Fox Footy - looks like great news

[sydney-dog]

Foxtel back in AFL mix
18 October 2006 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan and Damian Barrett

FOXTEL has reactivated its bid to telecast four AFL games a week from next year.

Online poll: Which TV channel does AFL best?

The pay-TV channel is in discussion with the Ten network, which is also representing its broadcast partner for the next five years, the Seven network.
It is believed the parties have set a 48-hour deadline for a resolution of the long-running issue.

If the Foxtel bid is successful, it will show games Friday nights into New South Wales and Queensland, Saturday afternoon and night nationally, and the early and twilight game nationally on Sundays.

The latest development in the bitter TV rights battle has prompted the AFL to delay the release of its 2007 fixture.

The fixture was due for release tomorrow, but the AFL's chief operating officer Ben Buckley admitted last night it has been "held back".

Foxtel will need to pay in the order of $55 million for four games a week, roughly the amount it committed to in its joint bid with the Nine network.

Seven and Ten, holding the right to bid last, won the 2007-11 rights when they matched the Nine-Foxtel offer of $780 million.

The latest known offer from Foxtel to Seven and Ten is $21 million for three games a week, and an unknown amount for four games.

Buckley was tight-lipped last night. "One of the reasons we held the fixture back was to deal with some of the issues brought up by Seven and Ten in relation to games and game times," he said.

Loosely speaking, Buckley was saying the AFL and the free-to-air networks still weren't sure whether Foxtel would be a participant.

Seven spokesman Ian Johnson said last night: "At the moment, we just have to work on the basis that we will be doing four (games) each."

Asked about Foxtel's reported fresh interest, he said: "I can't answer that."

The AFL broadcast landscape has been clouded by the on-going legal battle in which Seven is suing several media organisations, including Foxtel, over the demise of its pay-TV arm, C7.

Any AFL matches on Foxtel next year would be broadcast on Fox Sports 3. Regardless of the outcome of the latest negotiations, the Fox Footy channel will not be revived.

The fate of the channel's popular supporting programs is uncertain.

[Mr66]

Couldn't see 7 & 10 doing every game.
All that was was ridicuously posturing by Stokes just to spite Foxtel over the C7 debacle.
As for the support programs, I am told that On The Couch and League Teams will survive.
OTC will remain the same but League Teams might be revamped.

[sydney-dog]

im not sure if this has been discussed

but why dont the AFL buy their own channel on FOX, this happens all around the world with major leagues

[Mr66]

SD, that would mean that the AFL would have to do something sensible

[am Bays]

With seven having forked out plenty of coin for the footy and V8's they need coin in return by onselling the rights. Plus they have major scheduling issues if they have to broadcast footy on a Saturday against the planned V8 scheduling, lost revenue by having to broadcast live into the NSW and Qld market (REB, Syd Dog, M80 would be happy though) prime time friday nite, and the advertising clash if they are going up against 10......

IMHO Fox had all the Aces, only a matter of time before 7 and to a lesser extent 10 came running to them.

However despite having Austar I believe no less than five games should be free to air when it comes to footy, four games on pay TV is too much. As I said earlier those that can't afford it especially young low to middle income families need access to footy on TV to encourage/inspire physical activity...

[Dutchy]

Tassie...Prior to Fox Footy we only had 4 games FTA anyway on 7 - the other 4 games wernt telecast on any channel, pay or not

[sydney-dog]

the main issue for me is the TV station that wins the rights for a certain sport but refuses to show the game live, their needs to be new legislation that allows the AFL to go back to the market if the game is not shown within a certain time slot

for example, Friday night footy in Sydney, we get the games at approx 11.30pm on commercial TV and Fox are not allowed to show the game either, so why cant the AFL allow Fox and other commercial stations to bid on that game given the fact the TV station with the rights refuses to show the game

[Blue Boy]

Listen out on Friday - some good news comin !!!

[am Bays]

Tassie...Prior to Fox Footy we only had 4 games FTA anyway on 7 - the other 4 games wernt telecast on any channel, pay or not

I think you' find iin the previous rights deal, 1997-2001 it was five games FTA dutchy, One friday, one SAt arvo, One Sat night, 2 on Sunday. Prior to that it was four

[Rik E Boy]

If League teams is to be revamped let's hope they take the axe to that bloody panel. Only Barnsey is even half interesting and he was the dimmest of the lot. Jason Dunstall, while a champion player is a bore of the highest order.

regards,

REB

[Brad]

Listen out on Friday - some good news comin !!!

I hope so.

[thegossip]

7 always did at least 6 games if long weekend all 8 games. i remember well saturday night did one game live then replayed other game after was a great saturday night. Anyway think fox will get the three games again i hope then the rest to 7/10.

[sydney-dog]

thegossip

that may be the case for SA but in Sydney we only get Swans games live and or Saturday afternoon game and the 1pm Sunday game, 2-3 games max

[Dutchy]

Tassie...Prior to Fox Footy we only had 4 games FTA anyway on 7 - the other 4 games wernt telecast on any channel, pay or not

I think you' find iin the previous rights deal, 1997-2001 it was five games FTA dutchy, One friday, one SAt arvo, One Sat night, 2 on Sunday. Prior to that it was four

Im talking about "live" games - Im not interested in delayed telecasts - live or nothing!

[PhilG]

..

[thegossip]

dutchy 5 live games when we had 7 the others on delay i think we had it better years ago with 7. i agree that times have changed i wish it was like last year 3 games on fox i hope not 4.

[Dutchy]

Im positive 7 only showed 4 live, please explain to me the times?????

If Crows/Power were on Sunday it meant no other game was shown live...and we know that Friday night wasnt live either

[am Bays]

one game Fri, 3 sat (1 x arvo and 2 x nite) and 2 sunday.

I thought I mentioned that....

[PhilG]

..

[Rushby Hinds]

deal done and dusted.


4 games per weekend live on fix sports 3


u bewdy!