Heartland Championship - news

[Bovidae]

@Smudge Throwing a bone to the Meads Cup winners is a recent thing. Usually the RS holders would just accept challenges from neighbouring unions. NZR should pay the costs if they want to continue with this system.

[Bovidae]

New Zealand Rugby Commercial (NZRC) has announced that the Grassroots Club Rugby and Heartland Rugby programmes will air on NZR+, You Tube, Sky Sport and TVNZ from late June.

Grassroots and Heartland Rugby shows set to return to screens across Aotearoa

[Kiwiwomble]

also interesting i just that the "Bunnings NPC" socials have renamed themselves "Bunnings Provincial Rugby"....not sure what it means other than we wont just see NPC....so more from all levels?

[gt12]

Not sure whether they can monetize it well, but it's a great way of getting eyeballs - my son and I watch cycling highlights on the morning whenever there a race going on.

I could see us dialling in to watch highlights / run downs of heartland games in the same way.

[Kiwiwomble]

@gt12 i kind of wonder if its one of those benefits thats will be really hard to quantify....but could be important in raising the general awareness in the public

[Bovidae]

Mainfreight Rugby was going to be axed, as I remember reading a comment from Ian Jones about his disappointment. TVNZ will have ads, and so will youtube I assume, so there will be a source of income.

[taniwharugby]

@Bovidae ads probably less frequent than the DJ interludes at live matches...