RL on Channel 4

[RigbyLuger]

14 minutes ago, Jughead said:

There’s plenty to tell, we just don’t bother. 

Waiting for another follow up of Turgut's redemption (ignoring the drugs etc.) because that's the kind of story we love to tell. There'll be one about Hardaker along soon enough like clockwork.

[Tommygilf]

28 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

For those who didn't see it. They missed a terrific game of Rugby League

Absolutely, sadly I don't think the sport has the profile to rely on that I'm afraid

[The Future is League]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

Absolutely, sadly I don't think the sport has the profile to rely on that I'm afraid

It has to sell itself a lot more to the public than it does now, and make itself a lot more visible

[Tommygilf]

I said this when the reduced viewing figures from the other games came out, but we are in a chicken and egg scenario with which games and clubs are on Channel 4.

We want the sport to put its best foot forward, with its biggest games attracting the biggest crowds.

On the other hand we want Ch4 to grow the exposure and profile of the smaller clubs to raise them up.

Right now the balance seems to be set on putting a Big team with a smaller team. Eventually I think we will see a transition back to having the biggest and most commercially valuable teams playing eachother.

[Tommygilf]

29 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

It has to sell itself a lot more to the public than it does now, and make itself a lot more visible

Visibility is key, and it is a difficult balance to strike. 

[The Future is League]

6 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Visibility is key, and it is a difficult balance to strike. 

Wouldn't it be nice if the RFL invited Tyson Fury and he accepted to be a guest at the challenge cup final and presented to the players on the pitch just before the kick off

[RigbyLuger]

4 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

Wouldn't it be nice if the RFL invited Tyson Fury and he accepted to be a guest at the challenge cup final and presented to the players on the pitch just before the kick off

The homophobic/misogynistic Tyson Fury? No thanks.

[The Future is League]

1 minute ago, RigbyLuger said:

The homophobic/misogynistic Tyson Fury? No thanks.

Who would you invite?

[RigbyLuger]

4 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

Who would you invite?

I'd have to have a think, but when we have a big push on the TackleIt campaign, he is not the person to attach to the sport (and I cringe when we've done so before.)

[Padge]

 

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

I said this when the reduced viewing figures from the other games came out, but we are in a chicken and egg scenario with which games and clubs are on Channel 4.

We want the sport to put its best foot forward, with its biggest games attracting the biggest crowds.

On the other hand we want Ch4 to grow the exposure and profile of the smaller clubs to raise them up.

Right now the balance seems to be set on putting a Big team with a smaller team. Eventually I think we will see a transition back to having the biggest and most commercially valuable teams playing eachother.

The one game a month is crazy, compounded by it being on in the middle of the day. The fact that die-hards on here can forget that it is on says it all, what hope the casual. 

I gather the ratings are roughly in line with what Sky would get any way, so it appears that they are not really adding any new League fans to the coverage which I would think was the point of the whole exercise, hoping that some would then buy a Sky subscription.

Hopefully Sky have learnt something from this and the next step is to be bold and go to a weekly FTA match, ideally at a better timeslot (?). 

Channel 4`s efforts give me heart and it does appear for them that this is not a flash in the pan, but they see they have something to work with here. Here`s hoping they put their heads together with Sky and reach an outcome that is beneficial for all.

[Dave T]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

I said this when the reduced viewing figures from the other games came out, but we are in a chicken and egg scenario with which games and clubs are on Channel 4.

We want the sport to put its best foot forward, with its biggest games attracting the biggest crowds.

On the other hand we want Ch4 to grow the exposure and profile of the smaller clubs to raise them up.

Right now the balance seems to be set on putting a Big team with a smaller team. Eventually I think we will see a transition back to having the biggest and most commercially valuable teams playing eachother.

Unfortunately, as good as the coverage is, the strategy isn't working. Not having the highlights show as part of this package is utterly bizarre (whether that is C4 or SL at fault). Look at the RU equivalent here, it is all on ITV. They get to build up a following for their coverage, even when they don't have a live game on. 

