TV coverage of the finals outside heartlands

[Hoofhearted]

I think its time for us over here in WA to start waving the white flag in defeat,it just looks impossible to try and watch the finals over here.All year we get by with the excellent coverage that fox offer,but come finals time enter ch 9 to check mate us!
Fox cant show any games live because 9 have the rights,the problem is that they are not showing the games over here untill the wee hours of the morning, some games are not being shown at all.The one baffling thing is that Fox are showing their replays at rediculous times,most games not replayed until the next day and some are on at 4:30 am,why the hell would you put an NRL final on at 4:30 am!
It really eats at me that I can watch almost any sport I want live on my TV,be it EPL soccer,ML baseball,NFL,NBA,Tennis,NBL basketball,AFL,all forms of union,Netball,A League soccer,Cricket,even lawn bowls.
What is it about our game,have we pissed somebody off,are people scared that it might catch on over here and rival their beloved AFL or do we just over estimate the great game and maybe it's not as great as we think.Whatever the reason,the reality is that if a League lover like myself has to go through this much trouble to see a game,what chance do we have of introducing the game to new fans!
On top of this i'm a mad tigers fan with a team in the finals for the first time in 15 years.Instead of watching them i'll be able to watch the thrill a minute A league,cant wait!

 

[steaming stormer]

I feel your pain... we have a team in Melbourne and get the same treatment, and then people ask why our crowds don't grow??? It's because it is a lot of hard f**king work to be a League fan outside of NSW and QLD, and unless you are extremely keen, it is too hard to get the initial exposure

 

[Mr_Ugly]

I think its time for us over here in WA to start waving the white flag in defeat,it just looks impossible to try and watch the finals over here.All year we get by with the excellent coverage that fox offer,but come finals time enter ch 9 to check mate us!
Fox cant show any games live because 9 have the rights,the problem is that they are not showing the games over here untill the wee hours of the morning, some games are not being shown at all.The one baffling thing is that Fox are showing their replays at rediculous times,most games not replayed until the next day and some are on at 4:30 am,why the hell would you put an NRL final on at 4:30 am!

I live in Tassie, and have always had the same problem come origin or GF time (playing a night time GF on the Sunday is also a bummer - no public holiday Monday unless you live in ACT or Qld).

I have found a way around it though. If you get Austar off the satellite, then I think you can use the same dish to pick up Impaja TV (although I am not sure how far the footprint extends across WA). They are a central Australian free to air satellite channel, and pretty much play the games at the same time as Channel 9 Sydney, which means LIVE GF and SOO!

I have noticed a few Melbournites complaining about delayed telecasts, and they could definitely pick it up, as we can down here in Hobart. Of course, if everyone does it, it will mean that the local broadcasts will rate even worse, but its a means to an end.

It could be worse HH ... you could live in Adelaide. I don't think they are getting any finals coverage at all on FTA this week.

Anyway, hope this helps.

 

[foster]

getting imparja for friday night won't.i live in mount isa and imparja are showing the afl instaed.the bunch of soft c**ks have the ability so split the signal into qld but won't.unless you live east of the great divide in this state,you get screwed.abc radio is broadcasting the game live, but it would have been good to have the luxury of watching it live on tv.

 

[Mr_Ugly]

getting imparja for friday night won't.i live in mount isa and imparja are showing the afl instaed.the bunch of soft c**ks have the ability so split the signal into qld but won't.unless you live east of the great divide in this state,you get screwed.abc radio is broadcasting the game live, but it would have been good to have the luxury of watching it live on tv.

We get the normal Sunday arvo NRL games down here on Impaja ... do you get them there, or do they broadcast different signals into different parts of the country?

 

[Hoofhearted]

We use to have imparja,but our card no longer works plus we now have digital. I have a mate who still has it and luckily I'm going to his house tomorrow to watch the game.

