Vegas Match

[Mike]

If Wigan can say that Sky sports had X number of viewers (more than normal), and on our social media platforms there have been increased engagements, and if really positive generated some new sponsors, then we can say its been a success. If we dont see any of them, then can it really be considered successful?

On another thread, records sky viewing figures, doubled the record on social media engagements.

[WarriorWinger]

that's what we need to see from a Wigan perspective, some stats on the benefits of going to Vegas, so its not been more than just a jolly. I'm in the positive camp about trying something different, but at the same time with my work head on, there needs to be something positive come from it for Wigan and the wider game in this country

we've bumped the crowd numbers significantly including the atmosphere for the whole week when you read reports from various sources, but we dont want to be making up the numbers and the Ozzies taking all the benefits

If Wigan can say that Sky sports had X number of viewers (more than normal), and on our social media platforms there have been increased engagements, and if really positive generated some new sponsors, then we can say its been a success. If we dont see any of them, then can it really be considered successful?

I'm with you pieman, we need to see some measured results for the UK game.

Reading one of the reports, it has resulted in an increase of viewers in the US for this year and two new sponsors for the NRL, so what has it done for the UK, it is early yet to say what it has/will do but we do need to see a benefit to the UK game.

If it increases our profile in the US and Aus market then that is great, if it then results in an increase in TV money as there are more viewers, but I was watching one of the podcasts from Vegas and they spoke to an American and an Aussie, showing them each clubs badge and not one of them could name any of the teams from the UK

I'm not sure you can read anything into that mate. The Aussies and Americans don't watch SL for the most part so can't be expected to know much about the teams. To illustrate what I mean, my girlfriend is a huge Wigan fan but has no interest whatsoever in NRL. She thought they'd got the scores wrong in the stadium for the Canberra/NZ Warriors match as Canberra's badge is a Warrior figure and she had no idea what New Zealand's was supposed to be.

I can tell you that everyone I spoke to was fully aware of who Wigan are (although perhaps not so much for Warrington). I was sat alongside 4 Las Vegas Raiders fans and they were massively impressed with the rugby and left as new Wigan fans. They were even up singing with us by the end of the game! Walking through one Casino in Wigan colours on the Wednesday I heard an American accent saying "oh look, there's a rugby shirt!" to which her partner turned around to look and in an equally strong American accent replied "ah yeah! That's Wigan". I kid you not! It was a surreal experience.

That's fantastic Flash and only wish I was there to experience the same and glad that we at least were know by some, I was more put back by the fact that the Aussie guy interviewed didn't know any of the UK based teams as he was an older guy, who I suspect grew up watching the Challenge Cup and so on.

My original point still stands though ,we do need to see something measurable that has had a positive impact on the UK game.

[the pieman]

If Wigan can say that Sky sports had X number of viewers (more than normal), and on our social media platforms there have been increased engagements, and if really positive generated some new sponsors, then we can say its been a success. If we dont see any of them, then can it really be considered successful?

On another thread, records sky viewing figures, doubled the record on social media engagements.

Cheers Mike

i've also seen this on Linked in from RL Commercial, so whilst not all about the Vegas Game, showing some positive signs around the game

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rl-comme ... OmgtV1kbnY


like i said i was positive about the club wanting to something different, but at the same time the club must have some metrics to measure success by and it seems like the positivity has transcended with good viewing figures and social media engagements

[Flash]

That's fantastic Flash and only wish I was there to experience the same and glad that we at least were know by some, I was more put back by the fact that the Aussie guy interviewed didn't know any of the UK based teams as he was an older guy, who I suspect grew up watching the Challenge Cup and so on.

My original point still stands though ,we do need to see something measurable that has had a positive impact on the UK game.

I think that was more a case of that particular individual not knowing. I spoke to NZ, Canberra and Penrith fans among others who were all familiar with who Wigan were. I couldn't say with absolute authority that they would recognize the badge but I'm not sure that's necessarily the best indicator anyway as I explained above.

As regards tangibles, whilst I get where you're coming from, I think it's a little more nuanced than that. This is year 1 for Superleague and should be considered more of a building block than a finished article with fully measurable results. If you undertake a 4 or 5 year plan, whilst interim results can be informative, the true measure can only be judged at the end of the period. For example it could really start showing benefits in years 3, 4 or 5 but that wouldn't have happened without years 1 and 2 (if you get my drift). In addition there are so many positive intangibles, such as brand awareness, contacts and relationships made, even just the 'feeling' surrounding ventures like this that don't necessarily show up immediately but somewhere down the track.

We, both as a club and as a game, need to build on this for sure but this was a positive step forward. I probably can't fully get across how it felt to be there. It was rugby on a different level to anything I've witnessed before. We sometimes think about our sport as this little northern based minority sport but to see it in that setting, in that arena, with the full US and NRL razzmatazz was a real eye opener. It wasn't out of place. Far from it. It suddenly looked like the major sport it should be and that's something you don't get at a wet weekend in Castleford! (Sorry Cas fans...no offense intended! ) It wasn't just the game itself either. It was the whole event. Fremont Street on the Thursday was simply unreal.

