By Sam Lienert
October 22nd 2009 @ 1:19am
Related coverage
Football needs to be on free-to-air
Australian football chief Frank Lowy says the game’s next broadcast deal needs to include free-to-air television to get the sport “to the people”.
Pay TV provider Foxtel is in the fifth year of a seven-year deal worth $120 million covering all Socceroos matches except the World Cup, as well as the A-League and Asian Champions League.
But FFA chairman Frank Lowy said in the next deal, they would aim to reach a bigger audience while reaping more money.
“There’s no doubt that the game needs to be shown on free-to-air from time to time, or certain parts of the competition on free-to-air,” Lowy said at a Melbourne Victory business lunch on Wednesday.
“Because that’s where the people are and we need to go to the people.
“I think we have grown up by now, that both the commercial free-to-air and the pay TV (operators) will realise that we are a growing sport, a very popular sport, and we are going places, so we will not be penalised financially.
“I think in the next two or three years that will bear out and we hope that we are able to negotiate a good contract with both free-to-air and with pay TV to get more than what we have now and a lot more later on.”
Lowy also said along with an aim to eventually expand to a 14-team A-League, there were plans to introduce a second division in the “not too distant future”.
“(It) will allow for promotion and relegation, which is the lifeblood of national football competitions around the world,” he said.
He said there had been suggestions the league was growing too quickly and acknowledged that some A-League clubs remained financially “fragile”.
But Lowy said the FFA were working hard to make sure all teams became profitable within the next few years and the league needed to expand to be taken seriously around the world.
The FFA boss also indicated future A-League seasons would start later in the year.
With the current season starting in August, the early rounds struggled to compete for publicity against the business end of the AFL and NRL.
“I think you need a certain amount of trial and error and I think we now recognise that we need to start the league somewhat later than what we have done before,” Lowy said.
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cab711 said | October 22nd 2009 @ 5:52am | Report comment
Visionary or fools paradise? I cant believe a 2nd tier is even on the cards ATM.
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 7:55am | Report comment
“There’s no doubt that the game needs to be shown on free-to-air from time to time, or certain parts of the competition on free-to-air,” – This gives him a lot of leeway as he doesnt committ to saying what certain parts would be free to air. FFA Cup, NYl, W_League, games not being played in the host city, a second division, Asain Cup to be separate from WCQ…. who knows. maybe none, maybe all. there is a lot of product to bundle up (Foxtel know all about bundling and repackaging)?
“I think you need a certain amount of trial and error and I think we now recognise that we need to start the league somewhat later than what we have done before” – good idea, Frank.
“plans to introduce a second division in the “not too distant future”.
“(It) will allow for promotion and relegation, which is the lifeblood of national football competitions around the world,” he said.”
- A Roar favourite. the arguments of geography, population, indifference versus necessity and Lowry’s bloodymindedness should be interesting.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
The problem for the A League on free to air (digital channels a chance) is most people know they’re watching a version of domestic cricket when they’d rather watch the test team – Socceroos.
The A League is a fringe competition like basketball’s NBL.
Redb
mahony said | October 22nd 2009 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
You cannot compare the A-League to fringe comps in fringe sports (domestically and internationaly in relative terms to football). Football IS different and Lowy knows what to do with it in the Australian context. Time is going to be very kind to Frank and his vision for the game.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 9:30am | Report comment
I think that’s why he is a bit uncomitted about what will be on FTA. Could end up just being a highlights package.
Obviously the only money maker for FTA would be the Socceroos, but the HAL needs exposure. Even if the HAL component is a sweetheart deal on One HD, SBS or ABC that is worth zero money for 1 game they should go for it IMHO.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 9:33am | Report comment
But lowy’s not talking about ONEHD, SBS, etc he means the big commercial channels in prime time,etc. The A League is just not going to cut it at that level. HAL finals maybe?
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 9:44am | Report comment
That’s the Socceroos component (the money maker), I don’t really see that his plan for the HAL is spelled out very clear though.
I guess the HAL could get a Sunday/Saturday daytime spot….but that creates it’s own problems with a football code being played in the Australian Summer. There would be a few teams that would just not be able to have home games for a good 3 month preiod if they had to be played in the daytime
There is a lot of scenarios that can play out.
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
RedB dont entirely agree with the dismissiveness of the HAL but realistically at this stage know it isnt the prettiest or best. I am not convinced that there is no space or interest on FTA. Smaller clubs may not generate interest but MV, SFC might and the respective clashes of the two might and as you said the finals probably would (but i dont see how these games can be separated from the rest of the season) as Andyroo suggests, any exposure is better than none. even for the NBL. Is Lowy looking at any reasonable exposure, which wld include those OneHD channels etc, witha view to making it onto the bigger commerical channels later?
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
There would be interest but that applies to many sports.
