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Potential Of Women`s Rugby League.


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On the eve of the NRLW Grand Final the Sydney Morning Herald has obtained data about this years NRLW Tv ratings figures.

In 2020 – the last season played due to COVID constraints – the average audience for an NRLW match on Channel Nine was about 98,000 and on Foxtel about 35,000, taking the combined average to about 133,000.

Channel Nine is owned by Nine Entertainment Co, which also owns this masthead.

In 2022, the average audience on Channel Nine has eclipsed the combined average for both broadcasters in 2020. About 150,000 people have tuned in to watch NRLW matches on Channel Nine in metropolitan and regional markets.

The 53 per cent increase in viewers on Nine is reflected in a similar rise on Foxtel, which has seen most games attract between 50,000 and 60,000 viewers.

200 000 + and that doesn`t appear to include the streaming services figures.

I`ve watched every game of the women`s comp this year and it has truly been a breath of fresh air and I`m absolutely stoked for the women to know they are playing to such a large audience.

Get a load of this:

Tonegato's classic cover defence wins tackle of the year - NRL

 

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This part of the article is interesting 

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrlw-television-ratings-soar-in-bumper-2022-season-20220407-p5abp8.html

The highest rating match of the season on Nine – a record-breaking 40-4 win by the Dragons over the Knights – attracted a little more than 142,000 viewers in metropolitan and regional areas on Channel Nine alone.

The combined average of just over 200,000 viewers is about a 50 per cent increase on 2020, and rivals that of NRL and AFL matches that are played in early timeslots on Saturdays and Sundays.

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7 minutes ago, Copa said:

This part of the article is interesting 

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrlw-television-ratings-soar-in-bumper-2022-season-20220407-p5abp8.html

The highest rating match of the season on Nine – a record-breaking 40-4 win by the Dragons over the Knights – attracted a little more than 142,000 viewers in metropolitan and regional areas on Channel Nine alone.

The combined average of just over 200,000 viewers is about a 50 per cent increase on 2020, and rivals that of NRL and AFL matches that are played in early timeslots on Saturdays and Sundays.

People will watch good sport and the women's NRL is proving to be very good sport indeed.

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Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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A lot of the girls in this competition are coming through Touch and Tag Rugby League competitions and there are literally tens and tens of thousands of them.

Racheal Pearson, star St. George halfback, at 25 years of age had never played tackle in her life, only Touch and Tag, three years ago she left her home Hay in western NSW to have a crack at the tackle comp. On Sunday she will run on to the ground as veritable star of the game.

22 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Massive potential here, we just don't know what to do with it.

Bigger TV deals and more money in the game will do for a start.

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10 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

I think it’s a shame the Women’s World Cup Final is a double header with the men’s. The Women’s Final could and should be a massive occasion in its own right. It’s the same with the Semi Finals, a double header on a Monday night with a 5pm kick off, who thought that was a good idea?

Nuts, you`d have to think that the Women`s final could have put a good dent in a 30 - 40 000 seat stadium.

Prime money making and profile lifting opportunity missed.

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39 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Massive potential here, we just don't know what to do with it.

That’s a bit harsh, the women’s game is steadily developing here, more teams and more media exposure all the time. You can’t compare it to the Australian game, for many obvious reasons. 

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10 minutes ago, Eddie said:

That’s a bit harsh, the women’s game is steadily developing here, more teams and more media exposure all the time. You can’t compare it to the Australian game, for many obvious reasons. 

True, but they've started small and expanded. We've put too many non-competitive teams in too quickly, then you have an odd situation where an "Elite" competition includes a mix of teams from pro, semi-pro, and community clubs.

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An Australian friend of mine recently told me crowds in the NRLW are generally between 5000 and 8000. That’s pretty impressive and I’m guessing roughly 8 or 10 times the gates here, whereas men’s NRL gates are probably 2-3 times Super League. 
 

I think that shows the potential growth that the women’s game has here. The BBC and Sky are firmly behind it, but the game itself still seems to have a lukewarm attitude towards it. The RFL social media team is great, but the organisation itself doesn’t seem to spending much on marketing the women’s game which is a shame.  
 

I’ve been asking around when women here may start to get paid and, inevitably, it’s linked to a tv deal which would be 2024 at the earliest. But much more can be done to turn some of the players into stars. I spoke to a couple of agents at the weekend. Both would be happy to represent women free of charge because they can see the potential growth. But I’m not aware of any female players having a manager yet. 
 

