to a 15 minute half time (+of course potential for golden point).

For double headers you could still keep that in a minimum 4 hour block - or more likely, especially on a Sunday - extended it with panel buffers to 4.5 hours.

But for stand alone games like finals - with a 15 minute pregame buffer and 5-10 minute post game buffer, you might get a 150 minute running time or even 165 minutes if there is pre-match entertainment or special footage.

I'd like to see the Saturday finals change to a 3:30pm & 6:30pm start for a 9:00pm finish. You still get the double header effect but you also address the late game audience drop off.

 

[docbrown]

Wow, seriously?

That's a lot of ads. Do they hold up play for the coverage to start?

It's a 30 second reset and the umpire waits for the light to signal the restart of play.

 

[Dragonwest]

ONLY $960mill?

anything close to a bill will make our game unstoppable over the next decade as long as the IC doesn't just throw it all at struggling clubs.

I say 'only' because for months they were banging on how they will get a billion for their tv rights. They failed to achieve that and had to add in the internet and contra to create the headline they wanted.

The majority of the public believe the AFL got 1.25 billion for their tv rights (which was more than they were expecting) which is false. They are great promoters!

 

[docbrown]

I say 'only' because for months they were banging on how they will get a billion for their tv rights. They failed to achieve that and had to add in the internet and contra to create the headline they wanted.

The majority of the public believe the AFL got 1.25 billion for their tv rights (which was more than they were expecting) which is false. They are great promoters!

It was always going to happen. You can't say 'we want a billion' and then not deliver. Bad for your image.

So instead you just call it 'Media Rights'.

 

[BDGS]

Do you own homework.

This is a TV rights thread. Not a sport thread. If you think there is something positive about NRL media rights go right ahead and post it.

Do your own homework, i already have.

And here is a tip for you - the match of the round is already on Friday nights. Fixed scheduling would alter that.

Waa waa waa.

The match scheduled is picked something like 8 weeks in advance, often the friday night games turn out to not be the match of the round.

Oh, and here is a tip for you. Ch 9 gets the first 2 choices for games on a weekend, then its up to them if they decide to put both on Friday or one on Sunday.

 

[Parra]

Do your own homework, i already have.



Waa waa waa.

The match scheduled is picked something like 8 weeks in advance, often the friday night games turn out to not be the match of the round.

Oh, and here is a tip for you. Ch 9 gets the first 2 choices for games on a weekend, then its up to them if they decide to put both on Friday or one on Sunday.

You are one hell of a media fan.

 

[El Diablo]

you are one hell of a yawnion fan