I guess separating finals would be difficult given that Foxtel would see them as the cream in the deal.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
One Scenario could be you bundle one or two HAL games a week with the socceroos and you sell it tot he highest bidder. The HAL games get shown on the corresponding digital channel wether that be Nine, seven or ten.
I know sevena dn nine have branded their channels as non sport, but those channels are in Nines case about 2 months old and sevens hasn’t even arrived. it’s hardly goint ot upset the apple cart if they put something on that manages to get 100k viewers on pay tv.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:06am | Report comment
Doesn’t Ch 9’s GO channel offer some sport though?
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Hmmm Haven’t seen any but admittedly I don’t look on their often.
I just had vague recollections of reading that they were splitting their channels and branding their digital channels 7 (it’s time) lifestyle 9 (Go) Entertainment and 10 (one HD) sport
If they are allready showing sport then there is no reason they couldn’t put the HAL on there and the Socceroos on their main channel.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:20am | Report comment
I briefly saw a news program talk about the new digital channels and your right GO was aimed at Entertainment/kids, but it did mention some sport.
Pippinu said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Personally, I don’t think live A-League games are a great fit for the three commercial FTAs.
ABC, SBS and the new HD channels – yes – but that won’t come with big bucks.
The Socceroos are a different matter again.
Midfielder said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:12am | Report comment
You gotta admit Obie Wan has balls… by and large I think he is right … can he turn his desires into a sustainable product … HHHHHMMMmm .. so many platforms … so much untried … so much guess work… so much blind faith….
Football has a lot to offer, International,Domestic, FA Cup, Women’s leagues..Most importantly what a FTA media deal brings is promotion and heavy promotion … thus football products that today are hardly know will get promoted…
Australia play across their 9 international sides 85 – 90 international games a year ….. which today only the Socceroos against know opponents carry any great audience or pre game media… but never have the other games ever been promoted or make much media it foolish to say the non Socceroo matches will rate tho the roof … but equally foolish to say if promoted they would not rate … as to where is the unknown..
The Asian Champions league at domestic level will a rate with proper promotion…
The A-League ,,,,,,hhhhhhhhMMMMMMMM AAAAAAAA RRRRRRRR … outside head to head with the AFL & NRL in winter …….. playing in Summer … there is a market there how big is pure guess work ….will a second division help …. Yes
Women’s league… will never be a huge audience but will rate well enough to be broadcast on the digital channel…
FA cup .. latter rounds with clever promotion should draw a reasonable audience…
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Mid,
Perhaps I’m being unfair, but a second division is just fanciful in a commercial sense and the womens league is not far behind.
If people aren’t massively interested in the first layer (A League) at the moment, a 2nd or 3rd layer is not going to work.
Redb
Midfielder said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:53am | Report comment
Redb
Depends at what level …. my guess is something like a 20 team comp … 12 in the A 8 in the B …. the 20 don’t change just their budgets…being fair I cannot see it for at least 12 maybe more years …
The Link said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
HAL’s best bet on FTA will be SBS, who will be willing to pay below market rate or even just break even to show games. I can’t see the business case stacking up otherwise. Its not just a case of willing it to be on FTA and it will magically happen, it needs to make commercial sense. If Pay TV ratings are any guide people aren’t falling overthemselves to watch HAL games at the moment.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Also of interest is we are in the running to host a future ACL final. That’s a tough sell if there isn’t an Australian team featured.
It looks like this years match set to be hosted in Japan won’t feature any Japanese teams but perhaps a Korean team (a ferry trip away) so that crowd figure will be interesting.
And perhaps show the folly of neutral venues for the ACL final.
Gibbo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
coming at this from a different angle… if more people got foxtel this debate would be redundant. although there’d be alot more opinion peices about how dreadful the Fox FC team is, bar Bozza, of course, who is brilliant and keeps getting better and better. his rants are inspired, and even if his opinion is completely wrong (which they are, often) his attempts to illustrate his point is entertainment to the extreme. i hope one day he nuts slater in the gob, live to air.
Pippinu said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Bozza’s great – it’s a good show all round.
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
agree. Simon Hill and Andrew Harper are good. thought Kossie was good recently also.
with more and more channels (because of digitalisation) needing content, foxtel might struggle when analogue “goes” completely.. with people now having two three times the choice on FTA maybe they will find it harder to get subscribers. what impact would that have on, say, sport???
Freud of Football said | October 22nd 2009 @ 5:19pm | Report comment
Australian’s are used to getting their sports coverage on FTA. Cricket nuts will pay for the privilege to watch the english Ashes series but the Average Joe isn’t going to get Foxtel to watch the A-League and the A-League can only grow with interest from Average Joe’s.