[Mike]

I left after the Wigan game, but I brought two first timer americans and another who'd been to one match in the UK before. They all had a good time, but I don't think they are converts - it takes a lot to do that in one game. They're now more aware that we exist though. I met another American who hadn't been, but knew the game was on and asked me how we did, so there's another piece of awareness gained.

Overall I was most pleased that our fans in particular sang their hearts out and created a great atmosphere. I had been talking that up to my friends and we didn't disapoint. I'm sure if they had come to last years games, which I have to say were a lot more subdued as the aussies don't really support in the same way, they would not have been as impressed by the experience. We just need to recreate that atmosphere at home games now! Definitely a once in a life-time experience and I'm glad I went and that the club did it. I'd say we should wait a number of years before Wigan go back though.

[endoman]

Had a Wigan T Shirt on while in the lounge at Heathrow yesterday, 2 random folks with southern accents approached me to say well done and that they enjoyed the game. All in all a very positive trip and Wigan came out of it very well IMHO. The fans were superb, the team superb, the walk from Excalibur to the ground will live with me forever,

[widdenoldboy]

That's fantastic Flash and only wish I was there to experience the same and glad that we at least were know by some, I was more put back by the fact that the Aussie guy interviewed didn't know any of the UK based teams as he was an older guy, who I suspect grew up watching the Challenge Cup and so on.

My original point still stands though ,we do need to see something measurable that has had a positive impact on the UK game.

I think that was more a case of that particular individual not knowing. I spoke to NZ, Canberra and Penrith fans among others who were all familiar with who Wigan were. I couldn't say with absolute authority that they would recognize the badge but I'm not sure that's necessarily the best indicator anyway as I explained above.

As regards tangibles, whilst I get where you're coming from, I think it's a little more nuanced than that. This is year 1 for Superleague and should be considered more of a building block than a finished article with fully measurable results. If you undertake a 4 or 5 year plan, whilst interim results can be informative, the true measure can only be judged at the end of the period. For example it could really start showing benefits in years 3, 4 or 5 but that wouldn't have happened without years 1 and 2 (if you get my drift). In addition there are so many positive intangibles, such as brand awareness, contacts and relationships made, even just the 'feeling' surrounding ventures like this that don't necessarily show up immediately but somewhere down the track.

We, both as a club and as a game, need to build on this for sure but this was a positive step forward. I probably can't fully get across how it felt to be there. It was rugby on a different level to anything I've witnessed before. We sometimes think about our sport as this little northern based minority sport but to see it in that setting, in that arena, with the full US and NRL razzmatazz was a real eye opener. It wasn't out of place. Far from it. It suddenly looked like the major sport it should be and that's something you don't get at a wet weekend in Castleford! (Sorry Cas fans...no offense intended! ) It wasn't just the game itself either. It was the whole event. Fremont Street on the Thursday was simply unreal.

Good post.
A little bit of a tangent but I was in Orlando in November and my Son talked me into seeing an Orlando Magic Basketball game. I was a bit sceptical but I was caught up in the razzamatazz and enjoyed the game and experience (it was like sitting in a disco/concert where a bit of basketball breaks out every so often ).

BB was a minority niche sport years ago so it has some parrallels.

[WarriorWinger]

Fully agree Flash on what you and others have said, it appears as if there has been some positive affect from the game, as people are recognising the Wigan 'brand', who knows if they already knew about us in the first place, but any recognition is good recognition and we need to think of it like a pyramid, if one person tells 2 people to watch the sport and they each tell 2 people and so on.

I agree the full effect of this year will be difficult to measure and it will take a number of years before we may fully see any real benefits, but we have to be looking for those measures now and be building on it, as in a years time it may be forgotten about, for example, if say the Wigan game pulled in 300k viewers in Australia as opposed to say 30k for when it is aired over there normally, we need to looking at ways of building on those extra viewers to raise the regular viewing figures, not just sit back and think it was great then for the rest of the year it goes back to normal levels, if we can increase the audience in Aus then that will be more attractive to advertisers over there and maybe betting companies, which will hopefully put us in a stronger position for when TV rights are talked about again.

[Big Steve]

It has to put us in a good position when we are looking for new sponsors and negotiating the next TV deal, not only on the revenue front but on commitments for higher production standards. We're not going to see results in the next few months but it puts us in a far stronger position.

It's on the teams and the refs now to continue to produce the goods on the field to keep the positivity up - but most of all the administrators - especially in sorting out the shambles that is International RL and a regular WCC.

[Big Steve]

A full match report of a Thursday night game in the Guardian seems to indicate an immediate post Vegas uplift in media already. Usually they hardly bother to report anything RL related apart from bad news.