These standalone events that C4 are showing are just not building up a following, despite the coverage being great and the games delivering. 

[RigbyLuger]

4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Unfortunately, as good as the coverage is, the strategy isn't working. Not having the highlights show as part of this package is utterly bizarre (whether that is C4 or SL at fault). Look at the RU equivalent here, it is all on ITV. They get to build up a following for their coverage, even when they don't have a live game on. 

These standalone events that C4 are showing are just not building up a following, despite the coverage being great and the games delivering. 

Why Super League doesn't do it's own highlight show to give away to broadcasters or show on YouTube is beyond my comprehension. It would be a better use of funds than paying Wilkin, Flanagan and the other bloke for the programme they do.

[Dave T]

9 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Why Super League doesn't do it's own highlight show to give away to broadcasters or show on YouTube is beyond my comprehension. It would be a better use of funds than paying Wilkin, Flanagan and the other bloke for the programme they do.

Well it's because they "sell" the rights to the BBC. 

But having weekly highlights on the BBC does nowt for awareness of a monthly Channel 4 game. 

[RigbyLuger]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Well it's because they "sell" the rights to the BBC. 

But having weekly highlights on the BBC does nowt for awareness of a monthly Channel 4 game. 

They never say how much they "sell" them for, do they? 

May as well give them to C4 to stick out whenever, via All4 or their YouTube channel, as they seem to do with the fighting they were promoting during the match yesterday.

[Dave T]

10 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

They never say how much they "sell" them for, do they? 

May as well give them to C4 to stick out whenever, via All4 or their YouTube channel, as they seem to do with the fighting they were promoting during the match yesterday.

I expect its zero, hence highlighting "sell". 

But yes, I agree, the 10 game package absolutely had to be attached to the highlights show. It makes no sense not to have these linked. 

[JohnM]

7 hours ago, The Future is League said:

Wouldn't it be nice if the RFL invited Tyson Fury and he accepted to be a guest at the challenge cup final and presented to the players on the pitch just before the kick off

No.

[JohnM]

7 hours ago, The Future is League said:

Wouldn't it be nice if the RFL invited Tyson Fury and he accepted to be a guest at the challenge cup final and presented to the players on the pitch just before the kick off

I think I understand why you might think that: winner at beating opponents to pulp, hugely popular it would seem, etc. But in my view in so many other ways he does not represent our - or certainly my - values.

On this particular point, it has to be a senior member of the royal family: Kate. 

The forum would have to suppress it's minority view of republicanism, of course, but the national column-inches her presence would generate would have a more general appeal, especially. if combined with a new award -The Rob Burrow Medal for player of the competition (for example).

[JohnM]

Oh heck.....and there she was on Saturday on C4. Don't want to intrude on private grief but just hope we don't lose her presence. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-countryfiles-helen-skelton-announces-26794944

Edited April 26, 2022 by JohnM

[StandOffHalf]

10 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

Need a weekly game but with only 12 teams not enough variety or stories to tell. Got to push for a new deal that gets one weekly fta SL game next time. 

Promote Leigh and Fev.

I suppose the reduction to 12 was because of finance, but I just think a 14-team comp would be more attractive and interesting, for fans and broadcasters alike.

[StandOffHalf]

6 hours ago, The Rocket said:

The one game a month is crazy, compounded by it being on in the middle of the day. The fact that die-hards on here can forget that it is on says it all, what hope the casual. 

I gather the ratings are roughly in line with what Sky would get any way, so it appears that they are not really adding any new League fans to the coverage which I would think was the point of the whole exercise, hoping that some would then buy a Sky subscription.

Hopefully Sky have learnt something from this and the next step is to be bold and go to a weekly FTA match, ideally at a better timeslot (?). 

Channel 4`s efforts give me heart and it does appear for them that this is not a flash in the pan, but they see they have something to work with here. Here`s hoping they put their heads together with Sky and reach an outcome that is beneficial for all.

