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Hey you don't have to be opposites to play against one another. Take for example the Auckland Blues vs the Waikato Chiefs. Basically the same. Just a bit down the road. Or up the road.
Clogs wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:05 amHey you don't have to be opposites to play against one another. Take for example the Auckland Blues vs the Waikato Chiefs. Basically the same. Just a bit down the road. Or up the road.
The All Blacks were reportedly offered a clash with the Springboks in Dubai as a warm-up to the world champions' July series against the British and Irish Lions.
South African publication the Daily Maverick reports that New Zealand Rugby were offered the clash against the Springboks, which would have been their first meeting since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
The All Blacks have never played in the Middle East, although the All Blacks Sevens are six-time champions of the Dubai Sevens event.
However the Daily Maverick reports the offer was turned down by New Zealand Rugby due to a scheduling conflict with a 14-day quarantine on returning to New Zealand meaning it would have clashed with an already scheduled test against Fiji on July 10.
An MIQ stay on the eve of the international season wouldn't have been appealing either.
The Springboks will instead face Georgia in preparation for the Lions series with two tests in July. The opening test against Warren Gatland's Lions is on July 24 with the opening tour game against the Stormers three weeks earlier.
South Africa haven't played a test since the World Cup final against England in November 2019 after pulling out of last year's Rugby Championship tournament in Australia.
This year marks 100 years since the All Blacks and Springboks began their famous rivalry at Carisbrook.
The All Blacks and Springboks will meet in September and October in the Rugby Championship almost two years since their pool play encounter at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
I like how you pretended to comment on the actual thread discussion just so you could come and have your Covid response whine in the last few sentences.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pm The Trans Tasman camp should ultimately be a winner but you’ve collectively dropped the ball on the tv rights. I know the games can be streamed but moving off Sky Sports in the UK&I is a mistake. The NRL was on an obscure third rate channel a few years ago but now is getting the live slots that Super Rugby once had (and generated decent ratings for Sky). It seems as though the News Corp relationships gradually going away has impacted how SANZAR sell their product.
I’m not sure what you really want on the international rugby front. Your highly restrictive border rules mean it’s inevitable. Nobody wants to travel either way with that in place.
UncleFB wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:05 amI like how you pretended to comment on the actual thread discussion just so you could come and have your Covid response whine in the last few sentences.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pm The Trans Tasman camp should ultimately be a winner but you’ve collectively dropped the ball on the tv rights. I know the games can be streamed but moving off Sky Sports in the UK&I is a mistake. The NRL was on an obscure third rate channel a few years ago but now is getting the live slots that Super Rugby once had (and generated decent ratings for Sky). It seems as though the News Corp relationships gradually going away has impacted how SANZAR sell their product.
I’m not sure what you really want on the international rugby front. Your highly restrictive border rules mean it’s inevitable. Nobody wants to travel either way with that in place.
my thoughst exactly''No one cares too much about the &I part.
For the better. Good riddance.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pmIt seems as though the News Corp relationships gradually going away has impacted how SANZAR sell their product.
Caint always get watchuwant.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pmI’m not sure what you really want on the international rugby front. Your highly restrictive border rules mean it’s inevitable. Nobody wants to travel either way with that in place.
AbsolutemontAli's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker
Not really. I just don’t see how you can complain given the reality right now, it’s tricky. I’m actually surprised the Lions has gone ahead because our borders (both U.K. & I) got strict on SA and it’s a pain in the arse. International sport has kept going in a European context but they are strict on its operation. Is what it is at the moment.UncleFB wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:05 amI like how you pretended to comment on the actual thread discussion just so you could come and have your Covid response whine in the last few sentences.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pm The Trans Tasman camp should ultimately be a winner but you’ve collectively dropped the ball on the tv rights. I know the games can be streamed but moving off Sky Sports in the UK&I is a mistake. The NRL was on an obscure third rate channel a few years ago but now is getting the live slots that Super Rugby once had (and generated decent ratings for Sky). It seems as though the News Corp relationships gradually going away has impacted how SANZAR sell their product.
