All Blacks in major content deal with US tech giant Amazon
The All Blacks will be featured in an in-depth eight part documentary series for Amazon Prime. New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew talks to Duncan Greive about what the partnership means for the brand.
US tech giant Amazon’s Prime video on demand service is well into production on an in-depth documentary series which studies the All Blacks and their status as “the winningest team in the history of sports”. The deal is New Zealand Rugby’s first with a major international pay streaming platform, and will see an intimate eight part portrait of the team released early in 2018, to a potential audience in the hundreds of millions in over 200 countries.
NZ Rugby CEO Steve Tew said the series would be “a documentary about why the All Blacks have been very successful over a long period of time,” and be made on “a level we’ve never seen before.” It includes the recent Lions series, and will continue shooting through this season.
Tew would not be drawn on the commercial terms of the deal, characterising it as predominantly motivated by the scale of the international audience to which it introduces the team. “The relationship we have in place is one that’s of significant benefit to New Zealand rugby,” he said, while adding that “there is a commercial element too, and we’re very comfortable with the level of investment.”
The most intriguing thread to the deal from a local media perspective is what it indicates about NZ Rugby’s openness to streaming platforms in general. Despite online distribution through Rugby Pass in Asia and a small experiment with YouTube, for over two decades and the entire professional era the organisation has had an tight relationship with Sky television in New Zealand, one which has provided the bulk of operating revenues and underpinned rugby’s growth into the commercial giant it is today. When pressed, though, Tew was at pains to frame this as of no relevance to the core game product, which remains with Sky through the end of 2019.
“This is not about any streaming rights,” says Tew. “This is simply a documentary. It’s important to make it clear that our relationship with Sky has aided this documentary considerably.” That has included the provision of in-game footage to the documentary makers – Warner Brothers NZ and Mother Media Group.
For Amazon it brings another major sporting documentary to follow All or Nothing, their Emmy-winning series following the LA Rams, and more content in a category which has found both popular and critical acclaim in recent years after being popularised by ESPN’s ‘30 for 30’ brand.
“The All Blacks are the winningest team in the history of team sports with an 84 percent winning record over the last 130 years,” says Amazon Originals’ head of unscripted Conrad Riggs. “This series will provide Prime members a glimpse into what makes them so successful and what it means to undertake the responsibility of donning the Black Jersey and performing the sacred Haka.
“The story of the All Blacks is also the story of New Zealand. The team is not only a source of pride, but a barometer of the national mood, with a strong cultural connection to the nation, its people and its heritage,” said Riggs in a statement.
The deal demonstrates the continued primacy of the All Blacks brand and, thanks to the ongoing AIG partnership, the strength of NZ Rugby’s financial position. This new content partnership enables NZ Rugby to test the water on international streaming in a contained environment, while they assess how to work the next rights deal. Sports rights values have been exploding lately, while internationally the trend has been for rights to be either carved up amongst multiple parties, or for sports organisations to deliver their own products online through an subscription media platform of their own.
However it plays out, the deal is a significant one for NZ Rugby. What it means for its longtime New Zealand broadcast partner remains to be seen.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments