http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/10/17/Media/Rugby.aspx The article talks about how Universal Sports is doing good with the subscription sales and how they could do even better in four years. It still doesn't change the fact that I could not afford it this year. I hope NBC Sports Network gets the games next time.
By my logic, if 5000 people are willing to pay out the nose to watch the games on a computer, a lot more (myself included) would have watched a large number of the games on a regular TV. Maybe NBC/Universal will grow a brain and air these games next time. The better time difference would help with that, soccer seems to do fairly well in the midafternoon timeslots.
So we can see a trend as far as ratings go with Rugby in America. There is a lot of potential there and a lot of opportunity for sponsors and broadcasters to cash in on this growing sport in the coming years. I wonder what plans NBC Universal and Fox Soccer Plus have in place to get the average number of views over a million? http://www.rugbymag.com/index.php?o...cast&catid=82:2011-rugby-world-cup&Itemid=264 Ratings From NBC's RWC Final Broadcast The numbers are back on NBC's broadcast of the Rugby World Cup final between France and New Zealand Sunday. According to TVbythenumbers.com, 851,000 people tuned in for the final. 16 live sports broadcasts last week were viewed by more people. Not shockingly, NFL football, college football and the Word Series are among them. A Mexican soccer broadcast, CBS' Sports Spectacular and Skate America were ranked directly ahead of the RWC. In terms of sheer viewers, NBC's broadcast of the Ireland vs. USA pool match actually outdrew the final by 15,000. Both broadcasts fall within 100,000 viewers of the 2011 USA Sevens and 2011 Collegiate Rugby Championship.
I think the key here is live broadcasting, because neither the Ireland game nor the final were live on NBC. They were both tape delayed by about 12 hours, and at least here in NY the start of the Ireland game came on only seconds after the 9/11 memorial service finished while up against the first Sunday of the NFL. I would like to see those numbers added to the numbers of people who watched the games live. I chose to wait for the Ireland game, but couldn't wait out on the final and watched it live--even pay-per-viewed it. Would be nice to see how many people watched it via other means than NBC's less than good coverage. I think Rugby can be grown. If as they imply 700,000 people watched Sevens coverage (which was on live in part), their is a real niche for the sport. If NBC cared about anything other than a quick buck they could use the next few years to nurture that niche before the next world cup and its schedule that will probably be chock full of weekend afternoon games.
I agree live coverage is one of the keys. What about a pre game or post show? Human interest stories about the players, coaches and teams? NBC Universal has a foundation to build on now they just need to put more money into promoting the sport. Also the sponsors they attract why don't encourage them to invest in the grass roots game.