SKY Coverage

[League and Union very different? Yeah right. Looks the same to me, but I'm not from a rugby country so the difference is very subtle.]

Just as a comparison. Fox Sports here in Australia have 3 channels just like Sky and on Saturday night at 7.30pm they're showing

If only Sky New Zealand had that same attitude.

Would be fantastic,.. but not likely Lads.
As I understand it, Key economics for Sky are driven by News Ltd ownership. As they have invested in Rugby for hundreds of millions$$$, particularly with Rugby World Cup here in 2011,they would want maximum return on that investment.
 Anything above the bare minimum Football coverage would steal more of Rugby's thunder as it builds to that.
Mind you,The All Whites qualifying for next year's Football World Cup could really put a spanner in the works!!

Even UMR's poll clearly shows rugby remains the sport that holds most people's interest.

Of six sports tested, rugby comfortably held top spot at 60 percent followed by netball (49 percent), cricket (48), rugby league (43), rowing (41) and football (37).

12ubb3rduck3y2009-08-06 16:17:38

Fixed

I for one hope the All Whites do make the World Cup, first time in too many years, but it would throw the expectations of sports fans in NZ around a bit (like the Kiwis winning the RL WC) :)

I'm sorry... as good as rowing is, I don't understand how it rates better than Football.


and nice work,  Ard Righ!
RedGed2009-08-06 16:32:34

Because you get to see kiwis be successful on a regular basis I geuss

This is why rowing has more fans we are one of the best in the world, hence its higher than football but over time Football will be higher as nz gets better

The worry is NZ won't get better without more money in the game. And no TV coverage means no money. It's a vicious circle, and that's why the Phoenix are so important.

New Zealand Football have enough trouble getting the All Whites on T.V, let alone non-Phoenix A-League games S.O.N2009-08-06 16:42:52

I dont know about NZ soccer either I e mailed them about not letting Phoenix team in NZ League still waiting for a reply not even an acknowledgement of e mail. All the rich soccer clubs in Auckland and apart from the minimal air time [all forms of media] Phoenix get. NZ soccer dont really get anything out of it, financially. The point about News Ltd/Sky/NZRFU is probably a very relevant comment when it comes to coverage of A league/Phoenix games.

*quick clarification. NZ Soccer no longer exists (under that name), it is called NZ Football now S.O.N2009-08-06 17:20:04

same as capital soccer,it  is now capital football

Same as mainland soccer, it's now Mainland football

same with all of them... People just keep saying NZsoccer out of habit I geuss

From what I recall, the AW's games in Fiji were on free to air  (tv1) delayed but were on
Royal2009-08-06 18:09:41

The Dominion Post / Stuff Article was interesting from a number of angles.

What came through was amazing lengths that Sky went to defend rugby viewership, including "looking at live viewing figures is somewhat antiquated" and that number watching live is effectively reduced because of (I kid you not) "four full replays of key games ...".

What a contrast to the stance they have taken for football!

And yes, it is true that rugby has more interest (= very + fairly interested) than Football. But it is 62% more interest, ie, less than double and well shy of the multiples of interest that is implied in various releases/letters from Sky.

And just imagine how much closer that gap could be should football get better coverage! But I suspect strongly that that is something that its NewsCorp owners are not   overly concerned about.

So the challenge for Football to the likes of Sky is to say (metamphorically) "f*ck em" and get it up in the sportsviewers' radars.

Two things will do that:

1.  Phoenix doing well in the A-League this season (after everyone over the ditch has written us off).

Glad to see the opening game of the season is screening live on SS3 tonight

But not without a fight!

Everyone, get ready to tune in!

Watching on justin.tv

Tune in on sky!

No idea, but I've got plenty of allowance left so haven't checked it out.

  Except when you try to go to nzfootball.com  and you have to try again and go nzsoccer.com...

Try NZfootball.co.nz

I'm geussing sky hasn't made any last minute changes to their line-up, so from what I can see we have

NQF v Bling 7:30 sat Live
Jets v Nix 5:00 Sun Live
Roar v GCU 3:00 Tues delayed
AU v Glory 9:00 Tues delay

Anyone know of any changes to that?

Was waiting for football highlights on Sky 33 but where are they?

I love this from Sky Sports' very own website (see http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=55&cid=10602)

From the guide for the first round of matches is says "The match of the first round is probably Brisbane Roar and new neighbour Gold Coast United, on Suncorp."

That must be why they are not covering it ... until Tuesday.

It beggars belief!!!Turfmoore2009-08-07 17:36:52

The Melbourne vs CCM match had a fair few viewers in our bar over lunch today, seems to have helped remind some people the A-league is back on.

Good to hear. Sould email in the bar figures for games so sky can accomodate for those viewers in the figures!

And the Adelaide-Perth match is not being shown because of Aussie Rules??!!!

Being bumped for Live NRL I could completely understand but for a sport virtually no-one cares about in NZ?

this is a joke .. afl life ahead of a-league.. who in nz gives a toss about that sport.. surely football fans deserve an explaination for this...

Perhaps the live Kayaking  wasnt that good so they land us with AFL instead.

is there any reasonable explanation for this?

adelaide's game is on right now but not on sky... anyone have a decent live text link or something?

It's on Iraqgoals, we're all in the A-League forum talking about it.

You have to remember that sky isnt just for football.
The AFL game is a pretty big match up too.

People only care about AFL here in Melbourne and a bit in the West + South and a little bit in Sydney. I don't think I even met anyone who knew what AFL really was in Welly/NZ :/