Australian Football TV Rights & Death Of Foxtel Thread

[theguyyouwishyouwere]

Build a proper membership base...

 

charge more for memberships...

[StringerBellend]

Consumer critisim of Optus seems mainly to occur in news limited papers (they wouldn't have an agenda would they)

 

Other than some early problems be Optus coverage works well. I can watch the game whenever I want, it's in HD and is basically free with my broadband

 

Being selfish Optus for the a league would suit me, save me $50 a moth paying for a Foxtel package

 

If 2 decent games a week went to free to air and were hyped up would to be so bad to have the rest on Optus?

 

*Throws grenade and takes cover

[nmh94]

Consumer critisim of Optus seems mainly to occur in news limited papers (they wouldn't have an agenda would they)

 

Other than some early problems be Optus coverage works well. I can watch the game whenever I want, it's in HD and is basically free with my broadband

 

Being selfish Optus for the a league would suit me, save me $50 a moth paying for a Foxtel package

 

If 2 decent games a week went to free to air and were hyped up would to be so bad to have the rest on Optus?

 

*Throws grenade and takes cover

 

The key to your statement is two decent FTA games to accompany Optus having the rest. It would only work if derbies etc were on FTA. If it remains as status quo, with Optus getting the extras instead of Fox with one ordinary FTA match, it would be a disaster. I don't know what Optus is getting ratings wise for the EPL, but it would be a lot less than Fox was getting last year.

[btron3000]

Optus instead of Fox would be bad mojo

 

We'd get an app with the games and few if any tv shows. We already complain of the minimal midweek programs for the a-League. We need more content not less.

[Prydzopolis]

Optus instead of Fox would be bad mojo

 

We'd get an app with the games and few if any tv shows. We already complain of the minimal midweek programs for the a-League. We need more content not less.

Fox does Shootout & do pre-post for most shows but football wise what else do they do?

 

Optus have quite a few daily shows (news, fantasy, 1.15hr daily show covering the days/weeks big issues). Much better/more than fox did for EPL & aleague

[West13]

Optus (we) have a whole team of producers for local content (which is growing) and of course pull through all of the British content thats EPL related. I was happy watching on Fox but didnt really know what i was missing in terms of UK content. Now that i know that those shows exist i cant turn back to minimal content.

[Prydzopolis]

Optus (we) have a whole team of producers for local content (which is growing) and of course pull through all of the British content thats EPL related. I was happy watching on Fox but didnt really know what i was missing in terms of UK content. Now that i know that those shows exist i cant turn back to minimal content.

100%

 

So that is EPL produced content by whom? Why didn't we see it when Fox had the rights? I'm really liking what I've seen thus far & especially "goal rush" that is commentary for 1 game but they cut to highlights of all the other games.

[West13]

 

Optus (we) have a whole team of producers for local content (which is growing) and of course pull through all of the British content thats EPL related. I was happy watching on Fox but didnt really know what i was missing in terms of UK content. Now that i know that those shows exist i cant turn back to minimal content.

100%

 

So that is EPL produced content by whom? Why didn't we see it when Fox had the rights? I'm really liking what I've seen thus far & especially "goal rush" that is commentary for 1 game but they cut to highlights of all the other games.

Its produced by IMG, who have the global distribution rights for EPL. Its awesome. And i dont have to ever hear Slater talking ****.

[btron3000]

 

Optus instead of Fox would be bad mojo

 

We'd get an app with the games and few if any tv shows. We already complain of the minimal midweek programs for the a-League. We need more content not less.

Fox does Shootout & do pre-post for most shows but football wise what else do they do?

 

Optus have quite a few daily shows (news, fantasy, 1.15hr daily show covering the days/weeks big issues). Much better/more than fox did for EPL & aleague

 

I guess I need to get used to the app more! I just saw a bunch of quick grabs and thought it was just cheap add-ons. If a-league got similar content to what you describe that'd be great.

[Prydzopolis]

 

 

Optus instead of Fox would be bad mojo

 

We'd get an app with the games and few if any tv shows. We already complain of the minimal midweek programs for the a-League. We need more content not less.