I’m not sure what you really want on the international rugby front. Your highly restrictive border rules mean it’s inevitable. Nobody wants to travel either way with that in place.
Almost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
+1kiap wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:07 amNo one cares too much about the &I part.For the better. Good riddance.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pmIt seems as though the News Corp relationships gradually going away has impacted how SANZAR sell their product.
Mind you, Sanzaar is also gradually going away. That truck is being unloaded.
Similarly, what's left in the UK is no longer News Corp. That truck has already been unloaded.
Caint always get watchuwant.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:22 pmI’m not sure what you really want on the international rugby front. Your highly restrictive border rules mean it’s inevitable. Nobody wants to travel either way with that in place.
Europe is where the money is...towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
For now, but cable tv will die everywhere and Europe is no exception. Europe is a big market so will always have money, but soon they may have to make do with less than they're used to.Clogs wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:49 amEurope is where the money is...towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
But the streaming business model doesn't allow for the huge money in the way cable does. Streaming has commodised time - there is no 'prime time'. You watch a show when you like - not when they chose to show it. Each day that Netflix adds content to its bundle it grows in value - that means it gets more attractive to people who haven't signed up, so it has decreasing customer acquisition costs.guy smiley wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:54 amAnd the fans are still hungry. Even hungrier now they've had a small dose of winter... that showed them how handy the web has become for home delivery.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
Cable might be dead but streaming is about to take off. Good luck to Blackrock Shacklock and his SkyPipe... down here behind the closed borders sports coverage has just entered the space age and he's still sharpening a rock with another rock.
There is plenty of streaming up here.guy smiley wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:54 amAnd the fans are still hungry. Even hungrier now they've had a small dose of winter... that showed them how handy the web has become for home delivery.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
Cable might be dead but streaming is about to take off. Good luck to Blackrock Shacklock and his SkyPipe... down here behind the closed borders sports coverage has just entered the space age and he's still sharpening a rock with another rock.
Depends on the context for European Rugby. Six Nations rights are set to grow. Amazon Prime are big into sport and have bought into European Rugby already.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 1:13 pmBut the streaming business model doesn't allow for the huge money in the way cable does. Streaming has commodised time - there is no 'prime time'. You watch a show when you like - not when they chose to show it. Each day that Netflix adds content to its bundle it grows in value - that means it gets more attractive to people who haven't signed up, so it has decreasing customer acquisition costs.guy smiley wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:54 amAnd the fans are still hungry. Even hungrier now they've had a small dose of winter... that showed them how handy the web has become for home delivery.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
Cable might be dead but streaming is about to take off. Good luck to Blackrock Shacklock and his SkyPipe... down here behind the closed borders sports coverage has just entered the space age and he's still sharpening a rock with another rock.
But live sport and news doesn't work in this business model because you cannot commoditise its 'time' - It is either live or it is not. Sport is worth heaps when it's live but bugger all the next day. This is why Netflix doesn't show sport or news. Instead they spend their money on the other stuff and can outspend anyone, because they can leverage the costs out to their 300 million subscribers.
This has undercut the Cable TV business and people are cutting the cord. Why pay $100 a month for something that's worst than Netflix at $15 a month? Is the sport worth $85 a month? To many it doesn't. Fox and co have introduced streaming to slow the bleeding, but instead of a customer spending $100 that includes live sport, they are just buying the live sport for $25, so Fox loses 75% of its revenue per customer and keeps all the costs it has always had. But the sport costs more than the 25% can provide so they lose money hand over fist. This is why we haven't seen a boom in sport streamers other than small markets (i.e. Rugbypass). Big money for sport has only worked when it was bundled with other stuff - advertising or cable tv content. If there is nothing to bundle it with you can only make money from the subscriptions themselves and good luck with that.
Stan and Nine have a cool model - they bundle sport with another subscription bundle, so rugby fans have to buy both. But it's good value so plenty are. Plus, they get to put one game on FTA, which means the most valuable game each week is able to generate the most value in prime time (with advertising). This is a very different business model than Fox and Netflix. It's really smart. But few can do this because what other FTA station also has a streaming platform? Having said that, I doubt even Nine/Stan could make it work if the sport costs huge money, but it will be interesting to see if they try.
