RLWC - TV viewing figures

[Jim from Oz]

3 hours ago, The Rocket said:

An incredible 617 000 people got up in the middle of the night in Oz to watch the WC Final between Australia and Samoa. Other Australian men`s matches averaged 97 000, prompting Wayne Bennett to come out and say :

“Let’s stop the bulls***,” Bennett fired, after learning 617,000 people had tuned into Fox Sports and Kayo in Australia alone to watch the World Cup final between the Kangaroos and Samoa.

“It’s not that complicated.

“Everyone needs to think about what is in the game’s best interests here.

“We have to acknowledge where international football is heading.

Wayne Bennett is now backing a State of Origin eligibility overhaul so World Cup heroes who grew up in Queensland and NSW are not blocked from playing Origin in the future.

 

 

 

 

Rocket, that link doesn't work for me, any chance you could cut and paste it? Thanks !

[Jim from Oz]

3 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Wayne Bennett is now backing a State of Origin eligibility overhaul so World Cup heroes who grew up in Queensland and NSW are not blocked from playing Origin in the future.

 

 

 

 

As players who grew up in Queensland and NSW are not blocked from playing Origin now (it's the main criteria!!), I don't quite understand that statement …

[The Rocket]

10 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

Rocket, that link doesn't work for me, any chance you could cut and paste it? Thanks !

Try this mate,

Wayne Bennett is now backing a State of Origin eligibility overhaul so World Cup heroes who grew up in Queensland and NSW are not blocked from playing Origin in the future.

It comes as the Queensland super coach also pointed to record World Cup TV ratings as a wake-up call to everyone standing in the way of the international game’s development.

“Let’s stop the bulls***,” Bennett fired, after learning 617,000 people had tuned into Fox Sports and Kayo in Australia alone to watch the World Cup final between the Kangaroos and Samoa.

It’s not that complicated.

“Everyone needs to think about what is in the game’s best interests here.

“We have to acknowledge where international football is heading.

READ MORE:Push for Origin eligibility change on cards

“We had more than 600,000 people who got up in the middle of the night to watch that game.

“That shows there is a market for it, and we are in the entertainment business.”

To put Australia’s World Cup TV ratings in perspective, the audience on Fox and Kayo for the final was about three times as many people who would get up to watch the US Masters golf tournament here, while the average for each men’s game was 97,000.

Over in England there was also record TV ratings on free-to-air. The semi-final between England and Samoa attracted 2.38 million viewers on the BBC, which was 21.2 per cent of the overall market, while more people than ever also tuned in on continents throughout the world.

The Rugby League World Cup Final between Australia and Samoa drew over 600,00 people to their screens. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images for RLWC)

Bennett concedes previously he was with the old school brigade who didn’t want anyone representing another tier one nation still to be eligible to play Origin.

But he’s now backing the calls for change on the strict proviso you still need to have grown up playing junior footy in Queensland and NSW.

The NRL is currently considering making an amendment if Samoa or Tonga are elevated to tier one nations.

Under the current rules if Samoa was to become a tier one nation the likes of Junior Paulo, Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o, as well as young Joseph Suaalii, would not be allowed to play Origin in the future.

It also rules out Victor Radley because he chose England because of his father’s heritage.

“What I’m saying is the criteria to play for Queensland and NSW must not change,” Bennett added.

“But what should change is that players should be available for selection for a whole lot of countries outside Australia.

“Victor Radley should be allowed to play for NSW and also play for England. But he will never play for Australia.

“He made that choice. But he still ticks all the boxes to play Origin because he grew up playing his football in NSW.

“What a lot of people seem to be struggling to understand is that these players like Junior Paulo and Jarome Luai and Brian To’o, they’ve all grown up in Sydney.

“So under the criteria as it is now they qualify for Origin.

“Then you have a bloke like Tom Burgess, who doesn’t tick the boxes, because Tom grew up in England. So he shouldn’t be playing Origin.

“Herbie Farnworth is another who doesn’t tick the boxes (because he didn’t move to Australia until his late teens).

“So the criteria stays the same in that respect.

“But we have to acknowledge where international football is heading.”

13 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

As players who grew up in Queensland and NSW are not blocked from playing Origin now (it's the main criteria!!), I don't quite understand that statement …

It`s all about the likes of Tonga and Samoa and other nations getting Tier One status. As the article says once those nations are declared Tier One the players mentioned won`t be able to play SOO. As long as those countries remain Tier Two they can play both.

