Foxtel’s AFL coverage is nirvana for footy fans
Columnist By Ryan O'Connell, 7 Feb 2012 Ryan O'Connell is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, AFL television rights, AFL TV rights, alastair lynch, Brad Johnson, Channel Seven, Dermott Brereton, Eddie McGuire, Fox Footy, Foxtel, Mark Ricciuto, NAB Cup, Paul Roos
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Jared Brennan of Brisbane gets the ball away ahead of Jordan Roughead of the Bulldogs during the AFL NAB Cup Round 01 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions at Manuka Oval. Slattery Images
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On Friday the 17th of February, to coincide with the commencement of the pre-season NAB Cup, Foxtel will launch a new AFL-dedicated channel called Fox Footy, which will prove to be the equivalent of heaven on earth for AFL fans.
Technically, the channel is being relaunched, as it previously existed from 2002 to 2006. However, with Foxtel’s new AFL TV rights deal, the channel is being brought back from the dead, bigger and better than ever.
Central to the channel’s offering will be the live coverage of every single game of the home-and-away season. With the addition of the Greater Western Sydney Giants to the competition this year, that will equate to nine live games, every single round.
For the first time ever, fans in South Australia and Western Australia will be able to watch Friday night games live.
Yet the good news for AFL fans doesn’t stop there.
The games will not be interrupted by ad breaks. So when Buddy Franklin kicks a freaky goal, instead of watching a Channel Seven promo for Home and Away, you’ll be viewing an instant replay whilst listening to the commentator’s reaction and analysis.
The games will also be broadcast in the coverage they deserve, high definition, something Channel Seven has failed to do in the past.
The new channel will boast an impressive line-up of commentators and analysts, including Mike Sheehan, Eddie McGuire, Gerard Healy, Paul Roos, Jason Dunstall, Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Dwayne Russell, Matthew Campbell, Wayne Schwass, Brad Johnson, Alastair Lynch, Tony Shaw, Liam Pickering, David King, Danny Frawley, Leigh Colbert, Mark Ricciuto and Glen Jackovich.
Ensuring the impressive experience and knowledge of that line-up is utilised to its full potential, apart from the games themselves, the channel will also broadcast popular panel and magazine-style shows like AFL 360, On the Couch, AFL Insider, League Teams, After the Bounce, Open Mike, etc.
The channel will no doubt also screen some classic games from the AFL archives, which always prove to be a hit with viewers.
Personally, the most impressive aspect of the new channel is the fact it’s 24 hours a day.
As any fan of any sport will tell you, you’re a fan 24/7, not just on the weekends. The announcement that the channel won’t ‘stop’ clearly indicates that Foxtel really understands footy and really understands its fans.
Quite simply, Foxtel’s AFL coverage will be the greatest any sport has ever received in Australia.
Sounds too good to be true? Waiting for the catch?
Well the most obvious drawback is that Foxtel is obviously a pay-TV provider, so the coverage isn’t free. But providing you can afford to fork out for Foxtel, the negatives almost completely finish there.
AFL fans have long complained about the treatment the code gets from free-to-air networks, particularly Channel Seven. Luckily for footy fans, free-to-air stations and pay-TV have different masters.
Commercial networks make their money from advertising revenue, so their business model dictates that the advertisers are their customers, not viewers.
Pay-TV, on the other hand, makes the majority of their money from subscribers. So for Foxtel, the viewer is king. It’s a fact Foxtel clearly appreciates, as evidenced by their amazing coverage of the AFL.
Having 24/7 access to a sport, and showing every game live, obviously increases the amount of contact fans can have with the sport. There is little doubt that hardcore AFL fans will now be in heaven, and even more loyal to the code they love.
Meanwhile, casual fans may potentially now elevate AFL up their rankings of sports that they love to watch. Likewise for those who currently follow the AFL infrequently, or not at all.
This is a fact not lost on the AFL or Foxtel. In fact, I’m sure that’s their exact strategy.
In the game of chess that is the Australian sporting landscape, the AFL’s intent is clear.
Cricket, football, rugby league, etc, it’s your move.
And it better be a good one.
Ryan is an ex-representative basketballer who shot too much, and a (very) medium pace bowler. He's been with The Roar as an expert since February 2011, has written for the Seven Network, and been a regular on ABC radio. Ryan tweets from @RyanOak.
February 7th 2012 @ 7:07am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 7:07am | Report comment
As a long time pay tv subscriber I use to love the Fox Footy channel and was very disappointed when it closed. The simple fact though was that AFL fans could simply live without Foxtel as the majority of games (and best) were on FTA. In fact until 2007, Foxtel could only show replays.
That has changed dramatically. I would expect both the AFL and Foxtel to do quite well out of this deal. The offering is too good to refuse and has been far better marketed than in the past. Of course the offering is compelling so the marketing does not have to do much.
Cant wait, 5pm 17 Feb, bring it on.
February 7th 2012 @ 8:02am
The_Wookie said | February 7th 2012 @ 8:02am | Report comment
Someone is bound to bring up the fact that it was closed down and suggest that it was because it failed through lack of subs or being financially irrelevant. This was not the case. Foxfooty was closed down because there was a lack of content available to it through failures of negotiations with 7 (which would include access to their 40 years of archival footage) and 10.