Long story short, NRL and European rugby is going to take a haircut.
It's really not.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:25 pm The Newscorp relationship had its drawbacks, but it did give you good global coverage. That relationship breaking down globally (along with Newscorp selling out of certain markets) is unfortunate in a way.
I've explained why I think it's a bit of a drawback. Super Rugby is now streaming for free in the NH, once upon a time it commanded a decent price.kiap wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:36 pmIt's really not.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:25 pm The Newscorp relationship had its drawbacks, but it did give you good global coverage. That relationship breaking down globally (along with Newscorp selling out of certain markets) is unfortunate in a way.
Anyone involved with rugby here couldn't be more pleased that Newscorpse is out of the picture.
Only thing better will be when ol' Rupe dies.
The UK, like France for 80% of the history, was also a fairly modest market for Soup rugby. Welcome, but not large ... except for the one outlier deal which was News-owned Sky's last hurrah. The reasons for it then were at least twofold but it was primarily driven by the English sports rights war with BT. There was also cost shifting within Rupert's empire to corner the market for rugby channel rights.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:43 pm I've explained why I think it's a bit of a drawback. Super Rugby is now streaming for free in the NH, You're misinformed. That wasn't Super Rugby, it was the Oz domestic comp. once upon a time it commanded a decent price.
Ultimately, SR Aus and NZ will need to find a NH partner as it did deliver decent value until a couple of years ago. Again with no actual insight. Firstly, you are miscasting the NH here due to cognitive dissonance about attributing anything to the UK (of which I'll add more below). France, Italy and the rest have always only added up to small beer.
Correct. The Tests are always where the actual money is.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 5:45 pm Getting the Tours was big too. They always paid well.
What was on early last year (pre-covid shutdowns) was Super Rugby, broadcast as part of a multi-year deal ... with years still to run on that deal. So why didn't it roll out again this year?Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 5:45 pm Tbh, I thought it was still branded as Super Rugby.
All I know is that last year it was broadcast and now it isn’t, and most seem to have missed it happening.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/its-a-grea ... ugby-2021/Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 6:45 pm the long and the short of it is that the comps aren’t on broadcast TV and have become very niche.
Not at all. This season's audience is up 162% year on year. 1.3 million viewers for last weekend's AU game
Where is ESPN streaming? Amazon is an interesting one because they can bundle sport with 600 things - That’s a potential source of big money.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:28 pmDepends on the context for European Rugby. Six Nations rights are set to grow. Amazon Prime are big into sport and have bought into European Rugby already.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 1:13 pmBut the streaming business model doesn't allow for the huge money in the way cable does. Streaming has commodised time - there is no 'prime time'. You watch a show when you like - not when they chose to show it. Each day that Netflix adds content to its bundle it grows in value - that means it gets more attractive to people who haven't signed up, so it has decreasing customer acquisition costs.guy smiley wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:54 amAnd the fans are still hungry. Even hungrier now they've had a small dose of winter... that showed them how handy the web has become for home delivery.towny wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 10:13 amAlmost all cable tv is a loss maker. It's a dying medium. Sports that have been living large on PayTV money have a massive reckoning coming, and unlike Rugby, may not have an 'out' with streaming. Stan's strategy appears to be to bundle niche sports as an addition to its existing bundle AND its FTA channels. Niche sports are cheap, but loyal supporters will sign up and so it might pay off. Whether this strategy can work with big, expensive sports is doubtful. When Foxtel goes, so will a ferocious competitor for sports content. Ten is broke, so Nine and 7 will fight it out. But will they fight hard, or will one choose one sport and let their competitor have the other? Without the fight, there will be a big reduction in the money they need to pay.Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:12 am My understanding is that Foxtel is a massive loss-maker and it may not be operating in Australia in 12-24 months. Even with the free money being pumped into News Ltd by Facebook and Google Foxtel apparently isn't sustainable.
Winter is coming.
Cable might be dead but streaming is about to take off. Good luck to Blackrock Shacklock and his SkyPipe... down here behind the closed borders sports coverage has just entered the space age and he's still sharpening a rock with another rock.