Michael C said | October 22nd 2009 @ 11:42am | Report comment
As a soccer outsider (there, I’ve qualified my comment),
I see Lowy saying all the right things like “I think we have grown up by now, that both the commercial free-to-air and the pay TV (operators) will realise that we are a growing sport, a very popular sport, and we are going places, so we will not be penalised financially.”
and yet, the primary vehicle domestically – the HAL, is not showing this. Lowy says one thing, and the reality is doing other things. (proof – To end round 11, 54 games vs 44 games and the HAL V5 has attracted 51,000 people less than the heady days of V3 for 10 less games.) That’s not a sign of a ‘growing/popular’ sporting product that you are trying to sell to FTA broadcasters – - esp given that inserting ads is the constant conundrum of FTA coverage of soccer.
(The cold harsh facts of rnds 8 and 11 have drawn just 31K and 34K to 5 games each!!, that’ll scare broadcasters off – especially now post NRL/AFL seasons. That puts the game in ABC afternoon territory.).
(note – this is on the basis of separating the ‘product’ = the HAL ; from the ‘game’ = soccer)
Lowy is working the hustings, doing the salesman job and trying to talk it all up. In my humble opinion, he needs a bit more support just at the minute. But, perhaps best not from Clive Palmer!!! However, the light at the end of the tunnel……post the 2006 FIFA WC, and MVFC success in V3 of HAL, people getting ‘caught up’ in the positive glow saw the Vic Govt build a $300 million stadium. Perhaps, just perhaps, 2011, in the afterglow of 2010 FIFA WC is the perfect time to draw cash from what otherwise might be broadcasting stones.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
The Socceroos have rated really well for a product only on Pay TV.
They were the money making consideration for TV last deal and that remains the case this time.
The HAL is not the only product. That would be like saying Shefield Shield is the cricket product, although the HAL brings in Figures comparative to Super Rugby in Australia.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
No doubt about the Socceroos drawing power. However, the HAL does not rate near the Super 14 rugby on average.
Redb
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
From what I can see on Astra the only Super 14 games to do better are the Tahs in a friendly time zone (OZ or NZ) and when two Australian Teams play each other
Otherwise you could throw a blanket over the figures.
Games not involving the Australian teams….well ASTRA only show the top 50 so I have never seen one.
Not that it says alot about the strength of Football….just how bad Rugby is doing more likely.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
well to be fair you can only compare the Australian teams and the Waratahs gets over 100-150K regularly, whereas the HAL struggles to get close to 100 even with the marquee Melb V Syd.
Some of the ratings for the HAL games are very low and only make the Top 50 because the AFL and NRL seasons are over.
To be honest I havent done a week to week analysis so you maybe right but intuitively it seems incorrect.
Redb
pete said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Agree Fox Sports do a good job with their coverage but for the ordinary person to follow a team I would like to see all the Socceroos & 1 A-League match per week on FTA.
Having a 2nd division (A-League2) would be very interesting as there is no such thing here with other codes. Unless a massive TV deal comes through in future I can’t see it happening in the short term. The 2nd division should include teams like Canberra, Wollongong, Geelong, Hobart, Darwin and maybe another team from NZ etc rather than more teams from Sydney and Melbourne.
Pippinu said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Two issues with P & R:
1. using your example, two annual airfares for Darwin vs Hobart would be enough to break the bank; and
2. it occurs to me that as teams go broke (as will often happen in new competitions), the sorts of teams that may have once upon a time been earmarked to start a second division will increasingly be used to plug the holes in the A-League proper.
Redb said | October 22nd 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
need buckets of money to run P & R especially in OZ.
True Tah said | October 22nd 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
pete it would be interesting, but a B-League would be a massive financial drain, if you want to pay players.
P & R is a tough sell in a country with a small population and a massive geographic area, and even more so when the teams do not enjoy the longevity of support in say England.
Say for instance Perth Glory got relegated to B-League? Would that mean their would be no top class futbol in WA?
The US does not have P & R and MLS does very well. Brazil didnt have a truly national competition until comparatively recently. I think the one country which we could learn from may be Russia, as it a massive country with P & R. My knowledge on Russian futbol is pretty limited, but I know that at one stage Vladivostok had a team in the Premier League and it caused a few issues for other sides, who thought they should be playing in the Japanese competition.
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
why not encourage the universities to field teams to make up the second division? uni’s in regional centres like Wagga, Armidale, wollongong etc might have the training facilities and local connections already and if given some incentives might be able to fund a team. cld get some of the students to come along… or is it too american (college style tier).
of course uni funding is terrible – but thats for books and not sport, and if they are serious about wanting to have an australian of the year in the alumini….=)
how about a combined forces team? “barrack the team from the barracks”. they’d probably play a physical game mind you but wld be a good clash against the uni team ( i assume who wld play an SBS approved game).
Chook said | October 22nd 2009 @ 2:40pm | Report comment
I think we should have a high light package like the Premier League on SBS.