[Damien]

2 hours ago, Mojo said:

And everyone said a small nation like samoa making the final is bad for the game and it won't attract viewers. They were the most watched team in the world cup out of all the nations. The Kiwis needs to jump at this chance and play Samoa in Auckland. The Samoans in Nz are dying to watch the samoan team, it would be a sell 

Literally no one said that.

[Mojo]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Literally no one said that.

It's literally all over social media mate. 1.1m views across all games the most out of any nation

[Mojo]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Literally no one said that.

There we're a few that posted in here before the final saying Samoa making the final over England is not gonna grow the game because they're a small nation, where as England making the final will grow the game more.

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Mojo said:

It's literally all over social media mate. 1.1m views across all games the most out of any nation

I have no idea what you are talking about or what that is meant to prove. Nice shift of the goalposts though. Everyone did not say "a small nation like samoa making the final is bad for the game and it won't attract viewers" as you wrote

Edited November 23, 2022 by Damien

[Mojo]

11 minutes ago, Damien said:

I have no idea what you are talking about or what that is meant to prove. Nice shift of the goalposts though. Everyone did not say "a small nation like samoa making the final is bad for the game and it won't attract viewers" as you wrote

Well you weren't very specific on what you we're commenting on I thought you we're talking about the views. But if your talking about "what everyone said" than yes there was quite a few that posted straight after the England loss saying England needed to make the final more than Samoa instead because they needed to grow the game over in the northern hemisphere or has Samoa gained nothing from it. It's algoods if you didn't see it, chill bro

[Pulga]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Literally no one said that.

I saw it here and Twitter after they beat England. More of a "knocking the home nation out of the competition is bad for the game" though.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Mojo said:

Well you weren't very specific on what you we're commenting on I thought you we're talking about the views. But if your talking about "what everyone said" than yes there was quite a few that posted straight after the England loss saying England needed to make the final more than Samoa instead because they needed to grow the game over in the northern hemisphere or has Samoa gained nothing from it. It's algoods if you didn't see it, chill bro

Your point was "a small nation like samoa making the final is bad for the game and it won't attract viewers" . There was no need to be specific because that was your point. It's not my fault you don't understand your own posts.

So from everyone it has now become a few. It is also quite possible to hold the view that England would have been better for the game, would have got a better crowd and better viewing figures while also thinking that Samoa getting to the final is good for the game. The two aren't mutually exclusive no matter what strawman arguments you try and create.

[Dave T]

51 minutes ago, Mojo said:

There we're a few that posted in here before the final saying Samoa making the final over England is not gonna grow the game because they're a small nation, where as England making the final will grow the game more.

Tbh Mojo, I think if you went back, you may realise that it was a crackpot who held that view here, and is absolutely a lone voice who doesn't seem to like any aspect of RL. 

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Tbh Mojo, I think if you went back, you may realise that it was a crackpot who held that view here, and is absolutely a lone voice who doesn't seem to like any aspect of RL. 

You wouldn't be referring to Sean McGuire's disciple by any chance? 

[dkw]

4 hours ago, Mojo said:

And everyone said a small nation like samoa making the final is bad for the game 

 

1 hour ago, Mojo said:

There we're a few that posted in here before the final saying Samoa making the final over England is not gonna grow the game 

Good lord....

[Mr Frisky]

2 hours ago, Mojo said:

There we're a few that posted in here before the final saying Samoa making the final over England is not gonna grow the game because they're a small nation, where as England making the final will grow the game more.

No, not true.

You have gone from everyone said to a few posts on here....

Most on here said it would be good for the game and the England fans all supported Samoa in the final.  Your just making thing up now.

Your team lost the first game then you went into hibernation for 3 weeks then you resurfaced after the semi final. We all supported Samoa in the final so I'm not really sure what your agenda is anymore.

Time to move on? - who do you think is going to win Lg1 next season?

[GeordieSaint]

4 hours ago, The Rocket said:

It`s all about the likes of Tonga and Samoa and other nations getting Tier One status. As the article says once those nations are declared Tier One the players mentioned won`t be able to play SOO. As long as those countries remain Tier Two they can play both.

I think we have outgrown the tiering system. I’d scrap it. I don’t see the likes of Taumalolo or Luai changing their minds to play for NZ and Australia in the future; they’ll stick with their heritage choices. A proper international calendar will further enable those decisions. 

The Aussies could still implement their own SOO criteria but it doesn’t have to impact international selection for other nations. It’ll be entirely the Aussies choice. 