But live sport and news doesn't work in this business model because you cannot commoditise its 'time' - It is either live or it is not. Sport is worth heaps when it's live but bugger all the next day. This is why Netflix doesn't show sport or news. Instead they spend their money on the other stuff and can outspend anyone, because they can leverage the costs out to their 300 million subscribers.
This has undercut the Cable TV business and people are cutting the cord. Why pay $100 a month for something that's worst than Netflix at $15 a month? Is the sport worth $85 a month? To many it doesn't. Fox and co have introduced streaming to slow the bleeding, but instead of a customer spending $100 that includes live sport, they are just buying the live sport for $25, so Fox loses 75% of its revenue per customer and keeps all the costs it has always had. But the sport costs more than the 25% can provide so they lose money hand over fist. This is why we haven't seen a boom in sport streamers other than small markets (i.e. Rugbypass). Big money for sport has only worked when it was bundled with other stuff - advertising or cable tv content. If there is nothing to bundle it with you can only make money from the subscriptions themselves and good luck with that.
Stan and Nine have a cool model - they bundle sport with another subscription bundle, so rugby fans have to buy both. But it's good value so plenty are. Plus, they get to put one game on FTA, which means the most valuable game each week is able to generate the most value in prime time (with advertising). This is a very different business model than Fox and Netflix. It's really smart. But few can do this because what other FTA station also has a streaming platform? Having said that, I doubt even Nine/Stan could make it work if the sport costs huge money, but it will be interesting to see if they try.
Long story short, NRL and European rugby is going to take a haircut.
Imminent threat is BT Sport for the UK Premiership rights.
ESPN and DAZN are making a good fist at streaming so we shall see how they go ultimately.
He’s right though. Those big numbers for Oz rugby are due to it being on FTA (and cheap streaming).kiap wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 7:04 pmhttps://www.mediaweek.com.au/its-a-grea ... ugby-2021/Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 6:45 pm the long and the short of it is that the comps aren’t on broadcast TV and have become very niche.
Not at all. This season's audience is up 162% year on year. 1.3 million viewers for last weekend's AU game
The saffers are gorn from soup. Middle of the year, they're your problem now.
Just seen this..Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 10:36 pm It is now nearly mid May and the Rugby Championship schedule has not been released. At this stage there is no Rugby Championship and there are no confirmed tests for the All Blacks in 2021. What the f**k could be taking so long?
NZ and Australia are both operating in safe, low-COVID-19 environments, with full stadiums enjoying other sports. And yet international Rugby, which is the pinnacle of our game, has deserted the sporting environment. Mid Year tests against France, Italy and Fiji were announced for the All Blacks and Wallabies, but there has been no confirmation of dates.
What the f**k is SANZAAR actually doing right now? It's still an organisation and people are still being paid to do nothing. NZR and RA also need to sort their shit out. If the South Africans aren't able to play again because the NH clubs won't release them for quarantine, then we need a Plan B. It's simply not good enough that no scheduling has been announced at this late stage.
After just five home Tests across nearly three years, the All Blacks will play nine matches on home soil between the start of July and the end of October this year.
The blockbuster international season will begin with a historic Test against Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium on July 3, the first ever Test at the venue, before two matches against Fiji later in the month.
Two Bledisloe Cup Tests against the Wallabies follow in August, before two Tests apiece against South Africa and Argentina in September and October as part of the Rugby Championship set to be staged here and in Australia.
A home Test for the Springboks and Pumas will be played on New Zealand soil due to the tournament being localised because of Covid-19.
As for venues, Eden Park, Wellington and Dunedin are all expected to host multiple games, assuming bubbles remain open and isolation logistics work.
The All Blacks will host the Wallabies twice, with the third Bledisloe Cup Test set down for Perth.
The Australians announced a new jersey sponsor today, in the form of Cadbury. It is the first time in 25 years the Wallabies have had a new principal partner. The pair have entered a partnership for the next five years.
Kindly point out where I used the word 'streaming', or show me where I said there was no FTA in Oz.