Fox does Shootout & do pre-post for most shows but football wise what else do they do?

 

Optus have quite a few daily shows (news, fantasy, 1.15hr daily show covering the days/weeks big issues). Much better/more than fox did for EPL & aleague

I guess I need to get used to the app more! I just saw a bunch of quick grabs and thought it was just cheap add-ons. If a-league got similar content to what you describe that'd be great.

If you check West's post above it is content produced by IMG not Optus. Very similar to what Fox do but clearly a step up when it comes to journalists, ex players & presenters with much more content.

 

Interesting that if the AwFuL could have there own media department the size of one of the main newspapers, you wonder whether the FFA look for a broadcaster who would be willing to produce similar content which would accompany any tv rights purchased from overseas.

 

How good would it be with:

- Santo Sam & Ed

- A-League fantasy feature

- Kate Cohen with tactical breakdowns

- Bozza with his laugh

- Referee Watch (love this feature on the Optus Tuesday show)

Etc etc

[West13]

^^ to clarify, optus also produce some content for the app and on demand stuff. Richard Bayliss and Michael Bridges tend to do it, with crosses to Schwarzer for opinion out of the UK.

[Prydzopolis]

^^ to clarify, optus also produce some content for the app and on demand stuff. Richard Bayliss and Michael Bridges tend to do it, with crosses to Schwarzer for opinion out of the UK.

Ohhh.... Saw him part of the first pre match show, just assumed he was part of IMG team

[West13]

 

^^ to clarify, optus also produce some content for the app and on demand stuff. Richard Bayliss and Michael Bridges tend to do it, with crosses to Schwarzer for opinion out of the UK.

Ohhh.... Saw him part of the first pre match show, just assumed he was part of IMG team

Schwarzer does some work for IMG too.

[Prydzopolis]

Interesting...Max Mason: Channel 10 want Saturday night A-League slothttps://audioboom.com/boos/5101422-max-mason-channel-10-want-saturday-night-a-league-slot

[Taurus]

• OCTOBER 2 2016 - 3:12PM

Football Federation Australia aims for TV soccer bidding war

 

 

• Michael Lynch  
•  
• Football Federation Australia is set to formally test the market on broadcast rights to a suite of its "products" now that its exclusive period of negotiations with current broadcaster Fox Sports is over.

The FFA will be hoping that free-to-air networks Seven, Nine and Ten, are interested in bidding for the A-League and other games which it holds the rights to, such as the W-League and Socceroos friendlies.

Banking on it: Officials hope Tim Cahill will drive up A-league interest. Photo: Getty Images

In an ideal world for the FFA there would be a bidding war also involving pay broadcasters such as beIn Sports and Optus to drive the price up to its ambitious target of $80 million a year, a doubling of its current deal, which expires at the end of this season. Optus surprised the market when it gazumped Fox to snatch the rights to the English Premier League, which it has recently started broadcasting.

Fox holds the first and last rights to any bid and it held a period of exclusivity to conduct negotiations until September 30.

No-deal was struck by then, so the FFA will now entertain offers from new players or those who have previously expressed an interest. SBS, which broadcasts one game a week, is not expected to figure.

The A-League is the main attraction, as it provides the bread and butter of Australian soccer content and runs from the end of this week (kick-off is October 7 when Brisbane take on Melbourne Victory) to the grand final on May 7. 

Fox has invested heavily in developing its coverage of the competition since its inception in the 2005-06 season, has expertise and the outside broadcast capacity to provide continuity of coverage. 

The monies it has previously paid for the rights have effectively underpinned the salary cap at the league's 10 clubs.

One fly in the ointment is the inability of the FFA to sell Socceroos World Cup qualifiers. While many of these matches take place at viewer unfriendly times in the middle of the night (as the upcoming game against Saudi Arabia at the end of the week exemplifies) home games, such as the one against Japan due to be staged in Melbourne on October 11, rate highly.

