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Pro 16 Discussion

Red Silurian

How do you see it playing out and how would you like to see it play out?

What we know
16 Teams
4 Irish
4 Welsh
2 Scottish
2 Italian
4 South African

Obviously the most fair situation would be 1 table of 16 teams and each team playing 15 Home and Away games but I don't think that's logical

The best option I think is an East/West or North/South conferences
That is to say

North Conference
Ulster and Connacht (The 2 northern most Irish provinces)
Edinburgh (slightly more north than Glasgow)
Scarlets + Ospreys (The 2 northern most Welsh teams)
Benetton (more north than Zebre)
Lions and Bulls (The 2 northern most South African teams)

South conference
All the rest

Dividing it equally among the countries so 8 teams per conference, home+away in each conference home or away for the rest + 2 further inter-country games

That's 24 games, 25 if you have a final

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Comments

Neil3030

ClanofLams wrote: »

If it’s by country though you’re gonna have two of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Treviso and Zebre making the quarters….

Quarter spots have never been ringfenced by country in the various Pro competitions, have they?

ClanofLams

Neil3030 wrote: »

Assume at least 3 competitive teams from each of Ireland and SA. That's 2 spots left for the likes of Glasgow, Benetton, Scarlets, Ospreys, the remaining Irish province and remaining SA side....

Should be fairly competitive, imo.

If it’s by country though you’re gonna have two of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Treviso and Zebre making the quarters….

Neil3030

Thrashssacre wrote: »

Finish 8/16 and string a couple of performances together to win the league, absolute farce! I was all for the league revamp with the south African additions but they've somehow managed to make the competition even worse!!

Assume at least 3 competitive teams from each of Ireland and SA. That's 2 spots left for the likes of Glasgow, Benetton, Scarlets, Ospreys, the remaining Irish province and remaining SA side....

Should be fairly competitive, imo.

ClanofLams

If it’s pools by countries (Sco/Italy) that’s ridiculous. 4 best teams in the league this season are Irish.

thomond2006

My first reaction was that it read like the Super Rugby conference system which was a convoluted mess.

The name isn't great, it sounds like a placeholder for a title sponsor. URC is much better than Pro16, however.

We'll see what it all looks like tomorrow but at this stage it doesn't have to be great to be an improvement on what is there now.

Cookiemunster

awec wrote: »

What a dumb name.

4 pools with 1 league table? My mind is blown.

It's basically what everyone expected. Play everyone once and then add the three return derbies.

I assume we'll get TV details tomorrow too.

Thrashssacre

Finish 8/16 and string a couple of performances together to win the league, absolute farce! I was all for the league revamp with the south African additions but they've somehow managed to make the competition even worse!!

bilston

Will wait until tomorrow for.thenfull details, but home and away derbies is great news....for Benetton

awec

What a dumb name.

4 pools with 1 league table? My mind is blown.

Lost Ormond

Thoughts??

https://twitter.com/BrendanFanning/status/1404554194787487745

Digifriendly

ClanofLams wrote: »

One thing they really need to improve next season is digital content.

The current three min highlights are awful. Don’t follow super rugby but know their highlights are 6-7 minutes long per game which gives much better insight into how game went.

They should have game highlight packages of six minutes each and then put them into hour long show with presenter and an analyst from each hemisphere. I don’t know if that will be possible with tv rights but would be ideal.

Half hour - 45 minute preview show every Thursday with analyst from each hemisphere too. Covid has shown how effective zoom etc can be for these so it shouldn’t really cost a lot.

I follow the pro14 very closely and know nothing about South African teams really, would think I am in large majority both in this hemisphere and South Africa. If they want league to work need to change that.

Your point re Super Rugby highlights is explained by nature of high scoring games compared to Pro 14 as well as extra mins being usually taken up with introductory commentary and the odd conversion. Personally I'm happy to see the tries and if penalty or conversion wins a game then that as well.

randomname2005

ClanofLams wrote: »

One thing they really need to improve next season is digital content.

The current three min highlights are awful. Don’t follow super rugby but know their highlights are 6-7 minutes long per game which gives much better insight into how game went.

They should have game highlight packages of six minutes each and then put them into hour long show with presenter and an analyst from each hemisphere. I don’t know if that will be possible with tv rights but would be ideal.

Half hour - 45 minute preview show every Thursday with analyst from each hemisphere too. Covid has shown how effective zoom etc can be for these so it shouldn’t really cost a lot.

I follow the pro14 very closely and know nothing about South African teams really, would think I am in large majority both in this hemisphere and South Africa. If they want league to work need to change that.

Definitely they need to improve the highlights, and from what I remember it was TV rights that forced the 3 minute limit. Don't see why pro 1x can't dictate that as they co trip the TV rights. Would be great to have a build up and review show on free tv.

AbusesToilets

RC aside, I'm pretty stoked for the next season. The SA teams should be a great addition. If the Welsh teams could ever pull the finger out, the league would be in good shape competitively.

Have they clarified when the SA teams will be eligible for the HC?

ClanofLams

thomond2006 wrote: »

Supersport in SA has a very active YouTube channel. Perhaps content will be made available by them.

Yeah that might work, think it would be better if it was done by league though. Can’t see it being a massive cost to get for example Bernard Jackman or whoever and one SA maybe Pienaar given his knowledge of both league and South Africa for an hour a week.

