NRL NRL Expansion

[JustLikeStartingOver]

The NRL does has options for NZ tbh - they could launch a subscription based app for NZ that might generate close to what SKY pay... They have the means and administration to pull it off currently. Broadcasters are already in place for all the Australian games.
Dazn just purchased Foxtel also so a ready made subscription app ready to go.

They could just extend the watchNRL global service to new zealand with a click, that’s currently $44 AUD a month, roughly the same price as sky sport now - which gets you x10 the sporting content. NBA league pass is a similar price range, those single sport offerings aren’t cheap.

That shrinks your audience to just warriors fans who don’t want to miss a game, few casuals are paying that.

Sky lasted so long because prior to streaming, households treated it like a utility, phone bill, internet bill, sky bill … you had to if you wanted to watch anything decent and lots of boomers still pay it, until something dramatic like the ABs going to NZR+ causes them to abandon ship.

Personally long may sky tv wheeze onwards, its too good having everything in one place.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

They could just extend the watchNRL global service to new zealand with a click, that’s currently $44 AUD a month, roughly the same price as sky sport now - which gets you x10 the sporting content. NBA league pass is a similar price range, those single sport offerings aren’t cheap.

That shrinks your audience to just warriors fans who don’t want to miss a game, few casuals are paying that.

Sky lasted so long because prior to streaming, households treated it like a utility, phone bill, internet bill, sky bill … you had to if you wanted to watch anything decent and lots of boomers still pay it, until something dramatic like the ABs going to NZR+ causes them to abandon ship.

Personally long may sky tv wheeze onwards, its too good having everything in one place.

The only way for sports to draw in casual fans and grow is through a service that provides something for everyone.

On sky I pay only for league but also benefit with cricket, darts, tennis, all blacks tests, etc which gives them all some relevance to me.

The NRL benefits from being on sky and league could lose relevance fast like cricket did when it went to spark.

I hate sky but few it’s a necessary evil. If sky was gone I think all sports would suffer.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

The thing is. NZ Rugby might be taking a haircut but it’s not going to fall off a cliff within the next 5 years.
15 years? Might be a different story.

So, giving myself at least 5 years to make my argument before the real collapse starts. The NRL in NZ will be fine……..

It’s not just Sky TV who needs NZ rugby, but also NZ rugby that needs Sky TV

If anything, should Sky really cut to NZ rugby. They’ll need to fill that gap with something else…….. A second NZ NRL team.

Let’s assume by 2030, NZ Rugby has almost completely collapsed and NZ has a second NRL team………….

That’s excellent news for the 2 NZ NRL teams.
Some members argue that it’ll cut the Union pathways. It will………. But.

What happens with all those kids?
You think they’re just going to turn around and say “aw chucks, I guess that’s the end. I’ll just get a 9-5 job now” hahahaha

OR…….

“Fuck, rugby in NZ isn’t really an option anymore. I have two options. 1. I go to Europe, Japan, USA or South Africa and try and make a career. Or 2…. There’s two NZ NRL teams that I can try and get into”.

Realistically, NZ isn’t going to collapse for a fair while giving NZ rugby league plenty off time. Especially when you consider where the game was 20 years ago.

 

[mrblonde]

Sky is a dying model. Super Rugby has been at dying model with South African teams leaving. Sevens rugby is dying, down to 7 tournaments from 12. Australian rugby is dying. Adding content with the female game just adds costs with decreasing income.

Pretty dire for union. Unfortunately I think it’s a bad sign for the long term sustainability of professional sport in NZ…

To many sporting options and to many recreational viewing options for a small population?

