4 days ago
Farah Palmer Cup struggles with broadcast quality amid Rugby World Cup buzz
The result meant we often saw our most lopsided games being broadcast, giving a poor view of the state of our competition. The rest you had to follow on an auntie's Facebook page. The live function had just emerged on social media, enabling passionate, albeit blurry, coverage from the sideline. This was the fan experience of the Farah Palmer Cup pre-2021. After this, Sky proudly announced its commitment to air and streaming all Farah Palmer Cup matches. And they have – until this season.
Now the dreaded asterisk has re-emerged. Once again, the men's schedule dictates which women's match will be shown on Sky and which will now be streamed by NZ Rugby itself. This is how we ended up having the winner of last year's premiership, Waikato, facing the most successful province in women's rugby history, Auckland, on an internet livestream on the opening weekend.
I reserved my judgment on the NZR livestream before seeing it myself, knowing that removing a paywall from our sport during the cost-of-living crisis could be an opportunity for growth. I ended up wishing instead for the return of auntie's Facebook. At least she would have taken the time to pronounce the players' names right.
Rebecca Burch on the charge for Counties Manukau Heat. Photo / Photosport
Naming rights
How dreadfully boring to be asking once again for the names of players to be respected. As political debate this week raged about the inclusion of te reo Māori in children's reading resources, I couldn't help but wish more of our commentators had had access to these phonetics. With the streamed coverage reduced to one mounted camera, the audio accompaniment becomes all the more important to fill in the picture for viewers.
This is NZR's official channel. If it is putting its name to the channel, at a minimum it should be ensuring its players are having theirs said correctly.
This livestream, rather than a downgrade, should be a chance to do things differently. What it lacks in resources, it can make up in creativity. Follow the lead of the National Women's Rugby League, which puts current players on the call, adding to the energy. Better yet, run the opportunity to call games as a fan competition, creating a buzz in the lead-in by getting enthusiasts to submit their audition tapes. Then have a fan vote on those who make it through to help cover the final.
The location of a broadcast matters less these days. It's the difference for the fan being a case of clicking on one app or the other. Even better if one of them is free. What matters is the care taken in the coverage. Putting our best matches in front of our biggest audience. Saying the names correctly and bringing real energy to the event. Making an average stream appointment viewing by showing that you love the game as much as those tuning in.
Alice Soper is a sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday. A former provincial rugby player and current club coach, she has a particular interest in telling stories of the emerging world of women's sports.