The World Cup qualifier rights-holder is a company called Lagardere and it has opted to sell this property independently.

Potential broadcast partners will also be monitoring ratings and attendances at games in the early weeks of the season to see if interest is mounting.

The game's governing body is hoping the presence of Tim Cahill, who has signed for Melbourne City, will trigger much greater interest at grounds and for the telecasts. Cahill will, however, be missing from City's season-opener in Wellington as he is on Socceroos duty in the Middle East this weekend.

The competition ratings gave some cause for concern last season, with a reported 18 per cent decrease from the previous 2014-15 campaign, so David Gallop, Steven Lowy and their management colleagues will be hoping that Cahill can deliver an immediate impact. 

It may end up being a difficult circle to square for the decision-makers if a pay TV broadcaster offers more money but a free-to-air company gets close, as it can offer a potentially wider mainstream audience. Some clubs will want as much money as they can get to bolster their finances, while others will argue that growing the game is more important.

[Prydzopolis]

I think it is wishful thinking that a bidding war will ensue forcing the rights up exponentially.

 

I get the feeling that FFA weren't happy with the initial offer from Fox based on the wording of that article

[beatsurrender]

I think it is wishful thinking that a bidding war will ensue forcing the rights up exponentially.

 

I get the feeling that FFA weren't happy with the initial offer from Fox based on the wording of that article

 

I agree. With the NRL and AFL don't they usually sort it out before the exclusivity window ends. I bet FOX aren't offering anything close to 80K. If a FTA network offers less than FOX, as Lynch says the FFA may prefer that if they take a longer term view. They say to the clubs go back to your major sponsors, shirts rights owners etc, you can negotiate a higher renewal fee now as we will be on free to air TV etc.

[Alexander]

Less than 80k?

 

Geez, things were worse than I had realised

[mack]

TV networks aren't stupid. They aren't going to go "wooo Cahill" for 2 seasons and suddenly offer double the money for a 4 year contract. Cahill playing 50 odd matches over the course of 2 seasons isn't going to make much of an impact on the overall 550 or so total A-League games in a 4 year contract period. Many of those matches will be against small rating teams like Perth, Newcastle, Mariners & Wellington so will have little impact for about half of them anyway.

 

The FTA networks will only be interested in Australian national team matches (and likely only the big ones held in Australia) and 1, max 2 games a week from the A-League.

 

Foxtel will realise no-one is going to pay massive amounts of money for either the A-League or our National Team, and have probably already made an offer, knowing that the FFA aren't going to sell the entire A-League rights to a FTA network. There is no chance in hell 7, 9 or 10 will want shitty matches like Newcastle vs Wellington, or Mariners vs Perth.

 

Channel 10 already has the 20/20 cricket. Nine has Australian cricket.

 

FFA will be lucky to get 55 million a year.

[FCWanderers]

But this season off the field is just as vital for Gallop and the FFA. Last Friday the exclusivity or "first rights" period for Fox Sports to negotiate a new broadcast deal with the FFA expired – Fox and SBS are coming into the last season of a four-year $160 million deal – and Gallop can now start officially talking to others to drum up support.

 

The FFA is particularly keen to get one of the big three commercial television networks to buy some rights, and is said to want to double the annual rights value to up to $80 million. It is understood the FFA will be meeting with interested parties over the coming fortnight, including Optus and pay-TV network beIN Sports.

 

"The TV negotiations are now at a stage where we can take our proposition to the market," Gallop said. Fox Sports will still have a big say though, with the pay-TV network holding "last rights" that give it the chance to match any other offers FFA receives. Gallop expects negotiations to take "many months".

 

http://www.afr.com/business/sport/aleague-season-big-one-off-the-field-for-ffa-in-uniquely-competitive-market-20160930-grs1nz

[tardotz]

So if Foxtel lose the rights, how many of you (that have Foxtel) will keep Foxtel?

 

I know I won't.

[mack]

They won't lose the rights. FTA will not want every game. They will probably simulcast whatever ends up on FTA anyway.

