Sky Sports 1 Individuals 4+ Viewing (Including Timeshift) - w/e
06/07/2008
Programme 000's
1 LIVE SUPER LEAGUE (Fri 1930) 163
2 LIVE DARTS (Sat 1900) 157
3 LIVE SPEEDWAY (Mon 1931) 147
4 LIVE DARTS (Sun 1835) 142
5 LIVE DARTS (Thu 1900) 141
6 LIVE TRI - NATIONS RUGBY UNION (Sat 0800) 129
7 LIVE DARTS (Wed 1900) 119
8 LIVE EUROPEAN TOUR GOLF (Sat 1400) 103
9 RUGBY UNION (Sat 1035) 99
10 LIVE EUROPEAN TOUR GOLF (Sun 1300) 97



Sky Sports 3 Individuals 4+ Viewing (Including Timeshift) - w/e
06/07/2008
Programme 000's
1 LIVE SUPER LEAGUE (Sat 1800) 122
2 LIVE DARTS (Fri 1830) 95
3 WWE SMACKDOWN (Sat 1001) 71
4 WWE VINTAGE COLLECTION (Sun 1001) 66
5 WWE LATE NIGHT - AFTERBURN (Sun 0901) 61
6 WWE RAW (Fri 1630) 52
7 WWE LATE NIGHT RAW (Thu 2100) 48
8 WWE SMACKDOWN (Tue 1659) 46
9 WWE EXPERIENCE (Sun 1700) 43
10 WWE - THE BOTTOM LINE (Sat 1701) 42

and for chris parslow who seems to think that AFL is going to take over
western sydney ...

Ratings show NRL dudded in rights deal

Roy Masters | July 17, 2008

RUGBY league continues to dominate pay TV ratings, seizing 64 spots in
the top 100 of the most popular programs this year, adding further
support to the widespread view the code has seriously undersold its
broadcasting rights to its part-owner, News Ltd.

The AFL has improved its ratings significantly since the last time the
Herald gained the confidential data, but even with four exclusive pay TV
games per week - part of Channel Seven's deal with Fox Sports to defray
the massive $780 million outlay for the rights - AFL's popularity on
subscription television is dwarfed by NRL.

Soccer took the top spot with Australia's World Cup qualifier against
Qatar in Melbourne and came in fourth for their match against Iraq in
Brisbane, but the only A-League match that made the top 100 was the grand
final between the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets in 83rd.

Rugby union won third spot for the Super 14 final between the Crusaders
and the Waratahs, but that competition produced only two other entries in
the top 100 - the Waratahs' semi-final against the Sharks (87th) and
their match against the Highlanders (95th).

Super 14 games are shown exclusively on pay TV and their unpopularity
rings serious alarm bells for those negotiating the next TV contract,
particularly whether the figures will justify expansion into Melbourne.

Cricket, the first sport shown nationally to Australians on free-to-air
TV, has made no impression on subscription TV, with only one program in
the top 100 - the domestic Twenty20 final between Western Australia and
Victoria in 26th.

Two years ago, NRL games took 73 of the top 100 spots, while the AFL won
only two.

The AFL has taken 23 positions this time, while rugby league has dropped
nine, suggesting a trend that justifies Fox Sports' outlay of $50m a year
for four AFL games and $42m for the NRL's five games.

However, this ignores the major readjustment to AFL programming to win
improved TV ratings: four higher quality, exclusive games were scheduled
per week, and the NRL was shunted from Fox Sports 1, the network's
premier channel, in order to accommodate AFL.

NRL was moved to Fox Sports 3, forcing some subscribers to pay extra for
that coverage, and this year it was shifted again, to Fox Sports 2.

Furthermore, Fox Sports splits its signal for the AFL, telecasting
different games to different states, something it refuses to do for the
NRL in Melbourne, where the match of the round on Friday night's is shown
from 11.30pm.

Despite this dismissive treatment by Fox, which effectively half owns the
NRL via News Ltd's 50 per cent share in both organisations, rugby league
had 42 programs in the top 50.

At No.2 and No.5 were games involving the Cowboys, a team running last in
the NRL.

