Based on the TV viewership numbers for the first game of the Community Cup, one can understand it being “Downgraded” to a magazine show only.
It was always going to be the Community Cup’s biggest challenge – having to compete with eyeballs on busy Saturday afternoons. A peak audience of just 34 000 for the first game between College Rovers and Dispatch has no doubt influenced the call to cover the tournament via a weekly magazine show until the big Easter showdown in George, when all 12 games will be broadcast.
Viewership during this game is 22% higher compared to the Primary coverage of the 1st game of the National Club Champs in 2012 featuring Bloemfontein Police against Welkom Rovers. The higher viewership during the College Rovers v Dispatch game is significant considering that this game was broadcast on SuperSport 7, competing for audience share against the African Open on SuperSport 1 and the 2nd Test Match against Pakistan broadcast on SuperSport 2.
Amazingly though, the audience came from the Free State and Gauteng even though the teams came from Durban and Port Elizabeth:
Data Source: DSTVi 2012/ 2013 (Target – All 4+, excl guest), via Repucom Africa
As such, the first Cell C Community Cup magazine show – titled “Cell C Community Cup, Working-class Heroes” – is scheduled to air at 18h30 on Supersport 1 on Tuesday evening.
All shows will feature highlights from Cell C Community Cup matches played around the country, as well as interviews and looks behind the scenes at the competing clubs.
The series, which will consist of six episodes in total, will be broadcast every Tuesday evening between 18h30 and 19h00.
A real pity these wont be shown on TV. These number prob dont show how many people record the games to watch later. I do that with every rugby game on the weekend and watch it late at night when family asleep.
Good point, but PVR a very small proportion of DStv subscribers … Also sad to have this option taken away. But tough to compete on Saturday arvies
This is really sad news.