Digital sphere keeps the rugby league community kicking

Queensland Rugby League’s digital platforms have been in the spotlight during the COVID-19 crisis - and the challenges it presented. 

Without on-field action, QRL’s website, app and social media platforms have been the primary avenue for fans to continue to engage with the game in Queensland and stay up-to-date with the latest developments as the game navigates the crisis.

QRL senior digital manager Mitch Wilson said within days of COVID-19 impacting rugby league across the country, the content team were challenged with the need  to re-imagine their strategy.

“We have a strong in-house content team who embraced the challenge we faced,” Wilson said.

“The new primarily archive-focused content plan, combined with key projects to celebrate the 40th year of State of Origin, kept fans coming back to our platforms.

“We took a view that without live rugby league on the field, our video content would underpin that strategy, which resulted in tripling the video views we recorded in the same time last year."

In an industry-wide challenge, commercial partnerships have been tested without the value driven by football being played; QRL’s commercial arm were quick to successfully integrate partners into the digital sphere.

A range of partners - XXXX, Intrust Super, BHP, Auswide Bank, Harvey Norman, Deadly Choices and McDonald's - benefited during the March to May period, with more than 15.7 million impressions across ad placements, integrated and branded content. 

QRL, for several content roll-outs during this period, used a cross-platform publishing strategy to help maximise the benefit for these partners. 

Notably, 'The 40 that forged Queensland' video series, which was sponsored by XXXX, had 3.1 million views and 248,077 post engagements.

QRL chief operating officer Rohan Sawyer said it had been a challenging period, but one that had brought out significant innovation. 

"Commercial partnerships have been challenged across all sports with sport largely suspended," Sawyer said. 

"Our digital platforms, during this time, have reinforced QRL's investment in the space and led the way with continuing to provide value back to our partners."

LION national partnership manager Tom Bills said the brand exposure for XXXX, which was delivered through 'The 40 that forged Queensland' video series, was invaluable. 

"QRL understood our challenge of connecting with our core rugby league supporters during are period in which footy wasn’t on our televisions and thus reducing our regular brand exposure in market," Bills said.

"They came up with a unique asset which delivered exposure through engaging content to ensure XXXX stayed front-of-mind with our consumers." 

QRL-owned platforms QRL.com.au and the Intrust Super Cup app provided fans with daily content across all levels of rugby league. 

This content included live 'question and answer' sessions with QRL regional general manager Glenn Ottaway, who answered questions about community rugby league in Queensland and gave rolling updates on the status of the game.

"Thanks to a steady flow of users accessing these platforms on a weekly basis,  fans have been able to remain connected, informed and engaged through what has been a challenging period for rugby league in Queensland with the cancellation of statewide competitions and the suspension of community rugby league," Sawyer said. 

The digital platforms provided a successful distribution medium, with more than 447,000 non-unique visitors to the website and app between March and May. 

QRL’s social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok - have 1.4 million followers and therefore generated the majority of interactions with fans.

Emerging platform TikTok grew to 17,000 followers within months and has already generated more than 800,000 views, allowing the Queensland Maroons brand to engage with the platform's largely younger demographic.

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter created 936,000 interactions with fans, since rugby league stopped, and this was largely led by video content with more than 10.7 million views.

The website has also been used to support other successful QRL projects, including the e-commerce business Maroons Shop; within the shop's success, QRL.com.au and the social accounts have been the primary referral source.