Monday Night Football was expected to make a big impression on NRL
ratings, but the top 20 positions were spread evenly across Fox Sports
scheduling, although Sunday afternoon games didn't feature.

Most of the top-rating games were close, highlighted by the Cowboys-
Panthers match on Saturday at 7.30pm in round 12. Penrith won 19-18,
signalling that fans watch absorbing 80-minute contests.

The highly skilful Melbourne Storm are popular on pay TV, as are the
strongly supported Dragons, while the Brisbane Broncos come in at No.48
(versus the Panthers), mainly because they are almost a permanent fixture
on Channel Nine.

NRL chief executive David Gallop, who reacted to Russell Crowe's
criticism of the NRL broadcasting contract by saying the Oscar-winning
actor should stick to his day job, defended the apparent disparity in
revenue between NRL and AFL by pointing out that a further $12m should be
added to rugby league's share.

"Our five weekly Fox Sports' NRL matches are taken by Sky in New Zealand
and our funding from that should be added to our pay TV take," he said.

However, even allowing for New Zealand's Sky TV money, an AFL pay TV game
generates $12.5m a year in rights income, while an NRL game generates
$10.8m, a disparity magnified by the four to five times greater
popularity of rugby league.

Free-to-air rights income is also disproportionate, with AFL earning
twice as much money per game than rugby league.

While this has been attributed to an ego battle for the AFL rights
between Kerry Stokes and Kerry Packer, rugby league's better fit on the
box has always been known to broadcasters.

"I remember Kerry Stokes telling me nearly 10 years ago that rugby league
was the best sports product on TV," said John Ribot, Storm founder and
negotiator of Super League's TV contract.
PAY TV'S TOP 100 SPORTS SHOWS

RUGBY LEAGUE
64

AFL
23

RUGBY
7

FOOTBALL
5

CRICKET
1

On Jul 17, 2:57 pm, ruud <noem...@hotmail.scum> wrote:
> and for chris parslow who seems to think that AFL is going to take over
> western sydney ...
>
> Ratings show NRL dudded in rights deal
>
> Roy Masters | July 17, 2008
>
> RUGBY league continues to dominate pay TV ratings, seizing 64 spots in
> the top 100 of the most popular programs this year, adding further
> support to the widespread view the code has seriously undersold its
> broadcasting rights to its part-owner, News Ltd.
>
> The AFL has improved its ratings significantly since the last time the
> Herald gained the confidential data, but even with four exclusive pay TV
> games per week - part of Channel Seven's deal with Fox Sports to defray
> the massive $780 million outlay for the rights - AFL's popularity on
> subscription television is dwarfed by NRL.
>
> Soccer took the top spot with Australia's World Cup qualifier against
> Qatar in Melbourne and came in fourth for their match against Iraq in
> Brisbane, but the only A-League match that made the top 100 was the grand
> final between the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets in 83rd.
>
> Rugby union won third spot for the Super 14 final between the Crusaders
> and the Waratahs, but that competition produced only two other entries in
> the top 100 - the Waratahs' semi-final against the Sharks (87th) and
> their match against the Highlanders (95th).
>
> Super 14 games are shown exclusively on pay TV and their unpopularity
> rings serious alarm bells for those negotiating the next TV contract,
> particularly whether the figures will justify expansion into Melbourne.
>
> Cricket, the first sport shown nationally to Australians on free-to-air
> TV, has made no impression on subscription TV, with only one program in
> the top 100 - the domestic Twenty20 final between Western Australia and
> Victoria in 26th.
>
> Two years ago, NRL games took 73 of the top 100 spots, while the AFL won
> only two.
>
> The AFL has taken 23 positions this time, while rugby league has dropped
> nine, suggesting a trend that justifies Fox Sports' outlay of $50m a year
> for four AFL games and $42m for the NRL's five games.
>
> However, this ignores the major readjustment to AFL programming to win
> improved TV ratings: four higher quality, exclusive games were scheduled
> per week, and the NRL was shunted from Fox Sports 1, the network's
> premier channel, in order to accommodate AFL.
>
> NRL was moved to Fox Sports 3, forcing some subscribers to pay extra for
> that coverage, and this year it was shifted again, to Fox Sports 2.
>
> Furthermore, Fox Sports splits its signal for the AFL, telecasting
> different games to different states, something it refuses to do for the
> NRL in Melbourne, where the match of the round on Friday night's is shown
> from 11.30pm.
>
> Despite this dismissive treatment by Fox, which effectively half owns the
> NRL via News Ltd's 50 per cent share in both organisations, rugby league
> had 42 programs in the top 50.
>
> At No.2 and No.5 were games involving the Cowboys, a team running last in
> the NRL.
>
> Monday Night Football was expected to make a big impression on NRL
> ratings, but the top 20 positions were spread evenly across Fox Sports
> scheduling, although Sunday afternoon games didn't feature.
>
> Most of the top-rating games were close, highlighted by the Cowboys-
> Panthers match on Saturday at 7.30pm in round 12. Penrith won 19-18,
> signalling that fans watch absorbing 80-minute contests.
>
> The highly skilful Melbourne Storm are popular on pay TV, as are the
> strongly supported Dragons, while the Brisbane Broncos come in at No.48
> (versus the Panthers), mainly because they are almost a permanent fixture
> on Channel Nine.
>
> NRL chief executive David Gallop, who reacted to Russell Crowe's
> criticism of the NRL broadcasting contract by saying the Oscar-winning
> actor should stick to his day job, defended the apparent disparity in
> revenue between NRL and AFL by pointing out that a further $12m should be
> added to rugby league's share.
>
> "Our five weekly Fox Sports' NRL matches are taken by Sky in New Zealand
> and our funding from that should be added to our pay TV take," he said.
>
> However, even allowing for New Zealand's Sky TV money, an AFL pay TV game
> generates $12.5m a year in rights income, while an NRL game generates
> $10.8m, a disparity magnified by the four to five times greater
> popularity of rugby league.
>
> Free-to-air rights income is also disproportionate, with AFL earning
> twice as much money per game than rugby league.
>
> While this has been attributed to an ego battle for the AFL rights
> between Kerry Stokes and Kerry Packer, rugby league's better fit on the
> box has always been known to broadcasters.
>
> "I remember Kerry Stokes telling me nearly 10 years ago that rugby league
> was the best sports product on TV," said John Ribot, Storm founder and
> negotiator of Super League's TV contract.
> PAY TV'S TOP 100 SPORTS SHOWS
>
> RUGBY LEAGUE
> 64
>
> AFL
> 23
>
> RUGBY
> 7
>
> FOOTBALL
> 5
>
> CRICKET
> 1

An even better one showing how up their own arses AFL are:

CONFIDENTIAL data on participation rates of junior players in greater
Sydney has reflected a flawed and desperate mission by the AFL to lay
a footprint in the city's west.

When paired with inflated crowd figures on the Gold Coast, the data
shows the AFL's expansion plans to be a hall of mirrors.

Heavy use of contra advertising - part of the AFL's $780 million
broadcasting deal - to generate a big crowd at Homebush Bay for the
Swans versus Collingwood match mocks the claims by NRL chief executive
David Gallop that AFL deserves its record TV revenue because it is the
biggest game in town.

The AFL is involved in a furious game of catch-up following the proud
but presumptuous boast earlier this year of chairman Mike Fitzpatrick
to expand the AFL to 18 teams by 2012, including clubs in western
Sydney and the on Gold Coast, in order to lift TV ratings and generate
a $1 billion TV rights package when the current deal expires.

The AFL's own statistics reveal there are only slightly more juniors
registered as players in Sydney's west than actually playing rugby
league in the city's eastern suburbs, an NRL district maligned for its
dependence on imported players.

The AFL counts children involved in Auskick clinics to justify its $60
million investment in Sydney and, even if the numbers participating in
these school clinics are included, the data indicates the eight listed
junior AFL clubs in Sydney's west need to amalgamate age groups to
field teams.

Australian Rugby League development officers point out there are 9700
children involved in clinics these school holidays in the Kids to
Kangaroos program yet none are counted because they are not registered
players.

AFL figures for Sydney's west list 1010 players, including 359 Auskick
players, while there are 936 registered rugby league players in
Melbourne. Newcastle, included in AFL data as part of greater Sydney,
has declining numbers of children playing AFL - and that includes the
Auskick figures.

