★★★★★ 0/5

Perth gets primetime State of Origin

Nine Perth brings State of Origin forward to 9:30pm, but warns if the numbers don't perform then neither will further rugby league.

40
Leave a comment

Channel Nine Perth will broadcast the State of Origin II clash between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at 9:30pm on Wednesday, June 15th.

While it isn’t live, it improves on the first State of Origin last month airing in Perth at 10:30pm, described by a WIN spokesperson at the time as “a responsible business decision” based on previous low ratings.

But this week Program Director, Danny Mitrovic encouraged viewers to get behind the renewed push.

“We have investigated playing State of Origin in an earlier timeslot on one of our multi-channels, however current anti-siphoning laws dictate this event must be simulcast on analogue / digital until analogue is switched off in Perth in December 2013,” he said.

“We are willing to review our current scheduling of weekly NRL, but the people of Perth need to demonstrate they want NRL in an earlier timeslot by tuning in and watching it. We will be monitoring audience levels on June 15, however significant viewer support of NRL is required to secure an earlier timeslot on an on-going basis.”

40 Responses

  1. Ok sure thing 9 I will sit up until midnight watching a replay four hours late!!! You fat cats just don’t get it and the sooner you loose the right to shelve sporting events like this and Wimbledon and the US Masters the better. Please don’t tell me you still have the US Open!! Let it go and put on Burkes Backyard or something and leave the sport to Fox Sports Live !!!

  3. of course we have to head to the pubs to watch it,, because you twollies at ch 9 wont play it live so we can sit at home in the comfort of our warmth to watch it…. get organised and bring it forward to at least 7:30pm

  4. Danny Mitrovic encourages viewers to get behind the renewed push? What, moving it one hour earlier to the still-delayed time of 9.30pm?

    Sorry Danny, the ratings will stay low while the fans head to the pubs to watch it live.

  5. It’s redIculous how east coasters want to control our viewing. It is WIN here n not 9. 7 should show the AFL live on 7mate. The delays are crazy! also the AFL should have a 3rd team here n have a live Friday night game evey week. We create the wealth in this country n there will eventually be a power shift with the media ie Gina rinehart, Stoke etc

  6. Absolutely correct Geoff. If the NRL had real leadership, they would be working with the broadcasters to get solutions so the games could be shown live in SA and WA on the multi channels. The sooner the commission comes in and cleans up the mess at the top of the NRL the better.

  7. Both stations 9 & 7 have let down WA by not giving Rugby League its fair share of media coverage for far too long. The viewers are not going to start tuning in all of a sudden when there is no build up to State Of Origin in their 6pm news sports reports for starters. The AFL seem to have a mortgage on a certain level of coverage in every news buletin & it comes at the expense of all the other sporting codes who have to jostle for their part of the other 1-2 minutes left in the schedule. With Perth having a Soccer & Rugby Union team in the national leagues it means that League nearly always misses out on getting the coverage it deserves over here. The NRL need to do more about getting extra time on free-to-air in WA and if they are serious about having a Perth based team in the future that push needs to start now. With a lot af ex-eastern states people now here, there is potential for League to rate well & be in the frame if it was marketed better & given its rightful amount of coverage on free-to-air. If you are a sports fan of any kind we should all make sure we tune in to State Of Origin to send these guys a message.

  8. The question I will put to you though, is it the networks or the sporting codes pushing for their brands to be aired on the digitial channels?

    Considering that the AFL is now being aired on 7mate at 8:30pm in NSW/QLD (two areas the AFL want to break into)

    I think it’s a combination of the networks not bothering to show NRL because it doesn’t rate and the NRL not pushing the networks to air it in a better timeslot on a digitial channel.

    Most weeks outside of Victoria you can see the home state side on FTA Television at a good time, in Victoria we’ve only seen 2 Melbourne Storm games on FTA at a decent time.

    I think it’s nearly as much of an issue of the NRL as it is Nine/Win.

  9. I think you’re not totally understanding some people David. If 9 wanted to show it on GEM or Go all they have to do is ask permission. 7 and 10 have done that this year with AFL and Tennis. Prime do it every week as they show Friday night AFL live solely on 7 Mate despite it being on the anti siphoning list.
    9 Perth want it to bomb in the ratings so they can use that as an excuse to not show it at a reasonable time again ever.

  11. Just to be clear, any spleen-venting in this case should be in the direction of WIN not Network Nine.

    I love how Mitrovic displays no commitment whatsoever to even trying to build some brand loyalty. It’s “watch this slightly less-delayed broadcast Perth or no more presents for you ever again”.

    As others have said, his invoking of anti-siphoning restrictions is a furphy. If WIN cared enough they could ask for an exemption, as Seven have already successfully done.

Leave a Reply