I think Fox could get the cross promotional package.
constantine said | October 22nd 2009 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
as much as people might disagree the state league sides already have beautiful stadia, football only and perfect pitches. why not get the largest state sides to produce the evidence necessary that they can survive in a2. they already have supporters that would readily come out
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
constatine they are very much an important part of football (the new NSW Soccer set up back of blacktown in particular is impressive). just not according to FFA.
but unless you can reallocate South Melbourne to Hobart and Marconi to Wagga, invoving these types of clubs would make the whole set up very much centred in one or two metro areas and would not create the Austrlaia wide coverage Frank was talking about. I personally wld like to see some older clubs involved but even for the reasons above am not sure it wld happen.
pete said | October 22nd 2009 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
As with all competitions the FFA would have to get to a point were TV money will be allocated to all teams obviously more in A-League1 than A-League2 but at the same time the salary cap for A-League2 would be much less too. Imagine Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory get relegated! well that’s all part of the excitement.
Say if we had 20 clubs (10 clubs in each league) A-League today has a salary cap of around $2.5M per team and you would envisage A-League2 say around $1M per team. I think it could work down the track provided TV money is available from the FFA.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Not that I think an A2 is viable but I would say the salary cap would be the same as A1 but with a reduced miniumum you have to spend on players (i think approx 80% of the cap in the min you can spend on players).
That way if a big team did have a bad year they wouldn’t have to lose all their players. And Ambitious teams aren’t held back from having a real go at promotion and succeding in the top division.
tifosi said | October 22nd 2009 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
Off topic a little but this wont go down well.
“The AFL and NRL will have to take mid-season breaks of up to eight weeks should Australia host the soccer World Cup in 2018 or 2022 ”
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-sport/world-cup-would-mean-midseason-shutdown-20091022-hb0b.html
The Link said | October 22nd 2009 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
NRL did it for the Olympics in 2000, can’t see why they wouldn’t do it again.
AndyRoo said | October 22nd 2009 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
And they get a host of upgraded stadiums in return. Seems win win for all.
Pippinu said | October 22nd 2009 @ 5:15pm | Report comment
I have a lot of trouble envisaging the AFL shutting up shop for 2 months – one third of its season!!
It’s a bit like asking Myers to shut up shop in the period leading up to Christmas.
To be honest – it looks impossible – and considering the AFL has first dibs on both the MCG and Dome (which they will almost own outright by then) – a two month recess looks like a major, major stumbling block.
FIFA has rules about shutting out all major sporting events – but surely that would not extend to a little ol’ suburban competition that no one in the world has ever heard of? Will hockey, lacrosse and korfball also be shut down for two months? What about little athletics??
AndyRoo said | October 23rd 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Won’t be a problem.
This is Australia we are talking about not some country of worry warts.
AFL and NRLwill make a few noises (although I think the NRL has already give their ok) but with a bit of an early and later season they will be allright. The NRL uses a lot of Surburban grounds so can probably do a number of split rounds to get through that period.
I can imagine the AFL causing a stink, becasue quite frankly “the great Austrlaian game” has a very un australian attitude.
In return they get upgraded stadiums all over the place and would they really want to be still playing why the world cup is going on?
Pippinu said | October 23rd 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment
AndyRoo
As far as the AFL goes – there can be no earlier and later season (not to the extent of two months) because cricket is played either side of the season.
AndyRoo said | October 23rd 2009 @ 9:02am | Report comment
World Cup wont be until 2018 or 2022 if at all
All international cricket will only be played in Indian friendly time zones by then and state cricket can easily be played at surburban ovals.
Pippinu said | October 23rd 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I’m not sure, but I think the current MCG deal runs till something like 2032.
The MCC controls the MCG – but the AFL have complete rights during the winter months.
Michael Turner said | October 28th 2009 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
The MCG can’t host a World Cup Game, because it’s boundaries are too far away. Sydney will get two stadiums (SFS and ANZ), Melbourne one (etihad)
cab711 said | October 22nd 2009 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
This is all hearsay and conjecture. You cannot predict how the big FTA Channels will bid, if at all, for the HAL from todays standpoint. But whatever happens from here on out, the FOX deal has been fantastic for the code IMO. If the HAL secure a better deal with FOX this would be great ensuring a couple more years financial stability. FTA will give greater potential for exposure to the HAL but not necessarily perform that task. A FTA deal could turn out to be a lemon with the wrong decisions.
Pippinu said | October 22nd 2009 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
cab
in terms of live A-League games – we can predict the response of the commercial FTAs, from two differenct perspectives:
1. viewing numbers on Fox; and
2. the fact that two 45 minute halves aren’t conducive to the manner in which a commercial FTA generally runs things and earn money.
Highlights show – that’s ok.
Even replays – that’s ok.
But live games – not attractive to commercial FTAs.
SBS, ABC, HD channels – that’s a good fit – but not big bucks.