RLWC - TV viewing figures

[Damien]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

 

That is a strong sign that the BBC are happy with the viewing figures they are getting for the all the World Cup matches.

[frank]

I don't know what the viewing figures are in NZ.  Spark are delivering all  sixty games for the $45 dollars approx 12 '50 pounds, that's  incredible ! Been some great great footy in all three forms and the best yet to come. 

[JM2010]

On 08/11/2022 at 21:50, Toby Chopra said:

Let's not get carried away just yet, the viewing figures are decent but not spectacular. 

For the mens games, we haven't yet exceeded the peaks we've hit in recent years for challenge cup finals or other internationals, which is slightly disappointing, but hopefully we'll hit that on Saturday, and exceed it for the final. 

The wheelchair numbers are good in the sense that there is an audience for this great sport, but what I'd be interested in is, is that audience, and that of the women's tournament, a subset of those who are watching the mens games, or are there actual new, different groups being attracted to those events?

I don't think anyone, including the BBC, knows the full answer to that yet, so some analysis will have to be done. 

Overall, looking at the numbers, I think weve done a good job in activating all the fans who've shown interest in watching RL in the recent past, and furthermore lots of them are keen to access a large amount of the content that's being shown. So we're delivering volume, and serving the existing RL audience well. This is not to be sniffed at, and may well help season tickets etc for 2023 amongst current and lapsed fans. 

But I've yet to see any evidence in the TV numbers of a cut through to previously untapped audiences (although some of that might eventually show up in the wheelchair and women's games) 

They've definitely attracted one new fan to the women's game. My wife has had no interest in RL, doesn't really watch any sport. I put the England women's game on last night and she started watching it and got hooked. She watched the full game and then asked me when and where the semi final was being played. Unfortunately we can't make it to the game live but she said she would have gone if we could.

She'll definitely be watching it on TV though

[JM2010]

46 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

They've definitely attracted one new fan to the women's game. My wife has had no interest in RL, doesn't really watch any sport. I put the England women's game on last night and she started watching it and got hooked. She watched the full game and then asked me when and where the semi final was being played. Unfortunately we can't make it to the game live but she said she would have gone if we could.

She'll definitely be watching it on TV though

She also didn't mention the crowd once

[gingerjon]

6 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

She also didn't mention the crowd once

She'll learn.

[OriginalMrC]

6 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

She also didn't mention the crowd once

Let's face it apart from a sub section of RL fans no one notices the crowd/empty seats. RL is a perfect television sport and rightly the action of the broadcasts has been the action on the pitch 

[The Masked Poster]

7 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

She also didn't mention the crowd once

But it's not like for like. I watched the game and really enjoyed it and the fact that it wasn't full wasn't a factor. At the same time there did seem to be a fair crowd in there, which added to the atmosphere and hence, viewer experience. 

However, women's RL is a developing game so it's not necessarily going to get big crowds yet, so you can take that into account. Added to that, watching the clips on BBC Sport, the girls really enjoyed playing in front of bigger crowds (as standalone games, not a sideshow) so who are we to say that crowds are unimportant? They absolutely are, both for viewers and players out there giving their all. 

[The Masked Poster]

23 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Let's face it apart from a sub section of RL fans no one notices the crowd/empty seats. RL is a perfect television sport and rightly the action of the broadcasts has been the action on the pitch 

I don't know how this came to be some sort of orthodox belief on TRL but let me assure you that if the wider public see a major RL game (or any sport) and it is half full or whatever, they will 100% notice. They don't have it in for RL, hate it or anything else, they just notice it and register that it's not that popular. 

Now, this gives me no pleasure but it's the truth. I've seen and heard it time and time again while major RL games are on TV in a neutral sort of area like a pub.  

 

I've just remembered the Commonwealth Games in India in 2008(?). There was widespread comment about the lack of crowds and many events taking place in front of almost nobody. And this before smartphones were really a thing and people couldn't instantly comment on things as much as today. They do notice these things.

Edited November 10, 2022 by The Masked Poster

[OriginalMrC]

1 hour ago, The Masked Poster said:

I don't know how this came to be some sort of orthodox belief on TRL but let me assure you that if the wider public see a major RL game (or any sport) and it is half full or whatever, they will 100% notice. They don't have it in for RL, hate it or anything else, they just notice it and register that it's not that popular. 

Now, this gives me no pleasure but it's the truth. I've seen and heard it time and time again while major RL games are on TV in a neutral sort of area like a pub.  

 

I've just remembered the Commonwealth Games in India in 2008(?). There was widespread comment about the lack of crowds and many events taking place in front of almost nobody. And this before smartphones were really a thing and people couldn't instantly comment on things as much as today. They do notice these things.

Not really an orthodox belief is it? You can keep repeating yourself over and over but it doesn't make what you say true. It is YOUR belief and some people may agree with you but for most people they are just enjoying the games rather than being worried about a few empty seats. 