My brother mentioned an interesting point the other day,he still lives in NSW and pointed out to me that the AFL finals have been on live in NSW.He also said that last friday night the swans game was on live in prime time and came a distant last in the ratings.My point is that as much as I hate that game,at least they are smart enough to make sure that they are getting proper nationwide coverage and exposure of their game.

I speak to many people over here who see highlights on the news and wish they could of seen the game,but unfortunately channel 9 will only show it if they are guaranteed multi million viewers,they haven't got the brains to realise if they actually show it at good times the interest in the game will grow.

 

[lockyno1]

You do realise that you are in the same boat to Melbourne, in that you are in an AFL mad state. Rugby League will always play second fiddle to AFL!

 

[iggy plop]

You do realise that you are in the same boat to Melbourne, in that you are in an AFL mad state. Rugby League will always play second fiddle to AFL!

But do you want league to grow beyond its traditional borders?

Just because Vic is a mad AFL state, doesn't mean league fans have to be shafted.

If that same logic applied in NSW, AFL would hardly get a run, but as we all know it does better than league in league's number one heartland in terms of coverage.

Strange, but that's the mad world we live in.

 

[lockyno1]

But do you want league to grow beyond its traditional borders?

Just because Vic is a mad AFL state, doesn't mean league fans have to be shafted.

If that same logic applied in NSW, AFL would hardly get a run, but as we all know it does better than league in league's number one heartland in terms of coverage.

Strange, but that's the mad world we live in.

I am not saying it should not be coveree but put your mind in Channel 9 mind. With 90% of fans being AFL mad rugby league just won't rate. Therefore, the network would not make enough money from the coverage. That is life when you live in Melbourne!

 

[Dragonwest]

Yeh i started my quest to find a pub thats showing it. rung the WARL and they said that North Beach and South Perth leagues clubs usually show the finals.

 

[Surandy]

I am not saying it should not be coveree but put your mind in Channel 9 mind. With 90% of fans being AFL mad rugby league just won't rate. Therefore, the network would not make enough money from the coverage. That is life when you live in Melbourne!

Rugby League has rated and done okay in the past. Big events like SoO rate when shown at a respectable time, as does the NRL Grand Final. The GF rates better in Melbourne than the AFL GF does in Sydney, that is despite the saturation coverage AFL gets in NSW compared to the minimal coverage NRL gets in Melbourne. Saying it doesn't rate is bullsh*t, Nein only cut back their coverage of RL in Melbourne once they got the AFL rights!

It is not about ratings, it is purely about Nein trying to keep the bloody AFL happy. I really hope that Nein lose the AFL rights. Only then will NRL get a decent go on Nein again, outside of the heartlands that is.

 

[iggy plop]

I am not saying it should not be coveree but put your mind in Channel 9 mind. With 90% of fans being AFL mad rugby league just won't rate. Therefore, the network would not make enough money from the coverage. That is life when you live in Melbourne!

So why does Channel 9 and 10 show so much AFL in Sydney?

Two words - Iron.......Chef

 

[eelandia]

It seems the isolation of cities such as Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth have made the people into insular ignorants and is reflected by their FTA sports programming. More outwardly looking cities such as Sydney and Brisbane enable a greater choice of EVERYTHING, including sport.

Come and move to Sydney and if you can't afford it, try anywhere between Albury and the top end for a more open-minded and less blinkered sporting public.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It really sucks that the game can't be shown live on Fox in Vic, Tas, SA and WA. Surely their must be a way to split the signal? They do it for AFL.

 

[Green Machine]

The NRL is the only sporting competition in the World who has given out exclusive rights (FTA TV and Radio) so no one can get access when they want to watch and/or listen to the game. I would hate to think the NRL are not committed to providing coverage for Rugby League fans in Western Australia because they don’t want the game to popular there again. I wonder if the NRL are fearful that if games are put on "Live", and they rate well, that Perth locals will call for an NRL side,

 

[steaming stormer]

that's my biggest problem with the whole setup. Channel 9 should be showing the games, I have no doubt about that. However, if they choose not to, then surely there needs to be an agreement in place that allows fox to show the games live into the states that channel 9 neglect.

