Magarey Medal shock

[Rushby Hinds]

Booooo!!!!!!!!!


According to Chris Kendall in today's Sportsbeat Magazine, the MM will NOT be a full telecast on any channel this year.


Booooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rushby Hinds]

Updated info:

Channel 9 is looking @ having live crosses during breaks in the Footy Show

[CUTTERMAN]

I know what I'd rather watch.

[TigerBoss]

Boo indeed...

[Wedgie]

Bad news, only positive is those who go won't have to put up with the breaks in ceremony to fit in with TV.
For those who haven't experienced it, contact your club and organise a table, its a great night out!

[TigerBoss]

Quite a few of us Bays fans were going to head along the year Mouse won it...but boo us for not going ahead with it...from what I can remember, the tickets were quite expensive...

A lot of those that didn't go, either watched from home, and then sprinted down to the club to have a few beers with Mouse to celebrate afterwards, or watched from the club...

Boo me for watching at home, and celebrating by phoning all the boys and guzzling about 20 litres of beer...I don't think I went to work the next day...

Sssshhhh, don't tell my boss. That *cough* was nasty...

[zipzap]

Why FFS can't/won't the ABC do it? Their charter used to be about providing services that the commercial networks couldn't / wouldn't. Now it's all about $$$ it seems.

[CK]

Hi everyone,

The article is not available as a link anywhere unfortunately, so please find as below. I have spoken with Wedgie and he was fine with this being published:

MAGAREY MEDAL TRADITION TO END

The telecast of the Magarey Medal has been a high point for most SANFL fans. Since the first telecast in the late 1960's after many years of radio broadcasts of the count, followers have tuned into the coverage to see the emotion, excitement, colour and spectacle of one of the biggest events of the SANFL calendar. Trevor Grimwood's tears of joy in 1977; John Platten's 66 votes of 1984; Gilbert McAdam becoming the first indigenous winner in 1989 and the dramatic ties of 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2002. All were brought to the lounges of footy fans to be relished.

2008 will mark the end of an era in our league. For the first time since the inaugural broadcast, there will be no full telecast of the Magarey Medal. Despite much discussion between the SANFL and previous telecast partner Channel 9, it has been decided to scrap a full telecast.
Instead, there will be occasional live crosses during the evening's programming (The Footy Show) to update viewers on progress (similar to the format used for Port Adelaide's Best and Fairest count).

This decision will, in many circles, cause consternation among football fans. While the event is open to the public, the cost of $1000 per table of ten (based on last year's prices) may be prohibitive for many fans.
It is undoubtedly worth the price, to be able to mix with many of the greatest names of our league, but many prefer the comfort of home to watch the event and with many other financial factors, simply cannot afford this luxury.

While on face value it seems a very harsh decision, there are other sides to the debate. A television insider partially explained much of the rationale behind the decision. "For any station, the cost of a live broadcast - whether it be a Magarey Medal or any major event - is large.
The number of staff required on the night to ensure it all runs smoothly, the technical support required and the logistics make these a huge exercise. Any such broadcast has to be able to return the revenue required to justify the expense. For the Medal, the ratings figures would not justify the return. Many viewers simply don't know who many of the players are. For Channel Nine, it would be a simple economic decision. For less cost, they could easily play a show such as CSI and return ratings figures that are considerably higher."

SANFL General Manager of Partnerships and Strategy, Rob Nelson, is sympathetic to the fans. "Each year, the broadcast of the Magarey Medal is reviewed by the SANFL and Channel Nine. The current coverage had served the prestigious night well, however, ratings had shown signs of slipping and it was clear an alternative coverage needed to be explored.
A number of options were considered by both parties, who came to the mutual conclusion that a series of live crosses was a viable alternative worthy of trying in 2008. Both parties will again review the coverage post event".

Is it time for a lateral solution to the dilemma? Does an opportunity exist for one of the two SANFL radio broadcasters to bid for the right to broadcast the count live on air? The logistics would not be too great in many ways. Given that stations already have to take broadcast equipment to grounds and set up, there would not be too many problems in broadcasting from the venue. Bearing in mind the count was broadcast on radio for a number of years prior to telecast, the event would generally translate well to this medium.

