Central Coast Mariners players (L to R) Tom Pendeljak, Matthew Simon and John Hutchinson sit dejected after loosing 0-1 to the Newcastle Jets in the A-League Grand Final in Sydney on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2008. AAP Image/Paul Miller
The tide of public opinion seems to be turning against Fox Sports. With A-League crowds dipping, the fact the league’s reach is limited by that of Foxtel’s is not lost on those who are searching for answers to explain the disinterest.
Even its presenters, such as the likes of Mark Bosnich, aren’t spared from the criticism.
Bosnich seems to be dividing public opinion as a Fox Sports presenter more than he did as a player.
He certainly is growing in confidence in his new role for the broadcaster with that infectious laugh, palpable excitement and unpredictable responses.
But his work on Fox Sports alongside Robbie Slater, particularly on the Matchday Saturday coverage and to a lesser extent on Fox Sports FC, grates with some fans.
Matchday Saturday can certainly be banal and downright silly at times, but should we grin and bare it, consoling ourselves in the fact the game is being afforded extra coverage? Or is the A-League being done a disservice in having such coverage dumbed down in the fashion of the AFL and NRL Footy Shows?
It’s up to the eye of the beholder and their respective tastes.
Fox Sports may be Anglo-centric in their coverage, especially when compared to erstwhile rivals, SBS, but credit to the former for their commitment to the game, be it the A-League, Socceroos or wider football scene.
Kudos to them for offering the Asian Champions League final in addition to their A-League coverage Saturday night, for example.
It also helps strengthen the A-League when it is coupled with the English Premier League coverage, hopefully helping to marry supporters of the EPL to our domestic league, and there has definitely been an obvious effort from Fox Sports to do so during this season.
Football supporters certainly owe Fox Sports a huge amount of gratitude.
Fox Sports’ $120million, seven year television rights deal signed in 2005 marked a turning point in the FFA revolution. Frank Lowy described it at the time as “a transforming transaction for the sport.”
But Lowy knows the limitations of pay television at this critical juncture for the A-League.
“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,” he said at a recent Melbourne Victory function.
The ideal scenario would be to have a shared deal between Fox Sports and a free-to-air broadcaster; having the majority of games live and interrupted on Fox Sports – one of the few broadcasters who could give games that type of coverage – with selected matches and possibly a highlights package sold to a free-to-air network.
As Jesse Fink states: “What Lowy must equally do, however, is not make the same mistake as his predecessor, David Hill, and sell the game’s soul – or part of it – to the station with the biggest ratings or advertising revenue.”
But Fox Sports isn’t going to cave in when its deal with the FFA comes to an end in two years.
It needs to keep a hold of football with the growing threat of ONE HD and the potential of future digital rivals robbing it of market dominance.
This next media deal will be critical for the A-League’s future, perhaps, considering the expansion phase it’s undertaking and need for an injection of funds and interest, just as crucial as that first deal with Fox Sports.
As for those who bemoan Fox Sports’ coverage, just remember the dark days of Channel 7’s flawed coverage of the game.
Give me Mark Bosnich’s laugh any day.
But it might be time to seriously examine how the A-League can maximise its impact on the box.
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Freud of Football said | November 8th 2009 @ 3:20am | Report comment
Give me channel 7 (which was terrible) over Robbie Slater anyday. He has the single most annoying voice on television, even moreso than McAvaney which is truly saying something.
The coverage in Aus is particularly dour and while solutions such as splitting the rights between Fox and FFA are really nice to hear, until the become reality there is not much point in talking about them.
midfield general said | November 8th 2009 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Bit harsh to slag Slater for his voice…. Whether you like him or not is a matter of taste. I find ex-footballers on the telly working as commentators are generally ok, especially Harper, Trimboli and Foster.
We shouldn’t complain too much about Fox, this kind of saturation coverage was unthinkable ten years ago. Does anyone remember NSL on C7 network? Probably not, because they bought the rights and never bloody showed it.
Davo said | November 8th 2009 @ 7:29am | Report comment
Get over it…..us Super 14 rugby fans have been stuck with pay Tv as the only viewing platform for more than a decade
PB said | November 8th 2009 @ 7:30am | Report comment
Having TV rights locked up in a pay provider definitely impacts on people’s connection to a sport, competition or team.
When I was living in Melbourne I didn’t hear about rugby at all, so it totally dropped off my radar. Since rugby’s migration to pay tv in NZ, interest in the game has notably declined. That is even with some games being given delayed broadcasts.
And it’s hard following the Nix without wanting to pay $100 a month.