 

[Green Machine]

The next three Sundays will 4.00pm – 6.00pm telecasts. In Perth, that will translate to 2.00pm – 4.00pm. I wonder what Channel 9 Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide will be showing at this time of the day? Maybe a 30 year old Western Movie. On Sunday afternoon now their AFL commitments are over, they have no excuse not to show NRL

 

[Green Machine]

David Gallop recently intervened to get Foxsports to replay the Challenge Cup from Millennium Stadium. It was said that Foxsports balked at the 10,000 pound fee. I wonder if the NRL paid the fee. Anyway, it was a great result, I watched the game thoroughly loved it.

If the NRL care about Rugby League fans outside the Rugby League friendly Channel 9 and WIN TV viewing areas, I wonder why they don’t come up with some kind of basic service. What if they offered the NRL Final Series on MainEvent TV for an all up fee of $50. Or $5 for each final’s match. If they can attract 10,000 Rugby League fans in each of the Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth markets, that might have a potential 30,000(audience)x$50(subscription)=$1,500000.00 fee. Also, take into consideration Rugby League fans in Western NSW, Outback Queensland, Tasmania and Regional Western & South Australia. What will the cable companies be showing during the Grand Final? Commercials for up coming boxing fixtures? I’m sure they could charge Pubs and Clubs a premium fee as they do now for fight nights. Channel 9’s ads could be either blacked out or if Channel 9 wishes them to go to air, just show them. The money collected from the subscription could be returned to Channel 9.

I would like them to do something, instead of what they doing now, which is nothing,

 

[SalfordRedsWA]

I think its time for us over here in WA to start waving the white flag in defeat,it just looks impossible to try and watch the finals over here.All year we get by with the excellent coverage that fox offer,but come finals time enter ch 9 to check mate us!
Fox cant show any games live because 9 have the rights,the problem is that they are not showing the games over here untill the wee hours of the morning, some games are not being shown at all.The one baffling thing is that Fox are showing their replays at rediculous times,most games not replayed until the next day and some are on at 4:30 am,why the hell would you put an NRL final on at 4:30 am!
It really eats at me that I can watch almost any sport I want live on my TV,be it EPL soccer,ML baseball,NFL,NBA,Tennis,NBL basketball,AFL,all forms of union,Netball,A League soccer,Cricket,even lawn bowls.
What is it about our game,have we pissed somebody off,are people scared that it might catch on over here and rival their beloved AFL or do we just over estimate the great game and maybe it's not as great as we think.Whatever the reason,the reality is that if a League lover like myself has to go through this much trouble to see a game,what chance do we have of introducing the game to new fans!
On top of this i'm a mad tigers fan with a team in the finals for the first time in 15 years.Instead of watching them i'll be able to watch the thrill a minute A league,cant wait!

Great post and well said.
I am sick of reading or hearing about the damn Eagles, Dockers or the stupid WAFFLE (WAFL)!).
We need to be more proactive over here in WA. I have written 3 letters so far to Bob Kucera. He responds quite positively, but Ch9 need a shake up!

I have heard that ABC Perth Radio will be covering NRL next year?

 

[Razor]

It really sucks that the game can't be shown live on Fox in Vic, Tas, SA and WA. Surely their must be a way to split the signal? They do it for AFL.

C7 did 1997-2002 and SportsAFL did in 1996 as well. C7 was showing AFL live up in QLD constantly, while showing other sports down south. And SportsAFL were showing live AFL while other states were getting different matches.

Problem is Fox Sports chooses not to be a state-based channel like C7, SportsAustralia and SportsAFL were, and Fox Footy is. Fox Sports chooses to be a national channel which means they can't show different programs to different cities.