Rugby League Viewing Figures Down Again

[tuutaisrambo]

The whole game is structured around making the last month of the season the exciting part where all the Crunch games that matter are played and everything is on the line..........can't blame people for not giving a toss for the first 8 months

[Wakefield Ram]

2 hours ago, Private Baldrick said:

I don't watch the Oz games so can't comment. All I can say is that over the years, for me, the T.V games in general have become too predictable, too regimented and if I am honest, boring to watch.

Add in too much lying on at the tackle, slow play the balls, relentless gamesmanship and I hardly watch SL. NRL  has some of the same issues but it is faster-paced and higher skill levels.

[dhw]

16 minutes ago, Michael Gledhill said:

That's not entirely true. 

You have to watch the Facebook Live content for it to be classed as a view. Simply scrolling past won't add a view. 

The real gold in the data is unique views on unique devices and both York vs Bradford games are highly encouraging. 

Yes, it will add a view, unless you have custom software to do otherwise, in all likelihood you do not.  Reloading the page will potentially do the same. Very very people have static IP addresses and a lot of people accessing facebook do through an interface that hides properties, in that case, all your platforms knows is the browser and source IP which may not even be the real IP. When somebody scrolls past the facebook page, even if the person that did the scrolling does not see the stream it will count as a view. That is why there is such disparity in your data. You need to understand what  'unique views' and 'unique devices' means in reality, both are affected by connections to facebook, if the device loses a connection (very common) in most cases a new session to the stream is created, unique views are typically based off of unique sessions. Do not believe the hype of web analytics platforms

[Private Baldrick]

33 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Yesteryear is irrelevant. We do now score loads of tries and we do not do simply have 5 drives and a kick - ie a meaningless set of plays as you claim.

The 4 and then 6 tackle rule came in around 1968, so nothing about the consequences of that rule has changed in years. Indeed recently we have had effectively a 7 tackle rule, so less need to kick, except an attacking kick. Allied to this we have a 11 yard line which makes it even easier to create an attacking option.

An assertion about 5 drives and a kick is an excuse to moan. 

Some fundamentals have changed. Scrums.  Play the ball (which thanks to the Australians, we now call 'the ruck').  A 3 yard line increased to 11 yards.  These are fundamentals, but the tackle-count has been here for 50 years.

Yesteryear is relevant, never forget your history! Perhaps an analogy to draw is between test cricket and T20. For me test cricket is the pinnacle with its subtle twists and turns, nuances, tactics etc., where T20 is just biff baff bosh. I would compare the game today more to the T20 mindset, rather than games of the past where a good scrum half or a good hooker were like gold dust, props were props etc. Today we seem to have 17 blokes of 6 foot plus and weighing 16 stone just running into each other. The guile and slight of hand has gone from the game.  

[Oliver Clothesoff]

I’d love to see all sacked from Sky. 

Hemmings - past his best, I’m not sure he even follows Rugby League. He’s like a geriatric old man shouting for one point when a side is winning by 10. 

Clarke - Should have been sacked numerous times for his Wigan bias where you used to be able to play Sam Tomkins bingo. Somehow Clarke managed to shoehorn a Tomkins reference into every game regardless of who was playing. His bias still exists. Plays devils advocate all the time for no reason whatsoever.

Carney - Carcrash. Finds reading an auto queue difficult and fluffs his lines numerous times. 

McDermott and O’Connor - Funny as toothache and as enlightening and eloquent as a brick wall. 

Wells - The best of a bad bunch but that’s not much of a statement. Still association to the other lot should see him go. 

Cummings - The worst of the lot. “This should be a try here”. Decision by the video ref? No try. Embarrassing and makes the game look terrible. 

Jenna Brooks should be the face of Sky Rugby League.

 

[Southerner80]

5 minutes ago, Private Baldrick said:

Yesteryear is relevant, never forget your history! Perhaps an analogy to draw is between test cricket and T20. For me test cricket is the pinnacle with its subtle twists and turns, nuances, tactics etc., where T20 is just biff baff bosh. I would compare the game today more to the T20 mindset, rather than games of the past where a good scrum half or a good hooker were like gold dust, props were props etc. Today we seem to have 17 blokes of 6 foot plus and weighing 16 stone just running into each other. The guile and slight of hand has gone from the game.  