Always reckoned all the New Zealand stakeholders in rugby union - from the Biggest Head Honcho at NZRFU/Whatever Names it's Been Over The Professional Era down to the Watch-from-the-coach-it's-too-dark/cold/etc-to-attend-a-game fan, never really got their pretty heads around what full-time professionalism meant in terms of money generation and pathways and how cut-throat professionalism can be with Late-Teens Kids. Actually, I have my doubts about a few leaugue fans, too, in terms of getting their heads around Pathways and what it means if you're not on one by a certain point (good old "I saw this amazing 22 year old playing for Te Atatu over the weekend, surely the Warriors have to sign him pronto?" type discussion).
Everyone probably all nodded at the concept that, say, Jonah Lomu was worth $500K/Season but the sticky point was always going to be "Okay, so how do we generate that $500K that we all agree Jonah deserves?" Enter Pay TV, cost cutting at the grassroots, lowering the importance of the NPC etc. I started watching that the same season Super Rugby began - 1996 - and apart from the promotion-relegation games, which always felt stupid as the Division 1 Loser was always targetting beating the Division 2 Winner and so staying up, enjoyed it for what it was - a still passionate but somewhat less skillful level. I stopped in 2005-6 when NZ Rugby showed it didn't have the nerve to say No to any of the 3 new teams who wanted in, so let them all in. Then there were crossover games, no promotion for a season or two etc etc. Got too confusing.
My two concerns with NRL Expansion: 1, There will be too many obvious poor teams and 2, in an attempt to make things look more fun, the NRL will make the NRL Draw MUCHn more messy and confusing than it is now (and I still don't know how they pick which teams meet twice outside of individual team requests and GF replays).
I think the professional/semi-professional teams here will survive but everyone's going to have to get much less cross-fingers-and-hope about how and when they generate the money required to pay those professional/semi-professional players and as a result of that, less huggy-matey about the number of teams in their competions. And if generating money means making cuts somewhere, cue wailing and gnashing from the grassroots as they see those scissors approaching. I mean, obviously the alternative is cutting something at the top, but I don't see NZR having the nerve to go to 4 Super teams or few NPC teams however bad things get. And of course, their money and other financial benefits of being part of NZR are untouchable.
I only hope the NRL doesn't do it's own in-house Pay TV system. Lends itself to the suspicion - if not the reality - that the commentators will always big-up any NRL rule/plan/etc even if it's obvious to the fans watching that it's a dud.

 

[Wrighty]

I think the dumbest thing NZ Rugby did was let Silver Lake Enterprises into a meeting with them.
"Hi we are Silver lake a well funded investment firm from the USA. We really admire the All Blacks and think they are a great sporting brand and have the best winning record in any team sport with a real international competition. we want to a part of this so we will make you an incredible offer you can't refuse. We have studied your financial reports for the past ten years and we will give you up front the net present value of 50% of your projected revenues over the next 50 years plus a profit margin of 20% - that will come to $3 billion dollars we will give you. Yes really. All you have to do is give us 50% of your gross revenue not net revenue, gross revenue for the next 50 years."

And NZ RFU actually said yes and cashed out and now its marginal and variable income is halved making it hard for them to pay their bills or expand the game. I guess they have $3Billion to spend but that is a taxable windfall and knowing them how long will it take to burn through that.

I am not a rugby fan but it bothers me a new zealander they sold 50% of the All Blacks. i don't think that deal was fiscally prudent as it gives them no control over their future business cases and income statements.

 

[Bay39er]

I think the dumbest thing NZ Rugby did was let Silver Lake Enterprises into a meeting with them.
"Hi we are Silver lake a well funded investment firm from the USA. We really admire the All Blacks and think they are a great sporting brand and have the best winning record in any team sport with a real international competition. we want to a part of this so we will make you an incredible offer you can't refuse. We have studied your financial reports for the past ten years and we will give you up front the net present value of 50% of your projected revenues over the next 50 years plus a profit margin of 20% - that will come to $3 billion dollars we will give you. Yes really. All you have to do is give us 50% of your gross revenue not net revenue, gross revenue for the next 50 years."

And NZ RFU actually said yes and cashed out and now its marginal and variable income is halved making it hard for them to pay their bills or expand the game. I guess they have $3Billion to spend but that is a taxable windfall and knowing them how long will it take to burn through that.

I am not a rugby fan but it bothers me a new zealander they sold 50% of the All Blacks. i don't think that deal was fiscally prudent as it gives them no control over their future business cases and income statements.

Try almost 6% not 50%!!!