Now it's clear how they feel

[Dani_]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common ... 23,00.html

Early Origin won't rate
Karl deKroo
05jul05

MELBOURNE'S long-suffering rugby league fans won't need to stay up until midnight to watch tomorrow night's State-of-Origin decider from Brisbane.

But it's a luxury they shouldn't get used to.
Channel 9 will show the third game of the league's showpiece series at 9.30pm, but Melbourne program manager Len Downs said it was almost certain to be a ratings flop.

"Basically, we are looking at a very strong week of programming and I felt we could afford to put it there," Downs said last night.

"But the truth is whenever we have put it on before, be it at 8.30pm, 9.30pm, or live, it hasn't rated and I don't expect that to change on Wednesday night.









"As I have explained many times, rugby league in this market doesn't rate. It is the same if you put a Swans game on in prime time in Sydney, it's a disaster."

Downs denied the decision to show the game earlier was a response to public demand.

He predicted the Origin game, which attracts massive television audiences in Sydney and Brisbane, would struggle to run second or third, let alone win its timeslot.

"What tends to happen is the female audience disappears," Downs said.

"The AFL attracts a broader cross-section, but the female audience, in particular, has no interest in rugby league.

"We get the odd call about it, but in the end we show what rates. It is the same reason why the Herald Sun devotes 20 pages to AFL every day and one to rugby league."

Nine last week agreed to a six-year extension of its rugby league broadcast rights. The deal is thought to be worth $50 million a year.

Under the new deal, which begins in 2007, the NRL grand final must be beamed live into Melbourne.

Origin games must also be shown before 10.30pm, while there is also a push to make Storm games more accessible.

"Basically, any Storm game covered by Channel 9 must be shown before midnight, or a deal can be done for the ABC or SBS to show it instead," Storm chief executive Brian Waldron said.

Despite having held a place in the top eight since the opening round, Storm has had only one game, against Penrith in Round 5, scheduled in the prime Friday night timeslot.

[Thunderstruck]

"Basically, any Storm game covered by Channel 9 must be shown before midnight, or a deal can be done for the ABC or SBS to show it instead," Storm chief executive Brian Waldron said.

That is fantastic but given that we've only had 1 game all season long, it's kind of pointless.

[Thunderstruck]

These are figures for teams appearance on channel 9 up to round 22 taken from LU:

Dragons 10 (last 5 consecutive)
Bulldogs 9
Sea Eagles 9
Panthers 8 (4 consecutive)
Roosters 8
Broncos 7
Cowboys 7
Sharks 7
Eels 6
Wests Tigers 6
Knights 2
Rabbitohs 2
Raiders 2
Storm 1
Warriors 0

[simo]

"Basically, any Storm game covered by Channel 9 must be shown before midnight, or a deal can be done for the ABC or SBS to show it instead," Storm chief executive Brian Waldron said.


The dickheads that they are will schedule the game at 11:55 just so ABC or SBS cant show it.

[Dani_]

i would like to know where they got there information form?

my guess...some place where the sun don't shine

[Thunderstruck]

i would like to know where they got there information form?

my guess...some place where the sun don't shine

channel 9 studios?

[Surandy]

Someone ring Kerry or James Packer and tell them to sack that waste of space named Len Downs.

[MS]

ABC or SBS won't be interested in that.

ABC News never covers RL on either TV or radio in this state even during the ALF bye weekend.

They did however cover Union

[MS]

Also the 3rd Origin won't rate because most veiwers will be going to pubs or clubs to see the game prior to it being shown free to air.

[AAS]

ABC or SBS won't be interested in that.

ABC News never covers RL on either TV or radio in this state even during the ALF bye weekend.

They did however cover Union

I disargee


ABC news cover the storm games right after the AFL on the weekend.

[MS]

ABC or SBS won't be interested in that.

ABC News never covers RL on either TV or radio in this state even during the ALF bye weekend.

They did however cover Union

I disargee


ABC news cover the storm games right after the AFL on the weekend.

Not this Sunday they didn't.

And the Union was covered Live. Storm RL game played later was not mentioned at all.

[AAS]

I rang them channel 9 up this afternoon and spoke to the programming department but i ask them if they are getting kickbacks from the AFL clubs and the AFL and they got all legal on me and i said well is this true? and they said I can not comment on that!!!.


So my opinion is that they are and this was coming from Len downs as well

[Thunderstruck]

Aren't you a little fresh. OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!

[MS]

It is Probably not a great idea to antaganise the switchboard operators who have little say in the matter anyways.

[AAS]

It is Probably not a great idea to antaganise the switchboard operators who have little say in the matter anyways.

Mate this was Len downs. The same Dickheads who said RL won't rate(mind you i never said RL in any of my conversation