F**k FTA, the revolution isn’t being televised anyway

The Bear said  | October 29th 2008 @ 8:09am | Report comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTCQSk2l8bc

yes, yes, yo … but at least let Foxtel *think* that Lowy may sell it to the FTA networks. We’ll get some more coin for our HAL and Socceroo’s then, Jesse.

Graciously,
The Bear

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Dave said  | October 29th 2008 @ 8:31am | Report comment

Couldn’t agree more.
In regards to the FTA networks and this applies not only to sport, the news is only news if that station has the rights for that sport. Otherwise the importance of whatever story it is rapidly diminshes.
I watch so little FTA sport onTV now. Every time l give the sportsnews a chance it just disappoints.
I watch Fox Sports news and recently Setanta sports news whilst FTA maybe SBS.
The other commercial FTA sportsnews are largely just plugs for whats coming up on their network.
The biggest joke was giving the Opening Ceremony of the RLWC a chance only to see it was an ad for an upcoming movie about Oz?

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sledgeross said  | October 29th 2008 @ 8:42am | Report comment

You might want to tell your mate that the Aboriginal Dreamteam and NZ Maori match was actually an exhibition/curtain raiser match before he reaches for his kleenex!
Its simple business really. The HAL is only in its infancy. The concept of the Asian Champions League is even newer. The public need time to assimilate football again, especially since they have been so bereft of quality for so long. Whether the A League (which has started to show impressive ratings) will anytime soon be able to match the commercial viability of AFL, NRL and cricket remains to be seen. Again though, I stress patience. We need to establish ourselves in the landscape first, then consolidate, then grow.
And haters can bemoan the League World cup, but at least the smaller countries have provided some entertaining matches. I think the ARL deserve credit for the format. They are trying to establish international rugby league again. They know that it wont happen overnight, or that they will ever compete like the Football WC, but hopefully in 20 years time some of these teams will develop.

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Michael C said  | October 29th 2008 @ 9:10am | Report comment

Why expect any more is entirely relevant.

It seems that some folk seek to be ‘horrified’,

- - - commerical networks are very much about cross promotion of their stable of products.

Everyone knows you don’t watch commerical news for a decent coverage - - the ads alone ensure that ABC news wins out, and for a ‘global’ view, then SBS wins out again.

Simple.

Expecting otherwise is childish.

Fair enough, lobby for change………..but, getting cranky about it,…….that’s just plain silly.

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Davidde said  | October 29th 2008 @ 9:39am | Report comment

Firstly let me fess up that I work for SBS.

I completely agree about the lack fo coverage right across the board.

This will change in time when the current crop of editors and sub-editors in the press and executive producers in TV are replaced by people who have grown up with ‘new football’. Who are ‘enlightened’ and care. It’ll take time but it will change.

For now we have to support those who try.

The ABC needs to do more in this area. Their irregular A-League podcast is massively disappointing in its lack of a consistent release. There are community radio shows and a couple of AM shows which cover the round ball game and have given Adelaide the press they deserved so good on them.

Meanwhile SBS Radio is also covering the event. I wont shamelessly plug the programs but there are 3 english language shows all over it (including one which’ll broadcast live from Hindmarsh).

It’s a shame we have to search for it, but it’s out there. In the meantime the more noise you make the sooner change will come.

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Midfielder said  | October 29th 2008 @ 11:34am | Report comment

Jes

To me it sadly highlights two general themes, first is that in the electronic media aside from SBS there is little knowledge and understanding of football, (remember no-one in early 2006 wanted the Socceroos now all stations want the Socceroos) beyond this most in sports management positions in media Australia come from the traditional codes and see football as a threat in some way to there own existence ………… if you don’t report it ……..did it happen! ! ! will people know of it.

Second and of more concern perhaps alarm ……. is the way the electronic commercial media use NEWS and Sports reporting as a method of promoting there own products …………. the increase in shareholder wealth is the core that drives business …….. there are many ways to increase shareholder wealth one is to not promote a competitor ……… many media companies use both general News and Sports News reporting as a promotional vehicle for their own assets and not promoting a competitor is simply business.

My concern at the latter point is any sport outside the existing media sports will struggle to get any real media traction …. but moreover and if we consider the current financial crisis steaming from the sub prime loans in the US. Adam Smith the father of modern day economics and business models said over 100 years ago ……… that when a group of business man sit around a table …. each will be attempting to gouge out the best profit they can make for them selves that’s how capitalism works , buts it only works when there is a high moral fibre and ethical behaviour behind these actions.

