Todays Media Wrap for Wednesday, August 19th, 2023 – Sports Industry News from the ALM, AFL, AFLW, NRL, Superleague (UK) and more. Using material from League websites and Australian/overseas media.
A-league
AFL
- Gather Round was a roarings success, but with teams making or missing finals by the bearest of margins in past years, does it give the Adelaide clubs an unfair advantage?
- Premier Jeremy Rockliff threatened to walk away from Tasmania’s bid for an AFL team in July last year — before sweetening the government’s offer with a further $54m of taxpayers’ money.
- Tasmania’s premier raised concerns about AFL requirements for the state’s contribution towards a standalone team before increasing his funding offer.
- The AFL will reap a major windfall from the Gather Round deal with South Australia, receiving close to $80 million in cash and non-capital investment from the SA government for the next three years.
- Essendon and Collingwood are set to face off on Anzac Day in front of another 90,000-strong crowd, with both clubs in the top four ahead of the blockbuster for the first time since the turn of the century.
- SANFL is thrilled to announce that National Pharmacies will continue as naming rights partner for the nation’s largest junior football competition, SANFL Juniors
- The TAC Unity Cup is back for its 16th year in 2023 and will again unite diverse cultural communities through a combination of football and life skills training. More than 30 teams and over 300 participants will compete across the different divisions.
- The AFL and Ausco Modular have teamed up to develop a revolutionary $800,000 temporary change and clubroom facility for community football clubs affected by disasters.
AFLW
Broadcasting
- Kayo is in hot water with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after contravening gambling advertising rules that state gambling ads must not be streamed during live sport events between 5am and 8:30pm.
- SEN Cricket has announced exclusive commercial audio rights for the upcoming Ashes series between England and Australia.
- With 4.6 million Foxtel subscribers now, three million of which across the company’s streaming services (Binge, Kayo and Flash), Frain said it’s “highly likely” the company could see itself as a streaming-only company down the line.
Commonwealth Games
NBL
Golf
Racing
NRL
- At the start of this month, Queensland Rugby League player registrations were up 14 percent, equating to about 8000 more registered participants compared to the corresponding period in 2022, with the figures nationally worth celebrating as well. The national club rugby league participation rate is up 13 percent on this time last year and just 6.5 percent off passing last year’s national total.
- Future Maroons are currently enjoying their footy on rugby league fields all around the state, with 60,000 club participants having already signed on to play Queensland’s favourite sport.
- The NSWRL has received a tremendous vote of confidence from participants for the 2023 season, with the number of players having already moved past 100,000 which represents an increase of more than 14 per cent on a year-to-date basis.
- The NSWRL and Wests Group Macarthur have today announced the continuation of a funding deal secured via the ClubGRANTS scheme will benefit more than 7000 participants, 500 teams and 23 clubs in the Macarthur Conference Competition for the 2023 season.
Superleague
- The Rugby League Council, the sport’s decision-making body which comprises representatives from all three professional competitions and the community game, have today voted in favour of Club Grading.
- Championship Attendances: Bradford Bulls and Widnes Vikings impress again
- CURRENT central distribution in rugby league has seen funding to the Championship and League One cut following a reduced broadcast deal with Sky Sports.
- Hunslet RLFC won’t support IMG ‘reimagining rugby league’ plan
- Today is the day the next 12 years of rugby league are decided as clubs vote on IMG’s proposals. Here is what every club has said about the IMG proposals and what their vote will likely be.
Overseas
- The second season of the media rights deal the NHL has with TNT, ABC and ESPN saw a slight viewership drop, as the league had more tonnage of games across each of its partner. ABC/ESPN averaged 583,000 viewers for its games, down 2%.
- The NHL drew 22.4 million fans to the arenas this season, up 7.9% over the 2021-22 season
- The NBA) set records for total attendance, average attendance, percentage of capacity, and sellouts in the 2022-2023 regular seasons. A record 791 sellouts shattered the previous mark & arenas were filled to an all-time-high capacity of 97 percent.