If neither station is able to broadcast, could there be an "internet based count", via either the SANFL website, one of the club websites, or through http://www.safooty.net, the website for SANFL fans? It would mean a number of website staff working at the count and inputting votes in real time, which could then take the count to a national and worldwide audience - something that has never been attempted before in a live atmosphere. This last solution could prove the way to take the Magarey Medal out to the fans again. The number of passionate interstate and overseas fans who would welcome this opportunity - something that television could never offer in a live format - would justify the idea.

While the loss of the full broadcast is disappointing for fans this year, it also opens the opportunity to take the count into a new dimension, and give the SANFL a chance to go to a global audience

[Sojourner]

Why cant it be made available to Channel 31?

[TigerBoss]

Channel 30 have the pick before them...

Hmmm...bit like an AFL or SANFL Mini-Draft...

Except this time, no one wants to touch the MM.

[Wedgie]

Quite a few of us Bays fans were going to head along the year Mouse won it...but boo us for not going ahead with it...from what I can remember, the tickets were quite expensive...

Nah, they weren't much more than club Gala Dinner tickets, about $120 from memory.

[Squawk]

Channel 30 have the pick before them...

I don't know why it isn't part of the deal with the ABC's weekly and finals broadcasts? The SANFL should insist on it.

A cynic might suggest it has something to do with ticket sales for the night, but I'll give the SANFL the benefit of the doubt here.

What about an internet stream?

[CENTURION]

I went last year & it was a fantastic night out! Got to shmooze with Feasty, Luke Norman, The mouse, Sickalivin', The Twins, Sladey etc., etc. If you can go, I recommend it!

[Dogwatcher]

It is a great night out - not that I remember much from the year I went. Blurry. Expensive taxi from West Lakes to Elizabeth!

[holden78]

Its a load of crap it drags on, its like BB i would rather watch the Bill .

[spell_check]

In 2006, the SANFL moved the Magarey to the Thursday night before the Grand Final as a cheap way to advertise the Grand Final. I don't care what the rationale is (it's always about money and nothing else), the bottom line is that while the crowds have steadied, this is another example of the decline of the media attention the SANFL gets.

[TigerBoss]

In 2006, the SANFL moved the Magarey to the Thursday night before the Grand Final as a cheap way to advertise the Grand Final. I don't care what the rationale is (it's always about money and nothing else), the bottom line is that while the crowds have steadied, this is another example of the decline of the media attention the SANFL gets.

Not so sure there has been a decline in media attention Spelly...I reakon the media focus around the SANFL has increased or at least been maintained in recent years...

It's a shame the SANFL can't ensure the MM is covered somewhere EVERY year, but if it rated in previous years, it would be on without a doubt, so I reakon the production of the MM has cost networks more than they've received in return as far as viewership and ratings go...there's no other explanation for why they would not show it...

[bayman]

well it may have to be 'back to the future' with a radio broadcast i'm sure 5rph would be happy to do it & we at home will go back to pens & papers rather than watching a computer board update on tv

[spell_check]

In 2006, the SANFL moved the Magarey to the Thursday night before the Grand Final as a cheap way to advertise the Grand Final. I don't care what the rationale is (it's always about money and nothing else), the bottom line is that while the crowds have steadied, this is another example of the decline of the media attention the SANFL gets.

Not so sure there has been a decline in media attention Spelly...I reakon the media focus around the SANFL has increased or at least been maintained in recent years...

It's a shame the SANFL can't ensure the MM is covered somewhere EVERY year, but if it rated in previous years, it would be on without a doubt, so I reakon the production of the MM has cost networks more than they've received in return as far as viewership and ratings go...there's no other explanation for why they would not show it...

It may look that way, only because of us fans who bring a piece of the action to the WWW.

[scott]

If neither station is able to broadcast, could there be an "internet based count", via either the SANFL website, one of the club websites, or through http://www.safooty.net, the website for SANFL fans?

I'd put my hand up to be involved in that if so