The sub prime is a clear example of where ethics end went out the window ……….. the blatant ignoring of football highlights is non ethical behaviour…….. given that if Mrs Smith was in a pie baking contest and 300 to 450 million Asians were going to watch her cook it would be front page news especially if Mrs Smith was using an outside BBQ and up against the Hilton Kitchen facilities.

Actually Jes that’s why the Roar is important, given it is a truly independent …….. be it small voice in the sports media market.

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Michael C said  | October 29th 2008 @ 12:38pm | Report comment

It’s still a case of the size of the POTENTIAL external audience is asserted by some to be soooo important that the internal market machinations should be over ridden.

Doesn’t make sense.

300 million folk in Asia who MIGHT watch the ACL final - - - they don’t appear on the Channel 9 ratings.

300 million folk in Asia who MIGHT watch the ACL final - - doesn’t add advertising value to Channel 9 - - - but, DOES add value to ground signage.

300 million folk in Asia who MIGHT watch the ACL final - - if that were deemed enough reason to ignore domestic demographics then it would be equally ‘agenda’ driven as Channel 9 providing a media focus on their own broadcast product the NRL - - - and, after all, we know that the NRL DOES sell on TV in NSW and QLD. The rest of the country this becomes a tad bit more redundant………oh……..except that the national breakfast program the “Today” show often seems to present themselves as if the entire country has a post code somewhere between 2000 and 2550.

If you guys care so much about what potential 300 million Asians are watching and care about, then………..that’s generally where SBS fits into the Australian media equation.

So - - - why is anyone complaining?

HAL and ACL are locked away on Foxtel - - that’s where Lowy sold them to.

They are effectively ‘buried’.

The Socceroos are making headlines. As they should.

And, the ACL is young, is evolving, is yet to establish a clear image and sporting credibility.

It’s got nothing to do with what it MIGHT become. And for now………it’s not even as if there’s a massive ‘purse’ on the end of it (granted in future a potential $2.5mill for the overall victor………not bad).

and for now, as Ch.10 seeks to establish a 24 hr HD sports channel…………the HAL is untouchable because it’s locked away for another 3 years on Foxtel.

And sadly, like it or not………..over promoting another networks sports ‘product’ is not in any stations best interest. Sports as a media commodity. One of the biggest oddities in this ’space’ is the Channel 9 AFL footy show. But - - that’s been seen as an attempt to sustain a ‘network’ sports specific credibility on the chance of gaining the rights sometime in the future. AFL fans would be deeply concerned should that show cease. Presently, channel 10 showed the Beckmania game……..perhaps that’s an early sign of a desire to look into soccer in the future…….but, that’s still 3 years away…….and so too perhaps might be FTA attempts at establishing some form of soccer credentials.

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Mick of Newie said  | October 29th 2008 @ 1:47pm | Report comment

The sooner we scrap the anti-syphoning list and allow for real competition for televising sport the better it will be for all sport in Australia.

Why a commercial FTA station would want to show a sports program to an audience that doesn’t want to pay for it on pay TV escapes me. It wouldn’t give me confidence that they were a high spend demographic that is attractive to my advertisers.

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Pippinu said  | October 29th 2008 @ 3:16pm | Report comment

Ok - I stopped understanding what’s going on exactly one minute ago…

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Michael C said  | October 29th 2008 @ 3:53pm | Report comment

Midfielder -

and so, can you blame the local media providers for not headlining it just yet.

Oh the shame, the shame……….top down isn’t happening over night……….it’s going to have to be earned.

Thank god for that, Australia can’t just be ‘bought’,…………I have faith in our cultural independance yet again,

shored up by the return to prominance of local tv drama,
the success of local music acts,
and the success of the AFL and lesser degree NRL despite all the ‘international/global’ advocates and their accountancy dogma.

If and when the ACL takes a pre-eminent position in the Aust sporting psyche - let it be by virtue of a few more hard yards……….

after all, the news today about the prize money being offered included a couple of tell tale comments that it isn’t yet what it might be :

Asia’s top club competition will be expanded from 28 to 32 teams, but with stricter criteria for participation in an effort to raise standards.