The AFL - which has paid North Melbourne $400,000 a game to play on
the Gold Coast - is also capable of creative crowd counting. It
reported an attendance of 9128 at Carrara Stadium for the recent North
versus St Kilda match, yet Ticketek figures show only 3900 tickets
were sold; 3000 were free and there were more than 2000 "add-ons".

Expansion plans have been tested by poor attendance at the venue -
that crowd followed one of 6354; the Kangaroos' decision to reject it
as their new "home" and this week's failure to sign the popular former
Brisbane captain Michael Voss as coach.

A month-long marketing campaign and heavily reliance on contra
advertising generated a crowd of almost 59,202 at ANZ Stadium on
Saturday night for the Swans versus Collingwood match.

It was the AFL's big match of the year in Sydney outside the finals.

Going into the match, the Swans were averaging 38,000 at Homebush Bay
after poor attendances for the West Coast and Essendon games, and even
the lift from the Collingwood crowd still means the ANZ Stadium
average is well below last year's 63,000.

The Homebush Bay attendance has been used by AFL flag wavers to
justify a second Sydney team, pointing out the crowd was four times
the number who turned up the next day to watch the Eels and Panthers
at nearby Parramatta Stadium.

However, ignored in the passionate debate was the 78,751 who attended
the deciding State of Origin match at Homebush Bay four days before
the Parramatta game.

Petrol prices and interest rates are hurting families, and parents who
can afford the $45 adult general admission to an Origin match may not
be able to back up for NRL matches.

Nor does the price of drinks and fast food at stadiums make it easier.

Even young single wage earners who watched the Brisbane State of
Origin match in Sydney pubs find it difficult to budget for club
games.

Nine NRL games in Sydney during the Origin period drew crowds of less
than 10,000, which suggests fans are hurting in the pocket, or won't
watch matches minus the stars.

Comparing NRL and AFL crowds is a dangerous exercise, with one
prominent Swans supporter saying, "You can't apply Melbourne metrics
to the Sydney sporting market. The Kings have been the most successful
club in NBL history, and played off in arguably the greatest final
series of all time, yet there is not enough popular support in Sydney
to resuscitate the brand."

Despite this, AFL cheer squads persist in ridiculing choice as a
factor in Sydney, a city which has two rugby demographics.

Sydney's sporting options have created a fickleness which is reflected
in the AFL's own figures.

The Swans have the highest churn rate in the AFL, that is, fans who
don't renew their memberships. Each year, 22 per cent of members drop
out, meaning there is a furious chase every year to find new members.

The Swans' Sydney membership of 19,000 is their lowest in a long time
and falling. It is the lowest in the AFL and well below Melbourne's
bottom - 28,000 for the Demons - a club which even the AFL considers a
basket case.

Too much of the debate about AFL versus NRL relies on anecdotal
evidence.

The Herald's sister paper, The Age, seized on a Fitz Files item last
month, quoting a Sunday afternoon scene at Bondi's Ravesi's bar: the
big screen was showing the Roosters but no one was watching until the
Swans were switched on, and suddenly everyone was captivated.

The few rugby league fans present were forced to watch the Roosters
versus Knights in a corner of the bar. Compare this with a report from
an incensed reader of a scene at the Clovelly Hotel on Saturday night,
the evening of the Swans versus Collingwood match. The fan insists the
attention of bar patrons was split between the Wallabies-France Test
and the Dragons-Knights game.

"One small box in the corner had the Swans on," he said. "No one was
watching the AFL, or caring."

OK, the Clovelly Hotel is the de facto headquarters of the NRL, which
explains the interest in the Dragons-Knights, and the eastern suburbs
has always been a rugby union stronghold.

But one swallow doesn't make a summer or, in the case of the AFL's
flight westward, one big crowd of Swans doesn't mean a successful
winter.

The Clovelly and Ravesi's are as different as AFL and NRL. Ravesi's is
a silvertail bar; the Clovelly is a sports pub.

There are only two plasma screens at Ravesi's, which subscribed to Fox
Sports only a year ago.

