Newstalk: Off The Ball

SaoPaulo41

Fiona hayes is a tough listen on Wednesday night rugby , just states obviois no real insights, laughs at nothing and can't see to catch her breath when talking

fire_man

Ya not sure what she adds tbh.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631506#Comment_121631506

Sounds like nearly all rugby pundits so

Ol' Donie

What's the craic with the Maradona song at the end?

Twas like the good old days.

left_hander

I was talking to somebody involved in Sports Marketing world who said the rumour (and he stressed he didn't know) is that the subscription model is an unmitigated disaster for them. He said it could be hearsay though as he knows some of them lads but doesn't ask about it. So again, "man on internet said" alert from myself.

But he also said he knows nobody who has signed up, we were talking about the subscription model and I was saying I'd probably pay €3 a month for 20 podcasts - mainly because I have plenty of other podcasts to listen to on a variety of topics so I'm not going to pay for a load of scutter I don't want to listen to.

I'd probably find a max of 5 per week that I'd be bothered listening to - Slight Tangent, Sunday Papers, Newsround (when Joe is on only) another couple of episodes here and there. The rest of the content I just don't listen to and won't pay for no matter what.

Assuming it is true that it has been a disaster, the big thing for them now is do they admit the error and change something or double down on it and hope for more subscriptions? I think if they haven't got the subscribers 6 months in, you've lost them. They made a grave error going in at such a high price point for me. I think Colm Parkinson pushed his price up by €1 a month some time back but he's got the subscribers in the door at that stage.

Maybe they are doing great and if they are, well done and good luck to them!

Butson

I was a heavy Off the Ball consumer - have it on in the evening driving or cooking (still get that for free) but mostly I had it on while working from home, interviews / catch up that was free on youtube.

It wasn't until they started charging for it that I realised a lot of it was just background noise. Nice to listen to when doing something else, but to pay €10 a month for....just not there.

I think the Parkinson angle is probably the best - pay a fee per month for something you are really interested in - and get lots of that content per week.

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121632994#Comment_121632994

oh it’s a complete disaster alright. Heard that from more than one source

Danye

I hope they are doing well, as the its great to see people doing well and, while not knowing the lads, they always came across as decent.

But when I heard they were putting a lot of their content behind a paywall I found it a strange move. There's so much good content out there from all over the world, for free. Even within Ireland there are decent free pods. I'm not familiar with Second Captains, but from what I can gather, they struck first with a subscription service. Ireland is such a small market.

On a side note - Who owns OTB? Is it Gers baby exclusively? Or would Nathan & Joe be involved?

styron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634034#Comment_121634034

Owned by Bauer since they bought the rest of O'Brien's Communicorp in 2021:

https://bauermedia.ie/our-brands/otb-sports/

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634034#Comment_121634034

I used to like the lads and their shows.

I think they went too political and started giving one sided views on that.This highlighted a lot of fairly blatant hypocrisy aswell.When you add in the arrogance in both going in at a price poInt of double their competitors and the way that was communicated they start to be a lot less likeable.

Like any of my friends who used to listen ive no intention of subscribing.

Already subscribe to a few pods and there's an almost endless amount of free content,a lot of it better than the majority of OTB.

left_hander

I honestly think if they hadn't got Ger in full "give me your money" mode, and gone in at €5 a month they could have had something. The way he delivered it was so smug, arrogant, "its only a tenner a month, less than a coffee a week" attitude just got my back up anyway.

But we're now gone full circle on that discussion and the ship has sailed.

Interestingly, the difference in the show when Joe presents Mon-Wed, and then when Nathan presents on Thursday is incredible. Its like going from a relaxed confident presenter to a lad you'd expect to be selling wellies at the Ploughing Championships.

dulpit

I listened to the show last night for a bit while driving. I've said this before here, but it's worth restating - how is Richie McCormack allowed broadcast using a potato for a mic? His sound quality is truly awful...

Utopia Parkway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631506#Comment_121631506

She's terrible. Before the paywall I couldn't stick listening to Wednesday night rugby because of her.

Utopia Parkway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121632994#Comment_121632994

The price point was a killer. Had they entered at €5 I think way more punters would have signed up (probably myself included) and you always have scope to increase down the line once you have them in the door. Straight in at €10 just turned so many off straight away. And then the flippant overnight announcement of the whole thing by Gilroy turned even more off.

Now many old listeners have found alternatives and may not come back even if the price was reduced.

ec18

does she still do the red 78?

I stopped listening when they went behind a paywall, there's enough good free rugby content out there and tbh their coverage outside of Gerry Thornley was mediocre

keeponhurling

Why did they announce the paywall thing just the day before? Any tactical reason or something?

Anyways, I like their stuff generally and pay €10 a month. I think it’s worth it, no ads either.

I enjoy the first half hour of the breakfast show, updates me on the main stories and discuss it in an informal way like they’re down the pub. Then it depends on the guests but they do seem to have a big network to call on depending on that week’s news.

(Gaelic) Football Pod is excellent, I must say.

I like OTB for the discussion rather than necessarily a news source. I can understand other posters who said they are overly political and need to wind their necks in sometimes.

Joe’s “address to the nation” type monologue about Vera Pauw was particularly cringeworthy.

McGrath5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121637796#Comment_121637796

Ger’s arrogance really shone through that day, I remember Joe sounded embarrassed for the whole thing.

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121643131#Comment_121643131

Gilroy is getting some comeuppance now

left_hander

Joe was probably like "eh, Ger I can walk out of here into about 25 jobs paying me just as much. You can try flog this one but your on your own".......

fire_man

Similar to Paul Wallace on Matt Cooper.Boring as hell and his line always terrible.

gluppers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650681#Comment_121650681

The same Paul Wallace who's wife is producer of the show?

amlinopta

No football updates in the main program for the last three nights, so Brighton game on Monday, Chelsea last night and Liverpool tonight. Only in the news bulletins. Seem to be pre-recording most of the shows at the moment outside of the initial news round up in the first half hour.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121667849#Comment_121667849

Wouldn't blame them if you can record in afternoon or evening instead of 9pm sure its a no brainer.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121667899#Comment_121667899

Maybe Bauer are only willing them to pay them for standard working hours, minimise number of people who need to work outside those hours.

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121667913#Comment_121667913

It’s all a bit pathetic

The_Erection_of_Cass

I wonder if the long term plan with the subscription is to take off the ball off NT and run it standalone?

I think the plan could be something like this:

• Have OTB grow enough subs to become profitable on its own.
• Take it off Newstalk and let it do it's own thing similar to Second Captains.
• Start another sports show with a new team/sponsors/advertising on Newstalk in its place or do something like have OTB on for one hour while the other 2 hours are behind the paywall.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121667913#Comment_121667913

Reckon your over thinking this one to be honest its nothing new, might have to record around the schedule of their guests too.

Zymurgist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668150#Comment_121668150

I’d agree with this. Very standard on three hour shows that segments would be prerecorded.

Nothing “pathetic” about it, just regular radio production.

left_hander

And to be fair, I would hazard a guess the numbers listening 9-10 are low.

I'd be pre-recording too.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668056#Comment_121668056

They need the advertising revenue though in that model presumably and that is their main source of income at the moment. Yes they might get show-specific sponsorship but you need the plays to get that in bulk. It would be a high-wire act because they might not get another radio slot. Game On on 2FM never got traction.

Its a lot of production time for not huge gain and a lot of divisions on the income.

If Joe Molloy did a few proper episodes a week of a podcast he could get €5 a month out of a lot of people, work normal hours, etc. The rest of them, nah.