Do we? Let's be fair there's alot of skill in SL.... Gale, Gigot, Escare, Tomkins, Grace, Barba, Fages, Lui, Myler etc etc all way off 16stone and rather run around than through you...then Lockers and some other forwards like Bird have some nice hands too .. The game is pretty good to watch tbh.... It's the structure the season and the sky presentation that doesn't help... 

[RigbyLuger]

Brian Carney is much better than Will Perry. He may not be as polished, but understands the game and asks good questions.

[DavidM]

We need Cummings to give us insightful comments like ‘ what he needs to do here is put the ball down over the line ‘

[Gerrumonside ref]

The best advert for UK rugby league is the Grand Final - it looks like a massive occasion even if the game itself can disappoint.

This game needs to shown live to the widest possible audience in the same way the NFL showcase their sport via the Super Bowl (which is simulcast in the UK on FTA and paywall).

I believe this is the only way to attract new viewers and neutrals to the sport.

[dixiedean]

We need a subscription app. £100 a year, every game live, SL to L1 similar to Bradford on FB. Extensive highlights available. Ability to buy one off games obviously, as well as monthly and weekly options. Cheaper than SKY.

250 k subs worldwide gives £25 million a year which is not unrealistic indeed probably Conservative. Add on more for one off games. Plus advertising.

One game a week free.

Pay TV on the SKY model is a dying medium. Heck TV is dying. My teenage kids don't watch anything other than YouTube Netflix on their phones and tablets. Eldest just gone to Uni, no one has a TV, let alone a SKY subscription. 

[Human Punk]

I agree that the presentation needs changed. The difference between Sky here and the Fox coverage in Aus is night and day. Good commentators like Vossy can make a game sound probably 25% better than it actually is, whereas the dross we are served by Sky makes it seem about 25% worse.

The standard of play in Aus is generally better overall, but not always in every game. But watching on TV you'd always come away with the view that the Aus game was way more exciting.

The same comparison could be made with Sky's football coverage. There's no way that someone of Eddie's standard would still be in a job covering the EFL.

[DavidM]

If they threw them all over overboard they could have a shot at getting Voss ! He knows SL !

[Man of Kent]

25 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Cummings - The worst of the lot. “This should be a try here”. Decision by the video ref? No try. Embarrassing and makes the game look terrible. 

Yes and, worse, it then cuts to the Patient Claim Line roulette wheel as if ref decisions are pot luck!!

[dealwithit]

The things that bother me are:

1) too many referees don’t appear to have control of the game. It makes it seem sloppy, error prone and very loose. You can ser the effect it has on the players getting frustrated. 

2) the SKY production is ###### poor and reminds me of kangaroo tours back in the early 2000s. Pick commentators that can properly annunciate and articulate. Being Northern is no excuse. 

[Dunbar]

43 minutes ago, Wakefield Ram said:

Add in too much lying on at the tackle, slow play the balls, relentless gamesmanship and I hardly watch SL. NRL  has some of the same issues but it is faster-paced and higher skill levels.

Perceptions are funny things aren't they. I think the play the ball is far too quick and far too sloppy... slowing that area down would greatly improve the game in my opinion.

[Yorkshire Knight]

2 hours ago, Copa said:

I’ve found this too:

https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/figures-show-nrl-as-australias-most-watched-sport-of-2018/

Growth in crowds and television audiences was supported by digital growth, where streaming numbers have jumped 108% year-on-year, including over 800,000 new NRL account subscribers.

And yet there's been more concern after the lackluster turnout for the latest round in the NRL

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/michael-ennis-backs-a-return-to-suburban-grounds-hosting-finals/news-story/0df3bfd6afda7eab52c426080ef53b9e

[Man of Kent]

Just now, Yorkshire Knight said:

And yet there's been more concern after the lackluster turnout for the latest round in the NRL

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/michael-ennis-backs-a-return-to-suburban-grounds-hosting-finals/news-story/0df3bfd6afda7eab52c426080ef53b9e

How many turned up for the Wallabies....?