“This will give clubs the incentive to be more professional so they meet the requirements to take part in the competition.”

————-

so, keep building this ACL competition, it’s obvious it’s not quite what it’s hoped to be yet, and so - perhaps the Aust media is more savvy than you realise, perhaps they understand that this is an embryonic concept still to blossom.

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The Bear said  | October 29th 2008 @ 4:32pm | Report comment

Michael C, for an Australian team to defeat some of the cash loaded teams of the middle east arab regions and japan, now that is worth appropriate media exposure. But it hasn’t and isn’t. If Beckham was playing, not Rivaldo, last month against United, then i cynically assume that it would have made the Ch10 news.

Australians should feel proud and excited by this feat of reaching the Finals. The entry into the FIFA World club cup is now on offer for Adelaide United. Only the third Australian club to manage that feat. The first, through Asia. Your supposition that the Australian media is “savvy” to the “embryonic” state of the competition is laughable.

And thanks for the lol.

Graciously,
The Bear

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Michael C said  | October 29th 2008 @ 4:39pm | Report comment

The Bear -

laughable yes………….but…………..I think a bit of the Australian media was ‘lost’ by the farce of the Asian Cup and the poor PR job by the Socceroos in, around and after that tournament.

There might well be a hangover of cynicism.

btw - very true…………..Beckham is bigger than the game in Australia.

kinda sad, isn’t it.

The QLD Roar will probably only serve to proove that yet again.

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Midfielder said  | October 29th 2008 @ 5:18pm | Report comment

MD

Interesting your Ch 9 Murdoch post ……….. space to watch …….. add Telstra to the equation via inter net and mobile access and its makes an intetresting model ………. and maybe in less than 5 years ………. especially if Telstra is a more than 50% parnter in a 9 take over ……….

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The Bear said  | October 29th 2008 @ 7:27pm | Report comment

Michael C

Beckham is a “no-show”. Best news I have heard all week.

And the last Asian Cup was a logistical nightmare, shared around four different countries. For what it’s worth the FFA did do a fairly poor job at preparing and competing in it. But the quality of the media was good and the finals were fantastic.

And Iraq was a feel good story if there ever was one. Ummmmm, maybe not for Channel Nine et al, though…cos we were invading/liberating them.

And try to keep those tricky bias’ aside (you normally do so well)…. or else i shall start trolling the other codes here at the Roar…and trust me, you don’t want that

Graciously,
The Bear

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Midfielder said  | October 29th 2008 @ 9:28pm | Report comment

Onside

Excellent analysis but five years for me, and the quality thing of which you talk of is well understood by the FFA, and their response is well thought and achievable, first the youth league and second taken from the smh today http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/foo…956038879.html

With Gold Coast and North Queensland negotiating with a raft of existing A-League players, and with the competition possibly expanding by a further two teams in 2010, Buckley heads off to Europe in three weeks to try to convince a host of second-tier Australian players it’s the right time to come home.

Forums with up to 70 players are being planned for London and perhaps Amsterdam to sell the benefits of the A-League, and Buckley is confident the trip will yield some returns.

“We want these players to come home, especially the ones who perhaps aren’t playing in the top leagues over there,” he said. “Expansion is important for the A-League, but equally it’s important we maintain the quality of the playing standard.”

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The Bear said  | October 30th 2008 @ 6:03am | Report comment

dasilva, level headed and rational as always

Graciously,
The Bear

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Millster said  | October 30th 2008 @ 8:36am | Report comment

Just on one small comment made before. Though they are not perfect, and their coverage of “Becksmania” showed their lack of footballing knowledge and experience, lets not knock Channel 10. After SBS of course, I’d say 10 comes second in coverage of Australian football, and I regularly see coverage of HAL and Socceroo issues on their news bulletins and especially on the Sports Tonight show after the late news. So cudos to them.

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Ben of Phnom Penh said  | October 30th 2008 @ 11:24am | Report comment

One thing that is important to remember in relation to the ACL is the understanding of the Asian competition and the relative strength of their competitions. It wasn’t until very recently that the Australian footballing public garnered some comprehension of football in Asia and even now many pundits remain dismissive of the football to our North. It was only in June 2006 that an inkling that things may not be a cake walk in Asia started to penetrate the larger footballing conscious in Australia. This is slowly changing however it will take time. It is healthy that two different clubs in the Mariners and the Jets have a chance to participate in the ACL and that their supporters will gain a better appreciation of the competition and the strength of Asian football.

