The Wallabies lost 75% of their audience "on free-to-air television inside a month," but Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver "is confident the nosedive" will not have "any negative impact" on rugby’s next broadcast deal, according to Iain Payten of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. The ARU admitted that its long-term financial security "relied on substantial growth in revenue" for its next TV deal. Negotiations "are underway but the hopes of expanding FTA coverage -- with potential Super Rugby exposure -- may have taken a hit in recent weeks, however, when initially strong ratings for the Wallabies on Channel Ten fell off a broadcasting cliff."
After almost 1 million FTA viewers "saw the Wallabies draw with the All Blacks in Sydney" on Aug. 16, only an estimated 250,000 tuned in nationally to see Australia sneak home against Argentina on the Gold Coast on Sept. 13. Pulver: "Any drop-off concerns me, but obviously there are different circumstances behind every game. It’s Test matches against New Zealand compared to Test matches against Argentina." Along with Channel Seven, Ten "is considered the network most likely to purchase rugby rights when the next deal kicks in 2016." Ten "declined to comment on the Wallabies recent figures" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 9/22).