I only really engaged with the women’s game a year ago (the CC Final), and now it’s all I really watch. I love it. It’s free flowing, the props offload, the loose forwards create, players take risks and tries are scored from distance. I also think there are probably way more personalities with interesting stories to tell, compared to the sanitised men’s game when anyone of interest is immediately muzzled by their club. 
 

I’m hoping the World Cup will precipitate an explosion of interest and profile, but RL does have a habit of missed opportunities, so I’m not holding my breath. But the women’s game is the one part of RL where there is potential for huge growth and for tapping into markets, funding and media which wouldn’t otherwise be interested. 

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7 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

I think that shows the potential growth that the women’s game has here. The BBC and Sky are firmly behind it, but the game itself still seems to have a lukewarm attitude towards it. The RFL social media team is great, but the organisation itself doesn’t seem to spending much on marketing the women’s game which is a shame.  
 

I’ve been asking around when women here may start to get paid and, inevitably, it’s linked to a tv deal which would be 2024 at the earliest. But much more can be done to turn some of the players into stars. I spoke to a couple of agents at the weekend. Both would be happy to represent women free of charge because they can see the potential growth. But I’m not aware of any female players having a manager yet. 

 

Apart from BBC/Sky, what other coverage are we getting of the women's game? Page after page of community results in the LE, but only one page of the women's game which is an era we need to grow and make more of. Super League have people from outside the sport on the podcast frequently, why not more women, wheelchair players etc?

Hope it's one of the good agents and not the one who talks about how great he is all the time.

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29 minutes ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

An Australian friend of mine recently told me crowds in the NRLW are generally between 5000 and 8000. That’s pretty impressive and I’m guessing roughly 8 or 10 times the gates here, whereas men’s NRL gates are probably 2-3 times Super League. 
 

Just for the sake of accuracy that figure is nonsense; at the stand alone double-header preliminary final at Leichardt Oval last weekend they got about 2000, disappointing, the two games deserved a lot more than that.

Having at least one of the NRLW games each weekend played as a double-header with the men`s home team has been pretty good with it seems quite a few people turning up early for the women`s match, but certainly not 5 000 - 8000.

The low crowds are one of the reasons I was so stoked with the high ratings figures, because although I know that a lot of the girls play for the love of it, it is nice for them to know so many people are interested and tuning in at home as well.

BTW, NRL men`s crowds only average about 15 000 - 16 000, certainly not 2x3`s SL crowds.

Edited by The Rocket
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15 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Just for the sake of accuracy that figure is nonsense; at the stand alone double-header preliminary final at Leichardt Oval last weekend they got about 2000, disappointing, the two games deserved a lot more than that.

Having at least one of the NRLW games each weekend played as a double-header with the men`s home team has been pretty good with it seems quite a few people turning up early for the women`s match, but certainly not 5 000 - 8000.

The low crowds are one of the reasons I was so stoked with the high ratings figures, because although I know that a lot of the girls play for the love of it, it is nice for them to know so many people are interested and tuning in at home as well.

BTW, NRL men`s crowds only average about 15 000 - 16 000, certainly not 2x3`s SL crowds.

fair enough, thanks. happy to be corrected on those points. certainly agree about the potential for growth. i think it is now the obvious vehicle for getting into new markets and showcasing the sport in new areas and before new people. 

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35 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

 

Apart from BBC/Sky, what other coverage are we getting of the women's game? Page after page of community results in the LE, but only one page of the women's game which is an era we need to grow and make more of. Super League have people from outside the sport on the podcast frequently, why not more women, wheelchair players etc?

Hope it's one of the good agents and not the one who talks about how great he is all the time.

no arguments here that nearly everyone can do more. But the BBC coverage has been great. One of the players recently told me they have come into her work to film and interview her and she has regular contact with them. 

I don't work at League Express - I just send in one article a week. I have sent suggestions for increased women's coverage. Rugby League World deserves a nod though. Been covered very well since the start of the women's Super League. 

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1 hour ago, RigbyLuger said:

True, but they've started small and expanded. We've put too many non-competitive teams in too quickly, then you have an odd situation where an "Elite" competition includes a mix of teams from pro, semi-pro, and community clubs.

That doesnt matter does it? If Oulton have a good enough ladies team than a SL club then they should be ahead of them. It’s only the men’s sections that are pro/semi-pro. 

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1 hour ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

no arguments here that nearly everyone can do more. But the BBC coverage has been great. One of the players recently told me they have come into her work to film and interview her and she has regular contact with them. 

I don't work at League Express - I just send in one article a week. I have sent suggestions for increased women's coverage. Rugby League World deserves a nod though. Been covered very well since the start of the women's Super League. 

BBC have not shown any ladies results on their website since the season started , no forthcoming fixtures and not one mention of the ladies game on the site . Apart from an article on Cornwall it is ALL mens Super League.

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10 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Nuts, you`d have to think that the Women`s final could have put a good dent in a 30 - 40 000 seat stadium.

Prime money making and profile lifting opportunity missed.

I think that’s being hugely optimistic. While the womens game here has grown enormously in just a couple of years it is also way being Australia in terms of crowds and coverage.

I’m sure we’ll get to that sort of figure in a couple of World Cups time but we’re not there yet, certainly in the UK.

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2 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

I think that’s being hugely optimistic. While the womens game here has grown enormously in just a couple of years it is also way being Australia in terms of crowds and coverage.

I’m sure we’ll get to that sort of figure in a couple of World Cups time but we’re not there yet, certainly in the UK.

Agreed I don`t live there, you do, but this wouldn`t be catering just for people who participate or follow women`s RL.  I agree that pool games maybe a harder sell as stand alone fixtures but given the hype around the tournament and the fact that by the final it is reaching its` crescendo don`t you think it would be a possibility at least the final could get a strong crowd. Finals have a habit of getting people out.

I know over here sports that get poor crowds from week to week; A- League soccer, super rugby union, aflw and even our own NRLW will draw a big crowd for their GF as people are aware of it during their season, maybe not attend but then go to the event that is a final. Surely the hype generated around the RLWC, although admittedly not the same as other code WC`s would still be enough to rustle up a good crowd for the final of the Women`s part of the tournament.

 

 

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8 hours ago, theswanmcr said:

I think that’s being hugely optimistic. While the womens game here has grown enormously in just a couple of years it is also way being Australia in terms of crowds and coverage.

I’m sure we’ll get to that sort of figure in a couple of World Cups time but we’re not there yet, certainly in the UK.

We should have at least had a go at filling a decent Rugby League ground (say Headingley or Saints) for the Final as a standalone game. 

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8 hours ago, theswanmcr said:

I think that’s being hugely optimistic. While the womens game here has grown enormously in just a couple of years it is also way being Australia in terms of crowds and coverage.

I’m sure we’ll get to that sort of figure in a couple of World Cups time but we’re not there yet, certainly in the UK.

I don't know if 30,000-40,000 is realistic but the match is devalued by being the curtain raiser on a double header. It should have been played as a standalone game.

It's pretty much the only bit of tournament scheduling I think they got completely wrong.

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Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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10 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I don't know if 30,000-40,000 is realistic but the match is devalued by being the curtain raiser on a double header. It should have been played as a standalone game.

It's pretty much the only bit of tournament scheduling I think they got completely wrong.

In the future, I would agree with your position. At present though, I think the Womens game in England needs exposure more than status. 

A stand alone Women's world cup final at York for me is less beneficial to the womens game, at the moment, than the current plans. Going forward I would hope it would outgrow that model.

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Just now, Tommygilf said:

In the future, I would agree with your position. At present though, I think the Womens game in England needs exposure more than status. 

A stand alone Women's world cup final at York for me is less beneficial to the womens game, at the moment, than the current plans. Going forward I would hope it would outgrow that model.

I get the argument but I don't think it works. It may have done a few years ago - and it does show how we really did miss the boat with the development of the women's game and are now playing catch up. It's just as well that women's RL is decent, really.

The women's final is the 1895 Cup to the main show and it didn't have to be that way.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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22 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I get the argument but I don't think it works. It may have done a few years ago - and it does show how we really did miss the boat with the development of the women's game and are now playing catch up. It's just as well that women's RL is decent, really.

The women's final is the 1895 Cup to the main show and it didn't have to be that way.

Hopefully it will be treated differently in France 2027. However, I am comfortable with it being at the same venue this year - especially as it will be blanket coverage on the BBC all day. As with the 2013 WC the crowd will come early and it will be a tremendous occasion.

Saying that, anyone who watches the NRLW regularly will know what is coming at the WC. In my opinion it will be 1982 all over again with Australia absolutely slaughtering anyone outside NZ.

England will not stay within 50 points of Australia - too big, too strong, too fast. The conveyer belt of talent coming through in Australia now is frightening. Of course the upside is it raises the bar.

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