Battlelines drawn over live Friday night footy
Columnist By Adrian Musolino, 17 Feb 2010 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, Australian Open, Channel 7
Jason Blake and Colm Begley of St KIlda collide with Grant Birchall of Hawthorn during the AFL Round 19 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the St Kilda Saints at Aurora Stadium. Slattery Images
AFL stars and fans are declaring war on Channel 7. And for good reason. The network has confirmed it won’t be showing Friday night AFL matches live, as it’s committed instead to Better Homes and Gardens.
The continuation of delayed coverage has the AFL world fuming and has already sparked discussion over the AFL’s next media deal.
The outrage is justified.
An 11pm or over finish to the 8:30pm coverage is simply too late for kids, and the AFL should rightly be concerned by the early start to the antagonism toward Seven.
Channel 7’s track record with its sports coverage has been well documented here on The Roar, but you sense their continued failure to grasp the importance of live coverage is going to cost them big.
The fact that this debate is raging weeks before the season kicks-off suggests the AFL and Seven should be worried about a public backlash.
For AFL fans, there are alternatives to Channel 7 on Friday nights, including the AFL website’s Match Day live scoring (helps keep track of those crucial Dream Team points!), radio, Twitter updates and even live-streaming.
We no longer live in an age where we are solely dependant on television and radio, and their failure to grasp this is finally having a tangible impact.
As discussed during the Australian Open tennis, the huge drop in television ratings was in large part the result of Seven’s much-maligned delayed coverage.
As I wrote: “There’s no other indicator beyond television ratings to account for a decrease in the Australian Open’s popularity, with attendances at Melbourne Park increasing by approximately 80,000 over the past five years.
“The exodus of viewers for the Australian Open is more of a boycott of Channel 7 than a reflection of tennis’ standing in this country.”
While the AFL is obviously in a much stronger position to retain an audience compared to the Australian Open, they must be worried by the damage Seven’s delayed coverage will do to the ratings and popularity of Friday night footy.
Now Channel 9 has reportedly thrown its hat into the next round of AFL television rights, with live Friday night footy into Victoria, SA and Tasmania – and live into NSW and Queensland on their Go! Digital channel should the anti-siphoning laws be changed in time – sure to increase their bargaining position should Seven fail to budge.
Seven has a simple choice: listen to its audience (90 per cent voting on the Herald Sun website demanding live Friday night footy), show the fixtures live (can’t Better Homes and Gardens be shown on any other weeknight?) or risk a backlash akin to the one that impacted its Australian Open coverage.
If it doesn’t, it merely strengthens Nine’s bargaining power at the negotiating table with the AFL and weakens Seven’s relationship with the league.
The lesson here is a familiar one: with all the advances in television and sporting coverage, it says a lot about the backwardness of Australian television and the regulations that govern it that the biggest code in Australia is relegated to delayed coverage on what is the most popular night to watch it for its fans.
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- AFL, Australian Open, Channel 7
February 17th 2010 @ 11:00am
Simmo said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment
Over here in Perth we never get it live, unless its a sold out derby we always have to wait till 8.30, even with fox you still have to get it pay per view if you want it live, it’s so stupid, why they can’t show it live on their other channel is beyond me all they show is reruns of crappy sitcoms
February 17th 2010 @ 11:08am
AndyRoo said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Fast forward 18 months from now once all games are live, will we be complaining about only some of the games being in HD then 3 years from now only half the games are in 3D
February 17th 2010 @ 11:14am
Marshall said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:14am | Report comment
True, but showing the thing live is a pretty basic and fair expectation, isn’t it? I mean, come on!
February 17th 2010 @ 11:21am
AndyRoo said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
I am with you, just getting ready for future battles.
Channel Seven would probably tell you “your lucky we show the games in color”
February 17th 2010 @ 11:24am
Redb said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Can’t beat live games, with a one hour delay the temptation to get a score update is too great, spoils it.
February 17th 2010 @ 11:38am
Marshall said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:38am | Report comment
And too easy. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven to a mate to watch the footy, turned on the car and the radio blurts out live commentary with the score. The match is ruined. Not to mention Internet, sms, Twitter, friends who can’t keep a secret etc. How many ratings are lost from people who find out the score, just follow it online and switch over to a movie.
February 17th 2010 @ 11:56am
Dogs Of War said | February 17th 2010 @ 11:56am | Report comment
Happens with the Rugby League too, the second game, as it’s live on the Radio, you can hear the 2nd game score via updates. Frustrating when you had plans to watch it.
February 17th 2010 @ 12:26pm
Ken said | February 17th 2010 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Ch 9 still delays their Sunday game of RL. Back before I had Fox I was happy with this game because at least it was on TV. Now I hate it when I get this game because it’s one of the only slots that I can’t see live! (and without ads during gametime)
As a RL supporter I haven’t been familiar with the probs AFL has had with 7, bloody annoying but I think the FTA channels are always going to mess us around. Ch9 may give NRL live Friday games (only for the last few years) but they refuse to show any reasonable coverage outside of their heartland areas. Ch7 give you guys great coverage around the nation but stuff you around in your heartland.
Does anyone know the reason for their decision? I’m sure that the AFL coverage would kill BH & G in Melb but does BH& G do better nationally and they don’t want to change local programming to suit? I know Ch9 used to think that they’d get better ratings at 8:30 but they actually improved live @ 7:30, you would think that experience would give Ch7 the balls to try the same thing.
