Fox Footy - looks like great news
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:08 pmFoxtel 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.
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.