[Alexander]

But this season off the field is just as vital for Gallop and the FFA. Last Friday the exclusivity or "first rights" period for Fox Sports to negotiate a new broadcast deal with the FFA expired – Fox and SBS are coming into the last season of a four-year $160 million deal – and Gallop can now start officially talking to others to drum up support.

The FFA is particularly keen to get one of the big three commercial television networks to buy some rights, and is said to want to double the annual rights value to up to $80 million. It is understood the FFA will be meeting with interested parties over the coming fortnight, including Optus and pay-TV network beIN Sports.

"The TV negotiations are now at a stage where we can take our proposition to the market," Gallop said. Fox Sports will still have a big say though, with the pay-TV network holding "last rights" that give it the chance to match any other offers FFA receives. Gallop expects negotiations to take "many months".

http://www.afr.com/business/sport/aleague-season-big-one-off-the-field-for-ffa-in-uniquely-competitive-market-20160930-grs1nz

Wouod you mind pasting the whole article please mate? It's pay walled

[FCWanderers]

A-League season big one off the field for FFA in 'uniquely competitive market'

 

by John Stensholt

 

Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop's recent experience encapsulates just how important the arrival of Socceroos star Tim Cahill is to the upcoming A-League season, and also to the FFA's negotiations for broadcast rights.

 

Gallop had agreed to meet Cahill and his management team at a prominent Melbourne restaurant and a table for four had been booked. Upon arriving Gallop asked if one more seat could be added as another guest was coming, only to be told the restaurant was full.

 

He then quietly mentioned Cahill would be at the table. Suddenly the staff flew into action and the party was accommodated, and even moved to a more prominent table in the middle of the room.

 

"It shows you the sheer popularity of Tim," Gallop told the Australian Financial Review. "Then when you speak to the television networks he will often come up in the first few sentences. It is great to have our number one target in Tim back in the A-League, and a number of current or fringe Socceroos back too."

 

Gallop said the build-up to the 2016-17 season, which kicks off on Friday night, has been exciting and says Cahill at Melbourne City, Rhys Williams at Perth Glory, Brett Holman at Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory's James Troisi are examples of good Australian players choosing to return home from abroad.

 

Ticket sales have also been strong, particularly the first derby between Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium for which a crowd of at least 60,000 is expected. There are hopes the Melbourne derby the following weekend, Cahill's first match in his new home town, could attract 50,000 spectators.

 

But this season off the field is just as vital for Gallop and the FFA. Last Friday the exclusivity or "first rights" period for Fox Sports to negotiate a new broadcast deal with the FFA expired – Fox and SBS are coming into the last season of a four-year $160 million deal – and Gallop can now start officially talking to others to drum up support.

 

The FFA is particularly keen to get one of the big three commercial television networks to buy some rights, and is said to want to double the annual rights value to up to $80 million. It is understood the FFA will be meeting with interested parties over the coming fortnight, including Optus and pay-TV network beIN Sports.

 

"The TV negotiations are now at a stage where we can take our proposition to the market," Gallop said. Fox Sports will still have a big say though, with the pay-TV network holding "last rights" that give it the chance to match any other offers FFA receives. Gallop expects negotiations to take "many months".

 

Doubling the $40 million current figure may not be feasible either, given that the FFA can't sell the last round of Socceroos world cup qualifiers – that is done directly to the market by rights holder Lagardere (the former World Sports Group) – or the Asian Cup, which it did last time. Therefore it is probably taking about $30 million worth of rights to the market this time in the form of A-League and W-League rights and some early-stage Socceroos games and friendlies. Doubling that would bring in $60 million.

 

To help boost A-League interest, the FFA will this week roll out a major new advertising campaign aiming to win over more families with a particular focus on the 2 million participants around the country. About half of the children, men and women who play the game are yet to identify with an A-League club, and the FFA has already launched ads featuring players asking "I've got a team. Who's yours?"

 

Meanwhile Gallop and the FFA have many perennial issues to deal with, including helping the 10 privately owned A-League clubs on the ever-winding path towards financial sustainability.