The Clovelly has been a Shangri-la of TV screens for the sports nut
since pay TV came to Australia.

Their owners understand their respective clienteles. After all, until
a year ago, both venues were owned by the same businessmen.

On Saturday night, Ravesi's patrons were watching the Wallabies.

One Swans official says he has long refused to draw conclusions from
anecdotal evidence of fans watching football in pubs.

"I've been to Sydney pubs in the eastern suburbs on a Saturday night
where I would have been knocked out if I changed the channel to the
Swans," he said.

CHILD'S PLAY

�¡ As many kids play rugby league in Melbourne as play AFL in Sydney's
west.
�¡ AFL counts children involved in short-term Auskick clinics as
official players.
�¡ There are only slightly more juniors playing AFL in Sydney's west
than rugby league in the eastern suburbs.
�¡ The eight listed junior AFL clubs in Sydney's west need to
amalgamate age groups to field teams.
�¡ Newcastle, included in AFL data as part of greater Sydney, has
falling player numbers.
THE NUMBERS

Australian football junior participation rates for season 2007
Region Auskick Junior Youth Total
Central Coast 178 377 297 852
Illawarra 157 330 231 718
Newcastle 167 291 310 768
Sydney City 732 386 408 1526
Sydney North 794 1219 781 2794
Sydney South 265 377 303 945
Sydney South West 272 221 198 691
Sydney West 359 376 282 1017
Total 2924 3577 2810 9311

On Jul 17, 2:57 pm, ruud <noem...@hotmail.scum> wrote:
> and for chris parslow who seems to think that AFL is going to take over
> western sydney ...
>
> Ratings show NRL dudded in rights deal
>
> Roy Masters | July 17, 2008
>
> RUGBY league continues to dominate pay TV ratings, seizing 64 spots in
> the top 100 of the most popular programs this year, adding further
> support to the widespread view the code has seriously undersold its
> broadcasting rights to its part-owner, News Ltd.
>
> The AFL has improved its ratings significantly since the last time the
> Herald gained the confidential data, but even with four exclusive pay TV
> games per week - part of Channel Seven's deal with Fox Sports to defray
> the massive $780 million outlay for the rights - AFL's popularity on
> subscription television is dwarfed by NRL.
>
> Soccer took the top spot with Australia's World Cup qualifier against
> Qatar in Melbourne and came in fourth for their match against Iraq in
> Brisbane, but the only A-League match that made the top 100 was the grand
> final between the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets in 83rd.
>
> Rugby union won third spot for the Super 14 final between the Crusaders
> and the Waratahs, but that competition produced only two other entries in
> the top 100 - the Waratahs' semi-final against the Sharks (87th) and
> their match against the Highlanders (95th).
>
> Super 14 games are shown exclusively on pay TV and their unpopularity
> rings serious alarm bells for those negotiating the next TV contract,
> particularly whether the figures will justify expansion into Melbourne.
>
> Cricket, the first sport shown nationally to Australians on free-to-air
> TV, has made no impression on subscription TV, with only one program in
> the top 100 - the domestic Twenty20 final between Western Australia and
> Victoria in 26th.
>
> Two years ago, NRL games took 73 of the top 100 spots, while the AFL won
> only two.
>
> The AFL has taken 23 positions this time, while rugby league has dropped
> nine, suggesting a trend that justifies Fox Sports' outlay of $50m a year
> for four AFL games and $42m for the NRL's five games.
>
> However, this ignores the major readjustment to AFL programming to win
> improved TV ratings: four higher quality, exclusive games were scheduled
> per week, and the NRL was shunted from Fox Sports 1, the network's
> premier channel, in order to accommodate AFL.
>
> NRL was moved to Fox Sports 3, forcing some subscribers to pay extra for
> that coverage, and this year it was shifted again, to Fox Sports 2.
>
> Furthermore, Fox Sports splits its signal for the AFL, telecasting
> different games to different states, something it refuses to do for the
> NRL in Melbourne, where the match of the round on Friday night's is shown
> from 11.30pm.
>
> Despite this dismissive treatment by Fox, which effectively half owns the
> NRL via News Ltd's 50 per cent share in both organisations, rugby league
> had 42 programs in the top 50.
>
> At No.2 and No.5 were games involving the Cowboys, a team running last in
> the NRL.
>
> Monday Night Football was expected to make a big impression on NRL
> ratings, but the top 20 positions were spread evenly across Fox Sports
> scheduling, although Sunday afternoon games didn't feature.
>
> Most of the top-rating games were close, highlighted by the Cowboys-
> Panthers match on Saturday at 7.30pm in round 12. Penrith won 19-18,
> signalling that fans watch absorbing 80-minute contests.
>
> The highly skilful Melbourne Storm are popular on pay TV, as are the
> strongly supported Dragons, while the Brisbane Broncos come in at No.48
> (versus the Panthers), mainly because they are almost a permanent fixture
> on Channel Nine.
>
> NRL chief executive David Gallop, who reacted to Russell Crowe's
> criticism of the NRL broadcasting contract by saying the Oscar-winning
> actor should stick to his day job, defended the apparent disparity in
> revenue between NRL and AFL by pointing out that a further $12m should be
> added to rugby league's share.
>
> "Our five weekly Fox Sports' NRL matches are taken by Sky in New Zealand
> and our funding from that should be added to our pay TV take," he said.
>
> However, even allowing for New Zealand's Sky TV money, an AFL pay TV game
> generates $12.5m a year in rights income, while an NRL game generates
> $10.8m, a disparity magnified by the four to five times greater
> popularity of rugby league.
>
> Free-to-air rights income is also disproportionate, with AFL earning
> twice as much money per game than rugby league.
>
> While this has been attributed to an ego battle for the AFL rights
> between Kerry Stokes and Kerry Packer, rugby league's better fit on the
> box has always been known to broadcasters.
>
> "I remember Kerry Stokes telling me nearly 10 years ago that rugby league
> was the best sports product on TV," said John Ribot, Storm founder and
> negotiator of Super League's TV contract.
> PAY TV'S TOP 100 SPORTS SHOWS
>
> RUGBY LEAGUE
> 64
>
> AFL
> 23
>
> RUGBY
> 7
>
> FOOTBALL
> 5
>
> CRICKET
> 1

