Money talks but it’s not a good sound for Welsh fans
Just when the Premiership season was getting into full swing, we get the distraction of the Autumn Internationals! That cynicism is a bit unfair, but only a tad so.
Last weekend we had the annihilation of the USA by the All Blacks which served little purpose, and this weekend the Scots and the Welsh have decided that fielding weakened teams outside of the international release window is a good move.
The Welsh welcomed the All Blacks to the Principality Stadium, and proudly declared it a sellout – technically that’s accurate, but as late as Friday some Welsh clubs, having got tickets from the WRU, were still offering them to supporters.
This game is a postCovid money-making venture pure and simple: if you’re going to play New Zealand then you surely want your best team out there, so picking a weekend when the likes of Louis Rees-Zammit, Dan Biggar and Callum Sheedy all have to turn out in the Premiership makes the reasons for playing the match crystal clear. That said, you can
hardly blame the WRU and the NZRU for putting it on: both unions desperately need the dosh, so good luck to them, but I wouldn’t fork out to see it, as I prefer rugby where the result actually counts for something.
Predictably there was a furore about the Welsh games during the autumn only being shown live on Amazon Prime, with some believing that they should have been on terrestrial TV. Supporters need to get real about this: if you decide to go to a match then you have to pay, so why would you think you can stay at home and watch it for free?
That only can happen if it’s a terrestrial broadcaster which buys the rights to the game, and in this case, just as they did last year, Amazon Prime offered more. Last time around they allowed S4C to show the games live with a Welsh commentary, this year they’ve decided not to do that – they own the rights, their choice. If you want to watch the game it’s time to open your wallet.
The dilemma faced by the game’s administrators in trying to grow crowds while maximising revenues is epitomised by the broadcasting deal for the United Rugby Championship.
If you support a Welsh region, 75 per cent of the games will be broadcast live, 18 on BBC Wales on Friday evenings, and 27 by S4C on Saturdays and Sundays, both channels being free-to-air. Regional rugby has always been somewhat unloved in Wales, and making most of the games available at no cost seems to me to be a high-risk strategy. Yes, it gives the game exposure and it’s popular, with some of the Welsh regions’ games attracting more than 250,000 viewers across the five URC nations, but will it lead to an even further decline in crowds? I suspect it will.
Meanwhile, although England haven’t got a game this weekend, their players are not available for their clubs, just as they won’t be for three weekends in November – however, the clubs are are being compensated royally for letting England have them. Only two rounds of the Premiership are affected as after next weekend the Premiership Rugby Cup starts, with most first-choice players being given some time off.
Traditionally, those Premiership weekends that clash with the international players being away are the chance for the under-performers to make ground on the leading clubs as they are likely to be less affected by missing stars.
Today, however, sees two highflyers in action as Quins ‘welcome’ Saracens to The Stoop, and ironically the return fixture between the clubs is in February when the Six Nations will be in full swing: bad planning or an opportunity to see the clubs’ strength in depth tested?