[Damien]

52 minutes ago, tuutaisrambo said:

The whole game is structured around making the last month of the season the exciting part where all the Crunch games that matter are played and everything is on the line..........can't blame people for not giving a toss for the first 8 months

Exactly, thank goodness changes are afoot to change that.

[Yorkshire Knight]

13 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

How many turned up for the Wallabies....?

How is that relevant? Who cares about the Wallabies? I follow fox sports australia on facebook and from what I've seen, all is not rosy as some are making it out to be. Point being the sport in this country shouldn't follow in the footsteps of the NRL

[Copa]

9 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

And yet there's been more concern after the lackluster turnout for the latest round in the NRL

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/michael-ennis-backs-a-return-to-suburban-grounds-hosting-finals/news-story/0df3bfd6afda7eab52c426080ef53b9e

That’s always been the case and it has nothing to do with streaming. If the Canberra Raiders host the game before the grand final it has to be hosted in Sydney. That’s right, a Raiders home game in another city. It’s stupid that with good traffic Canberrans have to travel 3.5 to 4 hours to get to their seat at a home game.

The panthers would have easily got a bigger crowd at the home ground for a finals game. Traveling around Sydney is a pain. 

[Man of Kent]

2 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

How is that relevant? Who cares about the Wallabies? I follow fox sports australia on facebook and from what I've seen, all is not rosy as some are making it out to be. Point being the sport in this country shouldn't follow in the footsteps of the NRL

They have a c.A$2bn TV deal. I think I am right in saying that when the NRL Grand Final is played, rugby league will hold the top five positions for highest TV ratings of all Australian TV programmes aired this year. Not just sport. Everything.

We can only dream of having that success here!

[Dave T]

19 minutes ago, Yorkshire Knight said:

 And yet there's been more concern after the lackluster turnout for the latest round in the NRL

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/michael-ennis-backs-a-return-to-suburban-grounds-hosting-finals/news-story/0df3bfd6afda7eab52c426080ef53b9e

The problem with opinion pieces like this is when the person spouting it is clueless.

“I like the fact that Stadiums are potentially full and fans have to either get in early and get their ticket or miss out.It then becomes a premium event and that is what the EPL has been like.The Manchester clubs have big stadiums, but the majority of their teams have 25,000 seat stadiums."

What is he talking about? The average capacity at EPL games is 39k, only 6 of the 20 stadiums have a capacity below 30k. 

 

[Dave T]

6 minutes ago, Copa said:

That’s always been the case and it has nothing to do with streaming. If the Canberra Raiders host the game before the grand final it has to be hosted in Sydney. That’s right, a Raiders home game in another city. It’s stupid that with good traffic Canberrans have to travel 3.5 to 4 hours to get to their seat at a home game.

The panthers would have easily got a bigger crowd at the home ground for a finals game. Traveling around Sydney is a pain. 

It is just a bizarre setup.

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

They have a c.A$2bn TV deal. I think I am right in saying that when the NRL Grand Final is played, rugby league will hold the top five positions for highest TV ratings of all Australian TV programmes aired this year. Not just sport. Everything.

We can only dream of having that success here!

I don't agree with YK too often, but there is a point in there that what may work for the NRL won't necessarily work for SL at all. There is plenty we can learn from them, there is more that we can learn from other sports and sources of entertainment. 

We shouldn't just follow the NRL, we should be out there looking to innovate ourselves.

[Man of Kent]

Just now, Dave T said:

I don't agree with YK too often, but there is a point in there that what may work for the NRL won't necessarily work for SL at all. There is plenty we can learn from them, there is more that we can learn from other sports and sources of entertainment. 

We shouldn't just follow the NRL, we should be out there looking to innovate ourselves.

The lesson for SL is don't hold Top 5 finals games at Old Trafford or the Etihad, which I doubt we would even contemplate.