February 17th 2010 @ 12:34pm
Dogs Of War said | February 17th 2010 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
Just picked a random week…
Description Total Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
1 SEVEN NEWS Seven 1,564,000 496,000 342,000 320,000 173,000 234,000
2 TODAY TONIGHT Seven 1,364,000 407,000 334,000 270,000 159,000 194,000
3 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Seven 1,362,000 421,000 370,000 209,000 181,000 181,000
4 MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA Ten 1,246,000 380,000 412,000 177,000 127,000 150,000
5 NINE NEWS Nine 1,207,000 306,000 395,000 258,000 110,000 138,000
6 A CURRENT AFFAIR Nine 1,151,000 286,000 380,000 267,000 116,000 102,000
7 SILENT WITNESS ABC1 1,056,000 330,000 297,000 168,000 104,000 158,000
12 SEVEN’S AFL: RND 12: CARLTON VS ST KILDA Seven 920,000 29,000 553,000 13,000 177,000 149,000
17 NINE’S LIVE FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Nine 704,000 364,000 340,000
36 THE PERFECT VAGINA SBS 345,000 120,000 84,000 65,000 42,000 34,000
37 NINE’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Nine 330,000 215,000 Not shown 114,000 Not shown Not shown
122 POKER: EUROPEAN TOUR ONE 63,000 13,000 21,000 6,000 12,000 11,000
147 NINE’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL LATE Nine 45,000 Not shown 30,000 Not shown 15,000 Not shown
157 BOXING: KO TV CLASSIC ONE 39,000 1,000 24,000 6,000 7,000 2,000
175 DRAG RACING: ANDRA CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 RPT ONE 29,000 7,000 2,000 8,000 11,000 2,000
205 2009 ICC WORLD TWENTY20 CRICKET Nine 15,000 7,000 8,000
208 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL LIVE ONE 14,000 2,000 8,000 0 3,000 1,000
I think with the NRL live on Channel 9 now. That Channel 7 wouldn’t want to remove an advantage it has in that time slot. Though if they went with a family friendly movie at 7:30pm and the AFL on the secondary channel, I think they would do well. Same situation for Channel 9 in the Southern/Western states.
February 17th 2010 @ 12:38pm
James said | February 17th 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
LOL – 36 THE PERFECT VAGINA SBS 345,000 120,000 84,000 65,000 42,000 34,000
February 17th 2010 @ 12:39pm
Redb said | February 17th 2010 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Channel 7′s view is that Better Homes & Gardens is a ratings winner for them and would out rate the AFL
In my opinion it’s largely a different audience, effectively though they are slowly but surely ruining their marquee FNF AFL coverage and as pointed about by the author of this article re the tennis,etc people are turning off. Why not run BH & G on Thursday nights? – will still rate well.
I like the Foxtel coverage, less Ad’s more replays, much better.
Ch 7 did ok with the NAB Cup last Friday, they didnt even go to a break after the first goal but actually showed slo mo replay I thought that’s great, but it didnt last until the second goal and so on.
Anyway It seems with both Ch 9 and 10 pledging live FNF, Ch 7 will be under the pump.
February 17th 2010 @ 2:26pm
DaMan3000 said | February 17th 2010 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
LOL @ James … Who knew it was on???
February 17th 2010 @ 3:52pm
Dogz R Barkn said | February 17th 2010 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
That’s hilarious – I wouldn’t have noticed if it hadn’t been picked up.
If SBS can’t win that timeslot with a show called the Perfect Vagina, it ain’t ever going to win it.
It wouldn’t be a proper sports forum without reference to some pouch.
February 17th 2010 @ 9:05pm
Timmuh said | February 17th 2010 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
Its simple. Sevens’s prime time programming rates. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t stay in prime time. By delaying the footy they get an hour of BH&G ratings and then three hours of footy ratings.
People won’t stay up/home until 10:30 to watch BH&G, or any other program thay they run for the Friday if nights were swapped around, but will stay up until 11:30 for the end of the footy (or the start of the footy in most of NSW and Qld).
Four hours of solid ratings against 3 hours of solid ratings. Four hours wins. Its not necessarily that BH&G outrates the AFL, but that the combination draws more viewers AFL alone.
February 17th 2010 @ 1:00pm
jed said | February 17th 2010 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Not only boycotting 7, it’s worth boycotting, or at least agitating against the major sponsors of BH&G.
February 18th 2010 @ 11:00am
John Hunt said | February 18th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment
I read somewhere that Seven makes $20 million extra a year by having Better Homes and Gardens on.
The AFL Should give Seven a twilight Grand Final in exchange for Live FNF.
Also, Nine were the same with AFL for 5 years and the NRL before the advent of the double header
February 18th 2010 @ 11:19am
Michael C said | February 18th 2010 @ 11:19am | Report comment
The AFL needs – with in a couple of years, an extra game per week – the AFL needs to sell Foxtel a live to air Friday night game – - i.e. the AFL runs 2 Friday night matches – in different states – and Ch.7 or Ch.9 can decide whether to go live with their game or not.
Those with Foxtel will be an hour entrenched in a game that’ll finish before 10pm, whilst Ch.7 at 10 pm is still running the half time discussions as if it were live.
btw – the best thing about the late showing/running of FNF is that if you go to the game, you can sometimes be home in time to watch the last qtr!!!!! so long as they don’t chop off the song at the end of the coverage if your team won!!
July 11th 2010 @ 7:05pm
Warren said | July 11th 2010 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
Maybe why Channel 7 will not commit to a live game on Friday night is the insistence of the AFL to have a season long draw. This could mean having team 14 v 15 playing each other in the last few rounds which would have no bearing on the finals and therefore effect TV audiences. The NRL set their time/dates every 6 weeks. I do not like it but it works for TV and therefore we have good games on Friday nights nearly every week. I think that if the AFL wants to a billion dollars for the next 5 years TV rights they are going to make some compromise here.