On the cracked concrete courts and dusty ovals of small-town Australia, sport has long been the heartbeat of these communities. However, the way that people access sport in regional areas is undergoing a dramatic change. Now, if they can’t make it down to a game, there is no need to rely on the Monday morning paper or obscure AM radio stations to catch up on the results from their favourite sports teams.

The advent of streaming platforms has begun to redefine the way sport is consumed in regional areas. But what has the impact been for sports leagues and communities?

The Ovens & Murray Football League, situated in the regional area of Albury/Wodonga, reported an estimate of 10,000 people attending their 2023 Grand Final. A further 50,000 accessed the match through live stream.

Increasing these league’s visibility has created a new level of exposure. Stephen Murphy, CEO of regional sport streaming company All In Sports (AIS), believes that live-streaming sport has generated a stronger sense of connection between sport and the community.

“You go to country footy, netball, or even hockey because you have a connection to that sport,” he tells upstart. “By getting the exposure that streaming provides, it enhances that connection.”

Murphy, whose platform covers 13 different sporting leagues within the rural areas of NSW, has found that leagues who are involved with live streaming are finding that this exposure and connection is increasing participants, too.

“Hockey Albury-Wodonga has the most numbers it’s had in years, which they put down to the exposure,” he says.

“So, if you are a local football player … you are more inclined to go to a league that has more eyeballs on it.”

While greater exposure and connection acts as a positive selling point for streaming sport, many clubs had reservations about the potential reduction in game attendance.

Gate receipts, memberships, and canteen sales at home games act as a significant revenue stream and are the lifeblood of sporting clubs. So, when Philip Bouffler, the president of the Hume Football League, fielded the idea of introducing live streaming, he had to address club concerns.

“When we went to the clubs, they were unsure about it to be truthful,” he tells upstart.” “But, if you want to try something new, then you can’t just sit on your backside and not grow.”

Having earned the role of league president after spending over a decade involved with the Lockhart Football Club, no one understands the plight of the local sporting clubs better than Bouffler. But since the introduction of streaming in his football league, the clubs’ concerns have all but been dispelled by the positive results.

“We’ve had record crowds, during the finals series, with the games being streamed,” he says.

“The league is becoming more visible; it’s helping us to become a destination league at the local level.”

The results of live-streaming the Hume Football League have been promising, with 350 viewers tuning in live to their pay-per-view 2024 Grand Final and another 2,153 viewers accessing it via replay. Streaming the league’s best and fairest event in 2023 also proved to be successful, with 320 attending the event in person, while 5,000 watched from home.

It’s also been just as important in showcasing the talent in these communities.

The  Hume Football League has been revelling in the success of one of its young talents, Nathan Wardius, who was recently drafted to AFL club Greater Western Sydney. For Bouffler, Wardius’ achievement further highlights streaming’s importance to country sport.

“If you are good enough, you can get picked up in the bush,” he says. “[Scouts] can wonder what a Nathan Wardius is like … the next thing you know, they are looking at the vision of the Hume League.”

“I think it’s a good marketing tool for players to showcase their wares.”

Stephen Murphy has also found that sport streaming is enabling opportunities for players in these areas to achieve their full potential.

“Being only a small regional provider, it’s thrilling to be contacted by professional clubs,” he says. “We’ve been contacted by Western Bulldogs recruiters in the past to ask for vision of players.”

Perhaps the biggest impact that sport streaming is having on regional and rural sport, is creating a lasting memory for the communities.  Prior to streaming’s existence, folklore of great sporting heroics would be passed down to fans, loved ones, and patrons at a local pub. Everyone knows someone who scored a goal after the siren to win the game.

As a provider in these communities, Murphy acknowledges how special it is that streaming can capture those moments that will live eternally in the minds of fans.

“[AIS] streamed a soccer grand final where a guy scored a goal in the 110th minute,” he says. “It was the last kick of the game to win four to three and everyone’s calling it the greatest final ever.”

“We were there, we captured it, and that’s there forever for them. That’s pretty cool to be a part of.”

Story: Nathan Falkner is a first-year Bachelor of Media and Communication student. He wrote this as part of a first-year journalism subject, The Emerging Journalist. You can find him on Twitter/X @FalknerNat69710

Photo: Live streaming taking place at the Narrandera Sports Ground. Supplied by Michael Patterson