Football needs to be on free-to-air
By Sam Lienert, 22 Oct 2009 Sam Lienert is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- A-League, Asian Champions League, FFA, football, Frank Lowy
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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- Explore:
- A-League, Asian Champions League, FFA, football, Frank Lowy
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.