"Build it and they will come." If only it was that simple.
Build it, make it world's best using state of the art technology while employing some of the game's sharpest minds and characters, and only then are you beginning to create a broadcast to capture the imagination of rugby fans young and old.
That's been the challenge faced by Nine's Wide World of Sports and Stan Sport in the months since a new broadcast deal was announced in early November. For the first time since the dawn of the professional era comes a chance to re-set and re-invent the way the story of Australian rugby is told – on and off the field. How do we help create new heroes? How do we tell their stories better than ever before?
Step 1:
List management. Who's on the team? A fresh start. Just as coaches around the country constantly strive to usher in the next generation of stars, so too is Nine and Stan Sport.
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Sean Maloney and Andrew Swain in play by play commentary, greats of the game like Tim Horan, David Campese and Andrew Mehrtens, expert analysis from Justin Harrison, dual international Allana Ferguson and Morgan Turinui, along with ultra-contemporary insight from recently retired Wallaby Drew Mitchell and his coach Michael Cheika – the line-up is fresh, knowledgable, passionate and full of character.
Add to that one of the most respected women in sports broadcasting, Roz Kelly, and you have a team ready to reflect its love and passion for the game and to reinvigorate the way rugby is delivered into homes and pubs and clubs around Australia.
Step 2:
Re-engage with the game, from grass roots to the Wallabies and everything in between.
Stan Sport will broadcast every game of Sydney's Shute Shield and Brisbane's Hospital Cup with commentary and a commitment to raise the profile of teams and their players. Grass roots rugby is thriving but there's always room to grow and that is our commitment.
And from Super Rugby and Super W to the Wallabies and Wallaroos, our players ply their trade across Australia and around the world. They should be superstars. Fans should stop them in the street. They should be household names. We want to help you get to know them better on and off the field, their passions and what makes them tick.
That takes commitment from the broadcaster and commitment from the players. The signs are good – it's early days but co-operation from and access to the Super Rugby teams during pre-season has been unprecedented. They know how important this new broadcast partnership is for them and for the game.
And our experts will be our story tellers. They'll be travelling the length and breadth of the country they represented to discover great rugby stories and the characters who star in them – they are the lifeblood of the game.
Step 3:
An unwavering commitment from Nine and Stan Sport to take viewers closer to the game than ever before.
The number of cameras on Super Rugby in 2021 is unprecedented. Spidercam will be deployed for the first time in Super Rugby in Australia to take you over and into the action. With the help of our experts we'll attempt to demystify the scrum (what really does go in there!), and with Australia's newest camera technology "Cinecam" you'll be a part of try celebrations. We'll have players mic'd up and we'll take you inside warm-ups, changerooms and coaches boxes. Access like never before.
And when the action takes a break on the field we'll be in our new purpose built studio – the biggest sports studio in Australia. Technology like a specially designed touch screen "analyser" and state of the art "augmented reality" capabilities will help deconstruct and simplify the game.
It's been a step by step process that's got us this far and the work continues.
There's a responsibility that comes with it. In 2021, rugby on Australian television can now reach more Australians than ever before.
Everyone who loves the game understands the opportunity.
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from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/rugby/stan-sport-nine-super-rugby-au-2021-nick-mcardle-column/92065189-e286-457a-b168-c422092481ec
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