There was an Irish bloke on here who always had these great business maxims. Carried extra weight coz he said he had an MBA.
Your delusional and obvious dont realise the difference between the two, this is not Transvaal and Norther Transvaal you know.Clogs wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:05 amHey you don't have to be opposites to play against one another. Take for example the Auckland Blues vs the Waikato Chiefs. Basically the same. Just a bit down the road. Or up the road.
les@mooloolaba wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 3:17 amYour delusional and obvious dont realise the difference between the two, this is not Transvaal and Norther Transvaal you know.Clogs wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 11:05 amHey you don't have to be opposites to play against one another. Take for example the Auckland Blues vs the Waikato Chiefs. Basically the same. Just a bit down the road. Or up the road.
The Chiefs players at least have a heart and know how to put in each week.
ESPN+
I specifically referred to globally. I agree that that the move in NZ and Aus is a good one all round. My point on SANZAR was that seems to me to be the biggest loss right now, there is no coordination of rights.kiap wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 7:04 pmhttps://www.mediaweek.com.au/its-a-grea ... ugby-2021/Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 6:45 pm the long and the short of it is that the comps aren’t on broadcast TV and have become very niche.
Not at all. This season's audience is up 162% year on year. 1.3 million viewers for last weekend's AU game
The saffers are gorn from soup. Middle of the year, they're your problem now.
Disney and Amazon might be the only two companies that can bundle stuff at that level. But it’s one thing to use sport to acquire customers, but can they do it with Disney+ that is such a cheap price? It’d be interesting to see what they come up with but if anyone can work it’s out it’s Disney.Blackrock Bullet wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 11:36 amESPN+
An increasing part of their business
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/dis ... bob-chapek
Rumour is that they are looking to acquire BT Sport to bundle it with Disney + in the UK
The All Blacks upcoming July schedule has been confirmed.
Ian Foster's side will begin the 2021 season on Saturday July 3 at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, for the first time in what will be an historic Test against Tonga. The match is also a double-header with the Māori All Blacks playing Manu Samoa beforehand.
The All Blacks will then play back-to-back tests against Fiji - their first ever series against the Pacific Island nation.
The All Blacks have played Fiji nine times before, but not since 2011 in what was the final test match at Carisbrook in Dunedin. The first match against Fiji was in Suva in 1974, with the All Blacks pipping the home side that day 14-13.
The first test against Fiji is at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, on Saturday 10 July followed by the second test at Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on July 17. It will also be a double-header with Tonga playing Samoa in a Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualifying match prior.
"We're absolutely delighted to be able to confirm what will be a fantastic series of matches featuring the All Blacks, Māori All Blacks and our Pacific neighbours, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa," New Zealand Rugby NZR CEO Mark Robinson said.
"We look forward to welcoming the Flying Fijians to New Zealand for what will be an historic, first-ever, back-to-back All Blacks Test Series against them.
"We know the passionate All Blacks and Māori All Blacks fans, together with the fanatical Pasifika fans, will make these game days very special occasions."
The All Blacks last played Tonga in Hamilton in 2019 ahead of the Rugby World Cup and have played 'Ikale Tahi six times.
Meanwhile, Manu Samoa will also play a second RWC 2023 Qualifying match against Tonga, with further details on that match to be confirmed at a later date.
The All Blacks schedule for The Rugby Championship, as well as an additional Bledisloe Cup Test, will be announced in due course, with Eden Park and Wellington's Sky Stadium expected to host a number of games.
July tests
All Blacks vs Tonga, Saturday 3 July, 7.05PM, plus Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa (kick-off TBC), Mt Smart Stadium
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 10 July, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 17 July, 7.05PM, plus Tonga vs Samoa (kick-off TBC), FMG Stadium Waikato
Good to see.JPNZ wrote: ↑Sun May 16, 2021 11:24 pm AB's 2021 mid year tests confirmed
...
July tests
All Blacks vs Tonga, Saturday 3 July, 7.05PM, plus
Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa (kick-off TBC), Mt Smart Stadium
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 10 July, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 17 July, 7.05PM, plus
Tonga vs Samoa kkick-off TBC), FMG Stadium Waikato
