gtr73 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Anyone else see the deal recently announced by the AFL - Foxtel is effectievly the primary broadcaster of live AFL. The majority of AFL fans (especially in Melbourne), won't be able to watch AFL on FTA because of a rather sweet deal signed last week by the AFL and Foxtel: AFL TV deal AFL fans shafted I've heard only one in six TV households in Australia have Foxtel. So taking the example of Rugby Union's Super 14 support dwindling terribly in the last 3 years since all game coverage went to Foxtel and major sponsors now calling for a revamp of the code (and this is a sport that has a high percentage of higher-income "corporate" followers), is it fair to say the AFL is trying to "kill the Goose that lays the golden egg" by dismissing the majority of its fans who are mostly middle-class and can't or don't want to fork out for pay TV. Talk about too much money corrupts - the AFL have lost the plot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug1503559538 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I tend to agree with your thoughts Initially I thought it wouldn't be problem but a learned friend who works with disadvantaged people in outer Melbourne suburbs told me that some of his clients will pay for FOXTEL even before paying for food , they are that desperate to watch the footy. Whilst this clearly would not apply to the social demographic that posts on this bulletin board , I can see the problems this will create for those less fortunate than us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Personally I have little interest in football, but I'm not sure what the alternative would be. The 100% FTA scenario was a lose all round situation. Viewers might have been happy but I suspect the $s involve (and lost) in so much competitive 'niche' broadcasting would have probably bankrupted a station or two. Bought the only difference I see now is that Foxtel has an extra game a week. People seem to be using the "but just last month it looked like we'd get it all free" as the base line. Ironically, its stuff like live sport that is most likely to endure people timeshifting TV and skipping ads. Why live TV would want to give it away is a bit of a mystery. And why 10 and 7 wanted to give 50% of matches back to Channel 9 (indirectly) is also a bit strange. Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 damnit, I move into the unit in 8 weeks, So to the club for me. Foxtel refuse individual set ups in a unit, either EVERYONE in the said block must sign up on contracts, Or no one gets it. I was hoping Friday night in particular would be FTA, but awell. **** happens I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypnotoad8128 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Welcome to the future.. Subscription television is where all sports should be, like in many countries overseas... At least on PAY, they actually show the sport instead of showing it delayed or just holding onto it for the sake of having it. Sport should be shown live.... Not delayed. When and if they get rid of those stupid anti-syphoning laws, foxtel will pay a heap for the rights and they'll get it.. Dimetriou has shown he would prefer AFL on PAY anyways, he's made no secret of that fact. But this deal is nothing really different than the last, one extra game doesn't make much difference. Last year the networks didn't show a hell of a lot more than they will this year. Anyone else see the deal recently announced by the AFL - Foxtel is effectievly the primary broadcaster of live AFL.The majority of AFL fans (especially in Melbourne), won't be able to watch AFL on FTA because of a rather sweet deal signed last week by the AFL and Foxtel: AFL TV deal AFL fans shafted I've heard only one in six TV households in Australia have Foxtel. So taking the example of Rugby Union's Super 14 support dwindling terribly in the last 3 years since all game coverage went to Foxtel and major sponsors now calling for a revamp of the code (and this is a sport that has a high percentage of higher-income "corporate" followers), is it fair to say the AFL is trying to "kill the Goose that lays the golden egg" by dismissing the majority of its fans who are mostly middle-class and can't or don't want to fork out for pay TV. Talk about too much money corrupts - the AFL have lost the plot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 So to that, We have more and more units being built here in Australia, Now if Foxtel refuses to let one person have it unless the block is in. Then what choice do we have? Once I move into this place I will attempt to get a Foxtel Rep out to see if there is any other solutions. Quite frankly, I will go to the club on a Friday and Sunday. Although Saturdays I work, every single week, so thats me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy Downawell Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 When and if they get rid of those stupid anti-syphoning laws I look forward to that. Sports should be no different to any other type of programming genre, and you don't see government legislation insisting that News & Current Affairs, Reality, Lifestyle, Comedy, Drama, etc being restricted to FTA channels. If the pay channels want to buy sports events, they should be allowed to on an equal playing field with the FTAs. Bring it on, I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtr73 Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 What I see as the point here, is the AFL are further cutting out a big portion of their fan base. Therefore it's a possible threat to the sport's viability longterm. A large percentage of it's fanbase is of a social demographic that either can't or won't take up Foxtel. Simple as that. You can say all you like about the virtues of pay TV, but that's the bottom line. So where does that leave the AFL in 5 years time when potentially they've lost quite a few supporters to other sport or other passions? No fans, no $$$. It's hard to remember this for people like Dimetriou who are on a six figure salary. And believe it or not, 99% of Aussies aren't on six figure salaries (no really, I'm not joking ). And looking at the bigger picture, if sport in general is continually taken away from that majority that doesn't take up pay TV, how are the powerbrokers involved going to make any money in the longterm??? As I mentioned, Rugby Union in this country is a prime example. They could've built on the fans they won over with the last World Cup held here, instead the ARU got greedy and Channel 7 stopped telecasting to the masses. So now we have the situation where the primary sponsors of that sport want the ARU board members sacked because of their real concerns for the loss in popularity of the sport. All that said, I just see it as too competitve a market to disrespect the fans like the AFL has with this deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Spot