A solid free-to-air coverage regime should be a pillar of any sport hoping to thrive.
megatron said | November 8th 2009 @ 7:39am | Report comment
Bosnich and Slater are getting worse and Matchday Saturday is a disgrace. Why does the A-League need one dimensional crickters and boring personalities to be on a show that should be dedicated to the game itself.
Pippinu said | November 8th 2009 @ 7:44am | Report comment
I find Bozza pretty good – what do people have a against Bozza?
David said | November 9th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
i think Bozza alright its the rest that dont noe what there talking about then they say stuff like Matt simons is knocking on the door of the socceroos WC 2010 they have no idea!
megatron said | November 9th 2009 @ 11:01am | Report comment
It is in their interest to talk up the A-League and they do a good job of it, some say too good.
the all rounder said | November 8th 2009 @ 8:06am | Report comment
and bruce mcavaney is a great commentator, i don’t know how you can compare him to robbie slater.
Freud of Football said | November 8th 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Bruce McAvaney is the biggest tosser on TV. His lack of knowledge and over-enthusiastic admiration of every sportsperson is ridiculous. Add that to his biased commentary and annoying voice, well he is worse than Slater in every facet of commentary except Slater’s voice is slightly worse to listne to.
James said | November 9th 2009 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
Actually his knoweldge of many sports is what makes him a great broadcaster. Compare apples with apples please. Bruce is a host…robbie special comments man…i dont like him, but each to their own.
Pippinu said | November 8th 2009 @ 8:11am | Report comment
Actually – Ross Aloisi had a strange moment last night – he began by saying: “What I am about to say is going to sound strange…”
Then proceeded to say it, but whatever it was he was saying was clearly stranger than he could ever have imagined, and it quickly must of dawned on him that it made zero sense, but continued to talk around it for the next 60 seconds such that I can’t even begin to summarise what the hell he was on about.
FIsher Price said | November 8th 2009 @ 8:22am | Report comment
I heard that: he seemed to be suggesting that Central Coast were behind Melbourne on the table because Vukovic is such a good goalkeeper!
Pippinu said | November 8th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Yes that’s right!!
It was something along those lines. Melbourne has a crap keeper, CCM has a good keeper, and that’s why Mebourne is currently on top of CCM!!
But he must have quickly realised it made zero sense, and just talkied round and roune – and you sort of were left asking: huh?
M1tch said | November 8th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
I like the matchday saturday show, Bozza also is what australia is all about, giving someone a second chance.
Eamonn said | November 8th 2009 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Pippinu
Ross Aloisi has to be the worst co-commentator we’ve ever had. Can’t stand his “insights” and delivery. Seems to think no-one who is listening understands the game at all. And his continued talking up, “good and professional” fouls. We know what he means but it’s crap to hear it and to suggest it’s “good work” by a player.
Does anyone watch football to see “good professional fouls” or would people rather see the player with the ball actually being made to advance un-impeded!
Get rid of him or at least keep him on the touchline. Surely we can do better than the inarticulate Ross.
Pippinu said | November 8th 2009 @ 10:14am | Report comment
Yes – true – I don’t like that aspect as well.
In fact there was one moment where Muskie has given Simon one over the chops with a bit of vigour. Now we all understand that when someone has been around for as long as Muskie has, that he knows precisely where the other bloke’ s head is.
But Aloisi was more than willing to give Muskie the benefit of the doubt!!
In fairness, he noted that Simon had left himself wide open – which was a good observation and the sort of stuff we want to hear – those little things that the casual fan is going to miss when there’s plenty happening.
That’s why I don’t mind Bozza – I reckon he really tries to add value in terms of commenting on what’s happening:
1. we don’t need to be told the obvious;
2. we don’t need to be told that something’s “handbags” or whatever (a favourite expression of Slater’s)
megatron said | November 8th 2009 @ 11:40am | Report comment
I agree completely. He struggles to string two sentences together.
andy g said | November 8th 2009 @ 9:37am | Report comment
The Fox boys do a fantastic job. You can only compare to what we’ve (aussie Football) had in the past.
Channel 7 bought the rights and buried it completely.
SBS did their best but it was always a bit of coverage on a channel not everyone watches.
We can now watch every minute of every game ( and I do) plus hear discussion on the ins and outs via the matchday program and Foxsports FC.
It is by far the best coverage the game in this country local football has ever had.
As for Bosnich and Slater, these boys had the most successful overseas careers of most if not all recently retired Socceroos. They are easily the most qualified to comment on the English Premiership, as well as the local game.
They’ll do me , the Fox boys, no worries.