Expanded Super looks to cash in

[travelling_gerry]

Bret Harris | June 30, 2009

Article from: The Australian

DESPITE the gloomy world economy, the SANZAR partners -- South Africa, New Zealand and Australia -- will be hoping for a significant increase in the value of their broadcast rights when they submit their proposal for an expanded Super rugby competition to News Ltd today.

The new conference-style Super 15 competition, which will have an additional team based in Australia, will run for 24 weeks, including a six-team finals format, increasing the number of games from 90 to 120.

The expanded competition will run from March to September, starting in 2011.
There is also the possibility of Super 15 being shown on free-to-air television for the first time with Channel 10 believed to be interested in acquiring rights for its new sports channel, Digital One.

The present deal is worth $US350 million ($434 million) over five years, but SANZAR is believed to be anticipating the increased volume to translate into added value.

A source in South Africa told The Australian yesterday that the South Africans were looking forward to an increase of up to 40per cent in revenue.

"This new competition model will drive a lot of value," the source said. "There is a 33 per cent increase in the number of games and significant local content."
Rugby Union Players Association chief executive Tony Dempsey was confident the new Super package would be attractive to broadcasters.

"It's a great proposal for broadcasters," Dempsey said. "There is greater volume and consistency, which allows broadcasters to build viewers."

While the location of the 15th team is yet to be decided, News Ltd will be aware of SANZAR's decision to base it in the Australian conference.

Melbourne, Gold Coast and western Sydney will make bids, while the Southern Kings from South Africa's Eastern Cape may also join the race.

SANZAR will provide the bidders with the criteria for expressions of interest within the next two weeks. The bidding will finish in October and a decision on the location of the new team will be made in November.

Melbourne is regarded as the favourite, although the Gold Coast is seen as a dark horse.

Victorian Rugby Union chairman Gary Gray hinted the defunct Australian Rugby Championship's Melbourne Rebels could be revived as a Super 15 team, although he said no decision had yet been made on a name or colours.

"We've already got some equity in that brand," Gray said. "It's a positive in Melbourne, it was seen as successful.

"It fits very well in terms of its values. It's sort of an underdog, which Melbourne will always be in the rugby community."
Additional reporting: AAP

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

[Burgs]

The impression from the Lions match would be they believe it is a done deal that they are the 15th team.

I really hope Ten don't get it for selfish reasons, as a partner of WIN/Imparja in rural Australia we would be lucky to get all five Australian matches broadcast each weekend as they already have a commitment to showing the AFL.
Fox have a great format and have largely been responsible for the level of success S14 has enjoyed to date.

[brokendown gunfighter]

The FTA rights would not be at the expense of pay tv(FOX)

[jargan83]

I doubt 10 will show all 5 games with Australian sides playing in them anyway. Probably buy some games of Foxsports, 2 or 3 a week or something along those lines. Given that Super 14 is also a made for Pay TV product you would probably see some protection of the TV rights by Foxsports/Newscorp as well. Why would people need to subscribe to Foxtel if they can watch all the games for free on One HD

[GIGS20]

Wouldn't it be nice to see a bidding war start though.......good for Rugby I mean!

[Sheikh]

Ideally, live on Foxtel, delayed on OneHD. I hated the delayed coverage of the internationals on 7, though.

[Working Class]

They could schedule games Friday nights and in the afternoons on Sundays and on sell those to ONE HD.

[TOCC]

I doubt 10 will show all 5 games with Australian sides playing in them anyway. Probably buy some games of Foxsports, 2 or 3 a week or something along those lines. Given that Super 14 is also a made for Pay TV product you would probably see some protection of the TV rights by Foxsports/Newscorp as well. Why would people need to subscribe to Foxtel if they can watch all the games for free on One HD

thats exactly the issue..

At the end of the day, FTA cant offer the equivelant as Foxtel, Rugby Union may not be the largest tv item for the week, but its the target demographic which really has Foxtel hooked..

At the end of the day, rugby union is still a elitists sport, it is the main sport at the private schools in QLD and NSW. Foxtel is not made for your 'little aussie battler', it is a luxury item that appeals largely to the wealthier people in society(the same people who attended private schools playing rugby).

Foxtel and Rugby Union work well together, they are made for each other, Rugby Union's supporter base is stereotypically in the wealthier class, Foxtel is a luxury item which targets the wealthier demographic of Australia.

Foxtel wont be giving up even 1 game/weekend, i couldnt blame them, i would be less willing to get foxtel if i could watch at least one S14 match/weekend.

[GIGS20]

Foxtel will on sell the low rating games to One HD (unless SANZAR really play hardball and One put up a truckload of cash) If Joe Public can see a bit of Super 14 rugby on the Telly, it'll help to spark more interest in the game and is likely to draw a few more into paying for Fox......don't expect to see your home team on the box at a reasoanble hour though, it'll be the Lions vs the Cheetahs at 11:30 for FTA!

[AndyS]

Which they wouldn't buy - I can't see them being interested in much more than the Australian pool games and the finals, shown with a delay. But so long as it is not live and competing, I doubt Foxtel will have a problem with that. Not sure if it still does, but Super rugby used to go FTA in New Zealand. Fox certainly on-sells the coverage elsewhere, so it would hardly be a big leap.

For mine, it would actually be in Foxtel's interest to foster support for Rugby. It is no different with the Tests - it is on FTA, but afficionados quickly lose patience with ads and get Foxtel (or find a friendly pub). Given that Pay TV has such a grip on Union relative to the other codes, any growth in support would be likely to translate proportionately to their bottom line.

What 1HD really needs is a competition to which they hold primary rights. Something maybe pitched on the level below, less expensive yet with more hours of feed, something perhaps domestic so that every game has an audience...

[normie]

What 1HD really needs is a competition to which they hold primary rights. Something maybe pitched on the level below, less expensive yet with more hours of feed, something perhaps domestic so that every game has an audience...

hmmm something like an Australian Rugby Championship? What if WA entered a team in the Shute Shield? Call something it like Perth Force...

[Working Class]

Actually Normie that's a fantastic idea. RugbyWA should really look into it. It would be a pretty formidable team if it composed of most of the Force squad.

[Burgs]

You'd see Uni's dummy on the third orbit starting to fall to earth...

[shasta]

Randwick's would be following about 2 meters behind.

[Working Class]

You'd be surprised about their reaction. Randwick wouldn't spit the dummy, they'd still believe they'd beat anyone anyday. I know this firsthand.