[Dave T]

11 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Not really an orthodox belief is it? You can keep repeating yourself over and over but it doesn't make what you say true. It is YOUR belief and some people may agree with you but for most people they are just enjoying the games rather than being worried about a few empty seats. 

Of course not everyone is interested in everything. 

We talk about the rules, most don't care, we talk about stadiums, most don't care, we talk about player heritage, most don't care, we talk about commentators, most don't care. And so on. 

I suspect you talk about many things that the majority just don't care about. 

The majority not caring is no reason to dismiss views. 

 

Edited November 10, 2022 by Dave T

[The Masked Poster]

17 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

Not really an orthodox belief is it? You can keep repeating yourself over and over but it doesn't make what you say true. It is YOUR belief and some people may agree with you but for most people they are just enjoying the games rather than being worried about a few empty seats. 

Well you believe what you want too mate, I'll believe what I know to be true, namely that empty grounds for important RL games create a bad impression for the game and detract from atmosphere. But no biggy I suppose, as long as this forum thinks it's acceptable, who am I to challenge that? 

[gingerjon]

9 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Of course not everyone is interested in everything. 

We talk about the rules, most don't care, we talk about stadiums, most don't care, we talk about player heritage, most don't care, we talk about commentators, most don't care. And so on. 

I suspect you talk about many things that the majority just don't care about. 

The majority not caring is no reason to dismiss views. 

 

When the atmosphere comes across well, people tend not to notice the crowd at all.

And the atmosphere came across really well last night.

[The Masked Poster]

Just now, gingerjon said:

When the atmosphere comes across well, people tend not to notice the crowd at all.

And the atmosphere came across really well last night.

It did.indeed. But that was possibly because there was a half decent crowd in the first place to generate some. And a good exciting game despite the end scoreline.

A combination of poor crowd and uncompetitive game though, is not a good recipe. 

[Dave T]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

When the atmosphere comes across well, people tend not to notice the crowd at all.

And the atmosphere came across really well last night.

I think there is also context too. People understand the where some women's sport is right now I. E. On a steep growth curve, but still developing. 

I agree, it looked and sounded great last night, the game was brilliant too I thought. 

[Gomersall]

17 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Of course not everyone is interested in everything. 

We talk about the rules, most don't care, we talk about stadiums, most don't care, we talk about player heritage, most don't care, we talk about commentators, most don't care. And so on. 

I suspect you talk about many things that the majority just don't care about. 

The majority not caring is no reason to dismiss views. 

 

I couldn’t be bothered to read this post.

[Copa]

My partner is so impressed by the wheelchair rugby league she said she’d watch it as a regular TV sport if it was on every week.

[RigbyLuger]

38 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

A combination of poor crowd and uncompetitive game though, is not a good recipe. 

We do act sometimes like this is RL is the only sport which has uncompetitive games at international level.

[OriginalMrC]

40 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

It did.indeed. But that was possibly because there was a half decent crowd in the first place to generate some. And a good exciting game despite the end scoreline.

A combination of poor crowd and uncompetitive game though, is not a good recipe. 

The ground was about a third full last night which by your logic is a complete disaster. 

The atmosphere was fantastic and fans there and at home were treated to a brilliant game of rugby 

[Dave T]

 

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

We do act sometimes like this is RL is the only sport which has uncompetitive games at international level.

And poor crowds. What sport in Europe other than football, Union and possibly cricket would have got bigger crowds for its World Cup? 

[Archie Gordon]

14 minutes ago, Dave T said:

 

Wow! 

[gingerjon]

22 minutes ago, Dave T said:

 

Absolutely brilliant news

[The Masked Poster]

25 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

We do act sometimes like this is RL is the only sport which has uncompetitive games at international level.

Other sports certainly do have uncompetitive games at international level. But what they also have is more nations playing them so it's less of an issue overall. 

[The Masked Poster]

25 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

The ground was about a third full last night which by your logic is a complete disaster. 

The atmosphere was fantastic and fans there and at home were treated to a brilliant game of rugby 

You clearly have not read what I said, but I'll repeat.

For something like the women's tournament, which is still a developing area, the crowd at the game last night was decent. And it was a good game too. The girls appreciated playing in front of a decent crowd too. Great stuff. And people will appreciate it's a developing thing and not expect maybe huge crowds (yet) 

But do you think we can make such allowances for the men's game, which has a long history of internationals? No. It should be generating better crowds for it's premier events like the WC. This isn't Wakey V Salford on a Wednesday evening. 

And it's not as if it's a new thing either, we've had this problem for years and years, with various excuses but it never changes. 

Looking at it from a "well I watch the game, not count seats" angle won't help matters either, it's just ignoring the problem. 

[Toby Chopra]

3 hours ago, Dave T said:

 

That's as big as the men got against Greece. Fantastic. We really need to integrate women and wheelchair in our core offer to broadcasters, I hope IMG understand this.