As it is taking time to sink into the consciousness of the footballing public it will take an even longer time for it to captivate the imaginations of the broader public. Hence the importance of the Socceroos’World Cup bid and, dare I say it, the Club World Championships should Adelaide face Man U, now a distinct possibility. These events will capture the non-football educated imaginations and will in turn garner interest from the FTA media and capture the columns of news print that we all crave. This is a reality that the FFA seem acutely aware of and their changing of fixtures to accommodate this marketing coup is a reflection of this.

On the bright side the games are being show on ESPN/Star here in Asia as are the HAL games on Australia Network. Many in Asia know who Adelaide United are and are watching their progress with interest; even if it is taking a little longer to catch on Down Under.

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Andrew P said  | October 31st 2008 @ 6:33pm | Report comment

Unfortunately, football forays into the FTA Networks, outside of the Government stations, have been disastrous. Does anyone remember the 3-test series between Australia and England in 1983, televised on Channel 7, commentary courtesy of Rex Mossop? Or the ill-fated Superstars of Soccer series on Channel 9? The original National League, called the Phillips Soccer League, started life on Channel 10 in 1977, but by 1980, had found a home on Channel 0/28 (for the youngsters out there, you’d know it now as SBS)

The last time a football match was shown on commercial FTA was the hugely successful Sydney FC vs LA Galaxy game, purely because of the commercial appeal of one D. Beckham. As a spectacle to the masses, it couldn’t have gone better, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of interest from Channel 10 for a slice of A-League pie after that.

I’d like to see some statistics that might support an increase in pay TV subscriptions due to coverage of the A-League and Socceroos games. Once that happens, if it hasn’t already, commercial TV WILL be interested. And while I agree with Jesse’s assessment of the FTA networks, football coverage is way better than it was when I was playing in the NSL (see, none of you know me - I rest my case!) Let’s not forget, Channel Nine were sick to their stomach that they got the rights to the “wrong” World Cup, and that’s why the Footy Show buffoons were falling over themselves to get in on the Socceroo act in Germany in 2006. There’s no doubt the sleeping giant has awoken, and the rugby codes are scared…

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Michael C said  | October 31st 2008 @ 10:36pm | Report comment

Andrew P -

when you’re only talking pay TV viewing figures of around 40,000 - - - with no FTA competition, no live attendance competition from other matches, - - - it’s not really time to talk FTA when you’re only talking a 5% increase in ratings at these levels. With the 4 games spaced over a weekend without overlap - - the entire soccer ‘family’ has the chance to watch all 4 games. In the AFL for example, you get fta broadcast vs pay broadcast and overlap of live attendance ‘competition’ etc.
I reckon there’s a far bit of Pay ratings growth still to go for FTA to really seriously look…………however………depending on what ch.10 does with their planned 24 hour sports channel?????

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Westy said  | October 31st 2008 @ 11:29pm | Report comment

Andrew for the sake of accuracy the journalist was Ray Gatt….Crowds are down 60827 at this time last year and 20593 from season 2……….the biggest drops are Phoenix -4356, Melbourne -3671 and inexplicably Adelaide -3076. How does such a well performed club who is the flavour of the month in Adelaide have falliing crowds. ….He highligts the real problem is with two flagship clubs Roar and Sydney.In season two Sydney had an average crowd of 18229 last season 14882 and so far this season 13219….for the roar 17537/17082/13671. Brisbane and Sydney are too large a part of the Free to air capital City ratings to take a risk at the moment on these figures. More to the point much of the 7% growth in pay TV may be in Victoria. This last part is hard to confirm . However if it were correct Sydney and Brisbane are a problem and the 7% increase in Pay audience may not be enough just at the moment to persuade a FTA broadcaster. The day will come but I would consolidate the expansion first. The Aleague is not the Socceroos..

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dasilva said  | November 1st 2008 @ 3:36am | Report comment

Westy
if you count the ACL matches in the average crowd for Adelaide United. Would the average crowds still be down?