on, thankfully right now I am sure most will stick to the club or neighbour when possible. But fans will be deterred. Still at least here in the ACT I can go to the club with nobody smoking inside now, so that will be one bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazzwald Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Interesting that 7 will show the Sunday afternoon games this year, why did they get the v8 supercar coverage? I will not be happy if the v8's will be shown delayed later at night. The AFL has gotten greedy and has forgotten a lot of fans. But I'm sure people will get over it, really 1 game a week has been lost to Fox. The same thing has been happening with NRL for a while, more on Fox than on 9, and 9 never showed the regular season matches live. This year is different though, more games, and some live, on 9! This is just my 2c, not being a Melbourne boy I have no idea what the AFL means to the southerners (I know it's huge to them though). Brazzwald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Interesting that 7 will show the Sunday afternoon games this year, why did they get the v8 supercar coverage? I will not be happy if the v8's will be shown delayed later at night.Seven seem to be making a big push for Sunday night ratings, although funnily enough mostly with 'chick shows' (Ugly Betty, Greys Anatomy, What about Brian, etc.)Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianW1503559681 Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 IMO there should be no sport on FTA at all - as it always overruns & causes the following show to be delayed. And crap like "The Footy show" has no place on *any* network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minchjp Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 IMO there should be no sport on FTA at all - as it always overruns & causes the following show to be delayed. And crap like "The Footy show" has no place on *any* network. Footy only overruns when there is an extreme situation, like someone got injured holding play for more than 30 minutes. Also, if you don't like the footy show then don't watch it. It isn't everyone's cup of tea, but what would they replace it with? Repeats of CSI probably Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianW1503559681 Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Also, if you don't like the footy show then don't watch it.I certainly don't watch it - but that's one show that nearly always overruns screwing up the times of the following programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Yeah, the AFL Footy show was where it was at . I could stand the channel 9 one, but although it ran over time, it usually was only 15 mins or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnas Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Yeah, the AFL Footy show was where it was at . I could stand the channel 9 one, but although it ran over time, it usually was only 15 mins or so. The footy show should hopefully get better next year now that they don't have to watch what they say like they did when they were one of the broadcasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Will it still be on this year? I assume 9 would have axed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBM Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I am pleased to see less sport on the screen BUT I do think that there needs something done. A digital only FTA station with football would do the trick... chances of that happening however... 0%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonysimilion Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Will it still be on this year? I assume 9 would have axed it. AFAIK 'The Footy Show' (AFL) was running long before Nine had the AFL rights, so I don't see why they would axe it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnas Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Will it still be on this year? I assume 9 would have axed it. Yep. There was actually an article in the Herald Sun TV guide last week I think where Eddie himself said that they'll be able to get away with saying more on the show this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighead1503560716 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Ha, Fantastic news, thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDigital Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I am pleased to see less sport on the screen BUT I do think that there needs something done. A digital only FTA station with football would do the trick... chances of that happening however... 0%. And the radio? There's a network in New Zealand, where it's dedicated to sport. Australia doesn't have one, but the ABC could surely replace one of it's services with a network for Sport only, and sport talkback when there's no sport being played I'd expect, Basketball, Soccer, AFL, NRL, Super 14, Cricket, and probably more sports that dont get air time elsewhere. This has only been thought up of, because someone I know keeps complaining that the normal programming on the Local ABC is being interupted by sport. He's not a big sports nut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpcam160581 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 In Melbourne we have a 24 hour sprts only radio station. Its called SEN and you can actually listen in from the website. WWW.SEN.COM.AU It is pretty much dominated by football during the winter months (particularly in prime time) but all sports seem to get a run throughout the course of a week. It struggled in the early days but seems to be gathering a bigger following. they have also secured rights to broadcast 5 AFL games a week this year for the first time. personally, i couldn't live with out it. My mrs reckons i superglued the radio knob in my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtr73 Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 In Melbourne we have a 24 hour sprts only radio station. Its called SEN and you can actually listen in from the website. WWW.SEN.COM.AU It is pretty much dominated by football during the winter months (particularly in prime time) but all sports seem to get a run throughout the course of a week. It struggled in the early days but seems to be gathering a bigger following. they have also secured rights to broadcast 5 AFL games a week this year for the first time. personally, i couldn't live with out it. My mrs reckons i superglued the radio knob in my car. Thanks for the website address - 5 games covered per round isn't too bad at all! Another option for me to get my AFL fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 But have you noticed who sponsors the AFL ch9 Footy Show.......FOXTEL nice way to get clips if ch7/ch10 says NO!! cheers laurie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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