 

The owners have reportedly formed their own association and intend to press for more say in decision-making and eventually a self-managed league, some pundits and fans are pushing for a second division that would mean promotion and relegation between the two leagues and representatives from world governing body FIFA have been in town checking on the FFA's corporate governance standards.

 

"A fully separate A-League is not on our agenda for now," said Gallop. "We operate in a uniquely competitive market here and have to be in an environment where we can make disciplined decisions. But it is still hard going in club land [financially], we are cognisant of that."

 

Four clubs last season reportedly broke even – grand final winner Adelaide United, Victory, Wanderers and the Central Coast Mariners, though the last was from a much lower cost base.

 

To get that number higher, the FFA needs a big uplift in the next broadcast deal and both it and the clubs need to bring in more commercial income. The FFA has re-signed Hyundai as a major sponsor and other brands such as Aldi, Caltex and TAG Heuer, while lifting the restriction on the ability of club's to sign car sponsors.

 

TV-wise the FFA will need to get moving, with cricket rights soon to be on the market and Fox Sports known to be keen to get back some rights in that sport.

 

The hope is that Cahill scores plenty for Melbourne City this season and fires the imagination of the public, and then the TV executives chip in with some big goals themselves. It is going to be a tough match for the FFA.

 

http://www.afr.com/business/sport/aleague-season-big-one-off-the-field-for-ffa-in-uniquely-competitive-market-20160930-grs1nz

[Alexander]

Thanks mate

 

[Case]

So if Foxtel lose the rights, how many of you (that have Foxtel) will keep Foxtel?

I know I won't.

If they lose the rights to BeIn, and it is shown on Foxtel via their BeIn channels, I'll stay.

 

Otherwise, bye bye.

[Hughesy]

I recall reading an article someone posted on here a while back that revealed beIn made enquiries about the a league and the FFA told them not to bother.

[lloydy136]

I recall reading an article someone posted on here a while back that revealed beIn made enquiries about the a league and the FFA told them not to bother.

That may change now that the bein channels are part of the standard fix sports package.

 

One point that I think doesn't get enough air in this debate is that the TV money directly improves the product. If it did go to $80 mil and a fair chunk of that goes to the cap then almost instantly you would improve the standard of football - you bring back 20 o/s aussies, upgrade visa players and grab a couple of name marquees.

 

This us not the case for the egg ball codes where there is no broader pool of players. More TV money just means more money to the same group of wankers they already have playing. The product stays the same.

 

In short - if fox spends some money they should get it back with a better comp and ultimately more subs.

[btron3000]

Great point lloydy. I hope that the FFA are pushing that agenda!

 

Quality is also an interesting point regarding possible expansion. If the a-league expands, and doesn't drop to a 3+1 rule, then there are 5 less players per team that have to come from the local talent pool. With the junior rules etc, that's only, what, 15 senior players per extra team. With the quality of some of the talent coming through and the amount of junior players, the investment in new training systems/academies will enable that. With the opportunity to bring in 5 foreigners and 2 more marquees per club, that creates more excitement, as does the fact that it won't be the same 10 teams. 

 

Whenever NRL/AFL want to expand, they have to cover all the positions from local players who are already in their system (in the case of the NRL they can get them from North England I guess). There is no real opportunity for them to create new academies to tap into their talent pool, it's tapped already. In the NRL that means filling an extra 25 senior players per team (more I assume for AFL), plus a junior team and lower grades, and the lower grades simply don't have enough talent. That is one of the reason that they try and relocate clubs instead of starting new ones, resulting in arguments and people losing interest for the game.

 

I'm not trying to sell the idea that the a-league can create an infinite amount of teams with the same quality, but the opportunities are there to expand without decreasing quality in a way that the NRL and AFL simply can't manage.

[btron3000]

Article on Foxtel's offerings, and reliance on sport.

 

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/streaming-wars-with-presto-almost-dead-all-eyes-are-now-on-foxtel-20161004-gruibk.html

 

As an aside, I wonder how much Uncy Rupert's influence is slowing this NBN?