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

I think we have outgrown the tiering system. I’d scrap it. I don’t see the likes of Taumalolo or Luai changing their minds to play for NZ and Australia in the future; they’ll stick with their heritage choices. A proper international calendar will further enable those decisions. 

The Aussies could still implement their own SOO criteria but it doesn’t have to impact international selection for other nations. It’ll be entirely the Aussies choice. 

The tier system isn't really for that though. It is so players for tier 2 nations like Samoa, Tonga et al don't choose Origin over their countries. Players for other tier 1 nations can't play SOO. Now that the Aussies are scrapping mid-season internationals it further disincentives players from choosing their countries over SOO if these countries are then also tier 1.

[Niels]

8 minutes ago, Damien said:

The tier system isn't really for that though. It is so players for tier 2 nations like Samoa, Tonga et al don't choose Origin over their countries. Players for other tier 1 nations can't play SOO. Now that the Aussies are scrapping mid-season internationals it further disincentives players from choosing their countries over SOO if these countries are then also tier 1.

So can Luai and other players continue to play origin and represent Samoa?

Presumably any player born in Sydney represents NSW? Even if they play for another country? But not New Zealand?

[The Masked Poster]

3 hours ago, Mojo said:

There we're a few that posted in here before the final saying Samoa making the final over England is not gonna grow the game because they're a small nation, where as England making the final will grow the game more.

I said that it was a disaster that England didn't make the final. I was wrong though and am happy to admit as much. It turned out quite a bit better than I feared. 

[Damien]

44 minutes ago, Niels said:

So can Luai and other players continue to play origin and represent Samoa?

Presumably any player born in Sydney represents NSW? Even if they play for another country? But not New Zealand?

Pretty much, as long as they meet the SOO eligibility requirements and lived in the state before their 13th birthday. If Jason Taumalolo hadn't played for NZ he would have been able to play for Queensland and Tonga, as Daniel Tupou has done for NSW and Tonga.

If anything, these rules weaken NZ more than anyone and encourage players to choose a tier 2 nation so they can still play SOO.

[Chrispmartha]

34 minutes ago, Damien said:

Pretty much, as long as they meet the SOO eligibility requirements and lived in the state before their 13th birthday. If Jason Taumalolo hadn't played for NZ he would have been able to play for Queensland and Tonga, as Daniel Tupou has done for NSW and Tonga.

If anything, these rules weaken NZ more than anyone and encourage players to choose a tier 2 nation so they can still play SOO.

The SOO rules are ridiculous IMO and should be changed, it won't make a blind bit of difference to the SOO games but would help International RL massively.

[Madrileño]

2 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

and the England fans all supported Samoa in the final.  Your just making thing up now.

They really didn't. Not even almost the England fans on this forum supported Samoa, never mind all England fans full stop. I appreciate that the majority of fans in the stadium on the day of the final did, but please stop pretending that "all England fans" supported Samoa. 

I can't be bothered going back through posts to prove it, but the week after the Toa dumped England out, there were some hilarious sour grapes posts on here. I seem to remember  one from CiderWire saying he hopes the Aussies wipe the floor with them. There were others too, and that is just on here. Social media was full of them too. 

In defence of @Mojo, it is clearly you who are "making things up", not him. 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Madrileño

[Mr Frisky]

1 minute ago, Madrileño said:

They really didn't. Not even almost the England fans on this forum supported Samoa, never mind all England fans fulm stop. I appreciate that the majority of fans in the stadium on the day of the final did, but please stop pretending that "all England fans" supported Samoa. 

I can't be bothered going back through posts to prove it, but the week after the Toa dumped England out, there were some hilarious sour grapes posts on here. I seem to remember  one from CiderWire saying he hopes the Aussies wipe the floor with them. There were others roo, and that is just on here. Social media was full of them too. 

In defence of @Mojo, it is clearly you who are "making things up", not him. 

Move on lad.

[Madrileño]

4 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Move on lad.

I will when your bullying attitude changes. 

It's easy to pick on @Mojo because he is a minority, and his opinions are unpopular on here. 

Lad.

[Mr Frisky]

32 minutes ago, Madrileño said:

I will when your bullying attitude changes. 

It's easy to pick on @Mojo because he is a minority, and his opinions are unpopular on here. 

Lad.

Your losing it marra - if you have any accusations please report by the correct means. - bullying?, minority??

I had an opinion, it was that most English fans supported Samoa in the final - one ill stand by - sorry if you disagree but an opinion isnt bullying. 

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, Madrileño said:

I can't be bothered going back through posts to prove it

Be helpful if you could though, eh?