Big frigging deal. They've done a better job of selling rugby league
to pay TV.

In terms of reaching out to youth, the AFL is second only to catholic
priests. If rugby league doesn't stop pretending nothing is wrong, all
of sudden it will realise how wrong it is. Surely a leftie can
recognise the signs. It's what happened to the Soviet Union, after all.

ruud wrote:
> and for chris parslow who seems to think that AFL is going to take over
> western sydney ...

Read it - I buy the SMH most days - superior crosswords & other puzzles
to amuse me at the coffee-shop & on the train-commute.

So, the AFL 'has improved its ratings significantly'. No surprises there.

And it will continue to do so while League games, even top-notch
contests, go to air being played in front of absolutely fuckin' nobody.

When it's so obvious to the casual viewer that people can't be arsed to
turned in decent numbers, why would someone not already sold on the game
think it was something significant, something to take notice of?


CP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:57:42 GMT, ruud wrote:

snip good & interesting read.

Reminds of a wonderfully snide snippet that was in the SMH t'other week.
The TV ratings had just come out and the SoO had shit it in. The Herald's
Phillip Derriman, author of 'The Rise and Rise of Australian Rugby', was a
tad piqued in his ratings analysis; "Say what you like about rugby league -
that it's one-dimensional, repetitive, even a little lowbrow - but year
after year the fans keep tuning in to watch."



alvey

On Jul 18, 9:34 pm, alvey <alvey_embarrassingsta...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:57:42 GMT, ruud wrote:
>
> snip good & interesting read.
>
> Reminds of a wonderfully snide snippet that was in the SMH t'other week.
> The TV ratings had just come out and the SoO had shit it in. The Herald's
> Phillip Derriman, author of 'The Rise and Rise of Australian Rugby', was a
> tad piqued in his ratings analysis; "Say what you like about rugby league -
> that it's one-dimensional, repetitive, even a little lowbrow - but year
> after year the fans keep tuning in to watch."
>
> alvey

Wow, what an utter dickhead.