New SL season initiatives

[Dave T]

7 hours ago, Spidey said:

I think the plan is still to have VR at all games, I remember a snippet saying it wasn't quite read yet but would be implemented when everything was in place.    

I do recall them saying this around a decade or so ago when they tested it at a Hull derby (good chance some of those details are remembered incorrectly!

[Dave T]

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/huddersfield-daily-examiner/20210430/281809991753486/textview

Davy saying back here about the things in my post, as well as big screens at every game. 

To be fair to him he does use the word potentially a fair bit, and he caveats that the clubs will decide how streaming fits in.

 

[Jughead]

14 minutes ago, Dave T said:

You say there is no quick fix for the things in the opening post - but I think you are being overly generous to those running the show.

We used to have every game from Catalans shown - even as far back as 13 years ago every Catalsn game used to get an hour highlights on Sky every Saturday night. This has gone backwards, that's not expecting a quick fix - it's asking why we have gone miles backwards. Nobody just expected a deal to magic up because Toulouse are in, but leaving the French teams to sort out a TV deal themselves instead of having a coordinated approach in media deals is a perfect example of the weaknesses in leadership. Meanwhile we are playing around hosting a launch in St Helens.

Video refs at every ground - rushing it? What exactly do you mean, we have had them for over 25 years, we know what is involved, it looked like they were progressing, and once again they have taken the cheap option of not funding it and not doing it.

Streaming can't be rushed? Firstly, there are models out there all over the place. We even do it ourselves with OurLeague. If we have a strategic decision not to go with streaming because of impact on crowd, fine, but that doesn't appear to be the case when they allow 4 of 6 games to be shown on far bigger platforms. 

The gripe here is about polishing a ###### of a TV deal up as something good because it allows for streaming, broadcast quality coverage at every game and a VR at every game - and now we have gone quiet on them. To repeat, the C4 deal appears to be the one positive exception to this.

French TV deal - we’ve not had a French TV deal for two, maybe three years. Why did we lose it? Elstone. Are they then going to commit to the full 13-14 Catalans and however many Toulouse games? Probably not. Comparing to over ten years ago is at best, futile. 

Video refs - It needs to be done properly. We have so few professional refs and the part-time ones are working a Saturday or Sunday at lower league games. You need to work out the logistics of how we do it and how many games one person can be involved in during one weekend. You also need to take into account the matchday experience aspect. The matchday experience of Premier League football when there is a VAR decision is atrocious, you’re spending 2-3 minutes, which at the time feels like an age, standing around wondering what is happening. It’s soul destroying and sanitises the atmosphere. The majority of Super League grounds, if not all, don’t have screens when games aren’t televised, so I really hope we are considering how the matchday fan is part of the video refereeing decision and that isn’t a quick fix.

Quality streaming that represents value to people who’ll be spending a decent amount a month takes time. OurLeague has, largely, not been up to that level over the years we’ve had it. It’s good but that’s all. If you want quality, you have to invest into it. 

It’s worth noting, the video ref thing was announced before Christmas that it wouldn’t be happening and I’ve never heard anything about streaming. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

French TV deal - we’ve not had a French TV deal for two, maybe three years. Why did we lose it? Elstone. Are they then going to commit to the full 13-14 Catalans and however many Toulouse games? Probably not. Comparing to over ten years ago is at best, futile. 

Video refs - It needs to be done properly. We have so few professional refs and the part-time ones are working a Saturday or Sunday at lower league games. You need to work out the logistics of how we do it and how many games one person can be involved in during one weekend. You also need to take into account the matchday experience aspect. The matchday experience of Premier League football when there is a VAR decision is atrocious, you’re spending 2-3 minutes, which at the time feels like an age, standing around wondering what is happening. It’s soul destroying and sanitises the atmosphere. The majority of Super League grounds, if not all, don’t have screens when games aren’t televised, so I really hope we are considering how the matchday fan is part of the video refereeing decision and that isn’t a quick fix.

Quality streaming that represents value to people who’ll be spending a decent amount a month takes time. OurLeague has, largely, not been up to that level over the years we’ve had it. It’s good but that’s all. If you want quality, you have to invest into it. 

It’s worth noting, the video ref thing was announced before Christmas that it wouldn’t be happening and I’ve never heard anything about streaming. 

See my link which has Davy talking about these things, and big screens at every game too. 

You are still being far too generous on the French deal. They had French deals for years, and now they don't. That isn't something that takes time, its a backwards move. It is often quoted on here that it was the offer that went down hence the end of the deal, rather than just the boogeyman Elstone. 

IN any case, Elstone is gone, there are 26 games or so involving French teams up for grabs and as a game we are failing to grasp it - and we just leave it to Catalans and Toulouse to sort it. Would we leave Salford to sort out the TV deal for the UK?

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

See my link which has Davy talking about these things, and big screens at every game too. 

You are still being far too generous on the French deal. They had French deals for years, and now they don't. That isn't something that takes time, its a backwards move. It is often quoted on here that it was the offer that went down hence the end of the deal, rather than just the boogeyman Elstone. 

IN any case, Elstone is gone, there are 26 games or so involving French teams up for grabs and as a game we are failing to grasp it - and we just leave it to Catalans and Toulouse to sort it. Would we leave Salford to sort out the TV deal for the UK?

Whilst I know this is often used as a stick to beat Elstone with I certainly think there is a strong argument that the game shouldn't be given content away for free. This is particularly so when it comes to huge media corporations. Giving French TV rights away for free means it is hard for any TV company to ever see value in my opinion.