One thing I really admire about C4's coverage is that they highlight/mention games that are on Sky that same weekend. I really like that looking beyond their channel and helping to guide as many viewers as possible to other games that are on.

One C4 game a week in future seasons  is something I am hoping for as well.

[The Rocket]

30 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

One thing I really admire about C4's coverage is that they highlight/mention games that are on Sky that same weekend. I really like that looking beyond their channel and helping to guide as many viewers as possible to other games that are on.

One C4 game a week in future seasons  is something I am hoping for as well.

That`s exactly what you want and shows they are working as a team, hopefully for the ultimate benefit of both. At the end of the day this is an experiment and hopefully a work in progress. 

As far as 1 game per week on FTA  whether that would lead to a fall in Sky subscriptions if everyone had then got their League fix from that or alternatively a regular FTA TV appointment that could engage more people with the competition and drive more subscriptions remains to be seen. We would certainly be hoping for the latter.

The other elephant in the room, which we are very rapidly seeing over here, is streaming, which is proving a threat to both the FTA and subscription TV broadcast model. 

But as the NRL said after recent broadcast negotiations; regular FTA has to remain in the mix because that is  where you still receive your greatest exposure and best opportunity to reach the widest audience possible.

 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, JohnM said:

I think I understand why you might think that: winner at beating opponents to pulp, hugely popular it would seem, etc. But in my view in so many other ways he does not represent our - or certainly my - values.

On this particular point, it has to be a senior member of the royal family: Kate. 

The forum would have to suppress it's minority view of republicanism, of course, but the national column-inches her presence would generate would have a more general appeal, especially. if combined with a new award -The Rob Burrow Medal for player of the competition (for example).

She's RFL Patron. I'd hope she'd be there anyway.

[Tommygilf]

7 hours ago, Dave T said:

Unfortunately, as good as the coverage is, the strategy isn't working. Not having the highlights show as part of this package is utterly bizarre (whether that is C4 or SL at fault). Look at the RU equivalent here, it is all on ITV. They get to build up a following for their coverage, even when they don't have a live game on. 

These standalone events that C4 are showing are just not building up a following, despite the coverage being great and the games delivering. 

Indeed, the strategy isn't working. Dare I say that is also because there isn't a huge crossover between Ch4 and RL's regular audiences too? To be barely 50% up on what we'd expect for a Sky game on FTA is poor.

The coverage is objectively fantastic. Ch4 have dipped their toes in with sports, they pick up the odd RU club and international games for example, and I wonder if they are just learning on the job how best to make the most of it. They will know how good the figures are relatively.

1 game a month isn't working, and it's not helped by the games being on paper not marquee fixtures either. Wigan and Salford can be and was an excellent match, but if "nobody" is that interested in it in the first place then its struggling already. 

It will be interesting to see what happens when/if Leeds are shown on Ch4 again.

[Tommygilf]

8 hours ago, The Rocket said:

The one game a month is crazy, compounded by it being on in the middle of the day. The fact that die-hards on here can forget that it is on says it all, what hope the casual. 

I gather the ratings are roughly in line with what Sky would get any way, so it appears that they are not really adding any new League fans to the coverage which I would think was the point of the whole exercise, hoping that some would then buy a Sky subscription.

Hopefully Sky have learnt something from this and the next step is to be bold and go to a weekly FTA match, ideally at a better timeslot (?). 

Channel 4`s efforts give me heart and it does appear for them that this is not a flash in the pan, but they see they have something to work with here. Here`s hoping they put their heads together with Sky and reach an outcome that is beneficial for all.

There's the added problem that many of these fixtures just don't scream "must watch". As I said they seem to be trying to balance interest and exposure and it's just not working atm. 

Weekly FTA should be the aim going forwards if non marquee games are going to be picked. With just 10 games a season there is just not enough to go for random games.