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Westy said  | November 1st 2008 @ 9:30am | Report comment

Dasilva…I am not your enemy in relation to A league. Went to Tonga v Samoa at league last night had a good time. I am going with a football mate to Mariners v Sydney FC tonight. I have attended others before this each and every year of Hal ’s existence. I will watch the Blacksv Wallabies on tape tonight.
The A league is here to stay. the addition of the new teams will provide more variety and I believe higher crowds.
FTA broadcasters are conservative. they do not grow a product and A league at the present time is not a target for them. This does not mean it will never be. I do not like soft analysis.No FTA broadcaster can take the risk at the present time in Sydney and Brisbane. Remove our bias and beliefs and if you were running these businesses you would hesitate .
The time will come when the first FTA broadcaster to take a risk may be pleasantly surprised. However the time is not quite now. As always it depends on price and it seems sadly channel 10 already hard pressed to sustain its share of the AFL will find it cheaper to import US gridiron,baseball and basketball and very cheap Australian sports such as hockey/basketball/netball. i understand it has also picked up the swimming.
As Dave highlights for one of the premier games of the year HAL got pay tv audience of 100000. HAL can compete but needs to do so week in week out. It does not do so at present.. Secondly Contrary to what we can get Fox is actually able to identify which market /s most of these subscribers come from. i do know that recent growth in pay tv subscribers has been skewed to Victoria.Overall the HAL Paytv audience has grown 7%. This is positive . The question is where? If much of this increase follows the growth in new subscribers this is not googd for Sydney and Brisbane.
There is genuine concern that football numbers in Sydney and Brisbane are soft. End of story. We insult ourselves if we ignore this as does Jesse. This is to big a market to expect a FTA broadcaster to ignore. I believe that the Gold Coast over time will remedy Brisbane . Sydney is of more long term concern. I hope they will get a good crowd for the closest thing Sydney has to a local derby tonight.
Dave please understand how FTA works . Your analysis suggests the FTA broadcastors should buy the rights to ACL not the A league where Adelaide’s attandance’s are falling.
Hal will get there. . The main focus must be to improve the quality of the league and make sure the new teams are successful. Like it or not FFA must also sort out the Sydney market. This will be over the next 5 years although splitting Socceroos and ACL may be possible.
FTA is a competitive business. Thay are watching but any whining at the current time ignores present commercial realities . It is self serving. I will put f**k in my next header to make statement . I can hear a Nicky Carle article coming on.

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Andrew P said  | November 5th 2008 @ 8:19pm | Report comment

Dasilva

Yep, that sounds like me. But there are lots of games missing in those stats! Where on earth did you find those?

I guess the point I was trying to make was that the coverage of the A-League is far superior to that of the old NSL, which is no way a knock of SBS, without which we would have had nothing. And while the actual numbers of viewers don’t stack up against free-to-air, the fact that people are willing to pay to see their team play on TV is probably more impressive than having a FTA coverage. Does having the A-League and the Socceroos on pay TV increase Foxtel’s subscriptions? Did this happen when they got exclusive rights to the Super 14?

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dasilva said  | November 5th 2008 @ 10:16pm | Report comment

By the way Andrew P. You’re probably the biggest football star to be on The Roar. How does it feel?

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Michael C said  | November 6th 2008 @ 5:16am | Report comment

daSilva -

yep, and since 2005 Foxtel have been working hard at gaining greater access to AFL as well, moving from 3 to 4 ‘exclusive’ games, and getting ‘better’ games and specifically focussed on Adelaide and Perth.

and at the end of the day, who should take credit??? Well, undoubtedly, there are overlap people, that, once they get their foxtel put on, will watch whatever they can lay their hands on - - and in Adelaide, any Crows and Power supporters who have signed on would undoubtedly be (in the main) on board with the AU ACL journey.

What we do know about Foxtel is that in the early days it was a Rugby focus that saw the penetration into the NSW market in particular taking the lead. AFL was only later added……..how much of the growth to 900K was in that? I know I got foxtel ONLY because they had the dedicated FoxFooty channel - - but, then when the kids came along, I let Foxtel go (just didn’t have time anymore) (although, I always prioritised my club membership AHEAD of foxtel). It’s only really been this year, that the FTA fan doesn’t get to see one single LIVE game MOST weeks - - we used to have the ‘early’ Sunday game from interstate into Victoria - - now, that’s a Fox game.

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dasilva said  | November 6th 2008 @ 10:54pm | Report comment

Andrew P

Still you probably the most high profile football player here so far. I haven’t heard about any past NSL players going on this site.

Got any comments/dirts on other players/ex-soccerroos?
Any stories to tell?

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