There will definitely and inevitably be some teething problems with the league but this seems like basic enough stuff to get right. To be honest they should have done this a long time ago, assuming rights allow.

thomond2006

Supersport in SA has a very active YouTube channel. Perhaps content will be made available by them.

ClanofLams

One thing they really need to improve next season is digital content.

The current three min highlights are awful. Don’t follow super rugby but know their highlights are 6-7 minutes long per game which gives much better insight into how game went.

They should have game highlight packages of six minutes each and then put them into hour long show with presenter and an analyst from each hemisphere. I don’t know if that will be possible with tv rights but would be ideal.

Half hour - 45 minute preview show every Thursday with analyst from each hemisphere too. Covid has shown how effective zoom etc can be for these so it shouldn’t really cost a lot.

I follow the pro14 very closely and know nothing about South African teams really, would think I am in large majority both in this hemisphere and South Africa. If they want league to work need to change that.

Red Silurian

Eod100 wrote: »

Not sure what different format could be used for 24 teams and Munster basing season tickets on current model.

They could split it into the old style and have 6 groups of 4

That means Munster season tickets would cover 2 of the 3 home games and they could then sell more tickets to the third game. They are expecting full crowds to be allowed from January so if the third game were t happen then they could make plenty of profit off that

Lost Ormond

Eod100 wrote: »

Not sure what different format could be used for 24 teams and Munster basing season tickets on current model.

Munster may base season tickets on current model but that like anything else around tickets is subject to change.

Eod100

Cookiemunster wrote: »

That link confirms nothing more than a 24 team tournament. It actually says that the format and dates have yet to be confirmed.

Not sure what different format could be used for 24 teams and Munster basing season tickets on current model.

Red Silurian

Cookiemunster wrote: »

That link confirms nothing more than a 24 team tournament. It actually says that the format and dates have yet to be confirmed.

The reason behind last seasons format was because the 3 "domestic" competitions weren't on a level playing field with regards the last seasons completion... The English Premiership for example was still running it's 2019/20 season in October

My theory, and it's only a theory, is the 4 South African clubs could be somewhat introduced for this coming season, possibly in the Challenge Cup, or maybe the top 2 in the Rainbow cup will go champions and the others will go challenge

icdg

Bazzo wrote: »

When are we going to get an announcement on TV rights for the league? Surely it's normally announced a good while at this stage.

Last time it was announced in March but I think they’ve form in being late with previous deals. If the kind of deal that’s mooted in certain parts of the media (involving a number of broadcasters sharing U.K. and Ireland rights) is what is being done, it might be just a case of trying to dot the Is and cross the Ts. It’s a bit more complex than doing an exclusive deal with one broadcaster.

I wouldn’t put it past that what awec moots above may be correct, btw. Eir Sport being out of the running and Sky being basically out of rugby union (Lions aside) really dampens pay tv interest in these rights.

Cookiemunster

Eod100 wrote: »

https://www.epcrugby.com/2021/04/30/twickenham-stadium-to-host-2021-epcr-finals/

That link confirms nothing more than a 24 team tournament. It actually says that the format and dates have yet to be confirmed.

Eod100

Red Silurian wrote: »

Got any link to backup the claim?/quote]

https://www.epcrugby.com/2021/04/30/twickenham-stadium-to-host-2021-epcr-finals/

awec

Bazzo wrote: »

When are we going to get an announcement on TV rights for the league? Surely it's normally announced a good while at this stage.

I reckon they're still trying to sell them.

Bazzo

When are we going to get an announcement on TV rights for the league? Surely it's normally announced a good while at this stage.

thomond2006

OldRio wrote: »

Indeed and that would be very expensive.

They do deals all the time, you can just cancel and renew as needed. There's never a need to pay the full price.

OldRio

Red Silurian wrote: »

Got any link to backup the claim?

My point about the 4 games is that you can pick up a nowtv pass for a month or 2 to watch the European games, but if it's going to be every week you'd need to subscribe foe the season

Indeed and that would be very expensive.

Red Silurian

Eod100 wrote: »

Think that has been confirmed by EPCR

Got any link to backup the claim?

awec wrote: »

I think it's confirmed to be 4 games. The days of 6 pool games in Europe are finished, the English and French want less euro games.

Obviously some people will be worse off since they used to get the league for free. If you wanted to watch European games you needed a BT sub. If you had a BT sub for Europe, you now get the Pro14 for free on top.

My point about the 4 games is that you can pick up a nowtv pass for a month or 2 to watch the European games, but if it's going to be every week you'd need to subscribe foe the season

awec

Red Silurian wrote: »

Rumours are that Europe next year will be the same format as this years one, so 4 games

I don't think a lot of people will have interest in those competitions and fairly sure LaLigaTV is all soccer (not familiar with it) so realistically only 6 channels

I think it's confirmed to be 4 games. The days of 6 pool games in Europe are finished, the English and French want less euro games.

Obviously some people will be worse off since they used to get the league for free. If you wanted to watch European games you needed a BT sub. If you had a BT sub for Europe, you now get the Pro14 for free on top.

Eod100

Red Silurian wrote: »

Rumours are that Europe next year will be the same format as this years one, so 4 games

Think that has been confirmed by EPCR