Foxtel CEO Kim Williams stated “It’s not financially viable to continue operating a 24-hour-a-day (Australian rules) football channel when we can only get three live games a week and not on the terms we have sought”.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Broadcasters-brawl-as-Foxtel-axes-AFL/2006/08/23/1156012608114.html
February 7th 2012 @ 9:51am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Good point.
The Fox Footy offering this time around is like chalk and cheese compared to the previous one.
February 7th 2012 @ 4:23pm
Peter Care said | February 7th 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
Spin from Kim Williams who is a master at it. In year one of the previous channel (fox footy) subscribers paid extra to get that one channel, and the numbers paying for that one channel were abysmal. In year 2 Foxtel changed tactic, adding that extra channel to the sports pack and increasing the cost by $2 per month. This time they have learnt their lesson and are including the new fox footy as part of the sports package (and gold and platinum as well). Another classic piece of spin from Kim Williams at the launch of the original fox footy channel, was that it would be the first channel in Australia dedicated to a sport (Australian Rules Footcall). Wrong Kim, just some more spin: Optus Vision (remember them) had the “sports afl ” channel which showed just AFL football. I distintly remember Craig Kelly and Nicole Livingstone hosting a live broadcast from the Copeland Trophy.
February 7th 2012 @ 7:53am
Australian Rules said | February 7th 2012 @ 7:53am | Report comment
“Quite simply, Foxtel’s AFL coverage will be the greatest any sport has ever received in Australia.”
Hard to argue with that.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:36am
mds1970 said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:36am | Report comment
As an AFL fan in Sydney, we had most games live already. From 2002-06 we didn’t get Friday nights till 9.30 but they fixed from 2007. But there were coverage gaps when FTA and Fox showed the same game while another game wasn’t live. This new deal fixes that issue. That was particularly an issue in Adelaide and Perth – but SA and WA fans will particularly enjoy not having to wait for delayed Friday night games.
And those without Fox have had a win in Sydney. With the footy moving from Ch7 to 7Mate, there’ll be four live games on FTA every week, including Friday night, every Giants game and every Swans game.
February 7th 2012 @ 7:56am
Justin said | February 7th 2012 @ 7:56am | Report comment
I hate to say it but already they are using McGuire to promote this channel non stop. Sorry but his hyperbole is better suited to free to air nuffies.
Fox Footy has been super with guys like Healy hosting and now we will get all this crap from EM who just loves hearing his own voice yet cannot add a decent point to a footy conversation without talking in cliches and rubbish.
Other than that it will be a great channel.
February 7th 2012 @ 8:17am
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 8:17am | Report comment
Although I like it when Eddy says: I love footy because when they can’t get up – THEY GET UP!!
February 7th 2012 @ 9:35am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:35am | Report comment
I agree McGuire is a minor drawback, Foxtel probably looked at the pros and cons and went with the massive Collingwood fanbase as a greater pro. They love him.
His Eddie McGuire Tonight (EMT) show should be good though, the Footy Show has languished since he left so the format might suit him very well.
The addition of Anthony Hudson a big plus, even Brereton adds something to the line-up. No Robert Walls a Godsend lol
Foxtel are not mucking around with their production values check this out:
http://mumbrella.com.au/foxs-afl-channel-to-be-based-out-of-melbournes-global-television-studio-73422
February 7th 2012 @ 8:12am
Will Sinclair said | February 7th 2012 @ 8:12am | Report comment
Every game in High Definition – are you listening Channel Nine?
The failure of the FTA channels to offer big sporting events in HD – despite that fact that everyone in the country has a massive HD television in their lounge room – is an ongoing disgrace.
Yet another example of these numpties in FTA suiting themselves and ignoring the needs of the fans. It WILL come back to bite them on the arse, and not a moment too soon.
February 7th 2012 @ 11:45am
JamesP said | February 7th 2012 @ 11:45am | Report comment
I’d also say “are you listening Channel 7″
Foxtel will upscale the Channel 7 broadcast to HD, but if Channel 7 do not shoot it in native HD, it wont look as good (better than SD but not as good as native HD – a bit like blue ray players upscaling standard DVD’s)
February 7th 2012 @ 8:39am
Chris said | February 7th 2012 @ 8:39am | Report comment
“The games will not be interrupted by ad breaks.”
The single greatest reason to subscribe to Foxtel.
This was really brought home to me when after watching all the BBL in blissful ad-free nirvana on Fox Sports, I then watched the Ch 9 coverage of the international T20s. Just excruciating…
Memo to Foxtel – if you even think about running ads during any of your live sports coverage I’ll be unsubscribing in seconds.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:28pm
Mario said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:28pm | Report comment
They usually have ”pop up” ads when they say that, small ones that usually come across the bottom of the screen.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:00am
Mals said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
Welll done to Foxtel & the AFL for bringing this to a reality. As a rugby league, rugby union & football fan I can only wish that we had similar channels on Fox Sports. Fox did a great job with the dedicated rugby channel during the RWC tournament.
It will be interesting to how this new AFL channel affects Foxtel’s subscriber rates in the AFL dominated states VIC, TAS, SA & WA.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:32am
Timmuh said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:32am | Report comment
It will be interesting. What often gets lost is that (aside from in Tasmania, where live Saturday afternoon looks set to disappear) FTA viewers are also getting a better deal than they used to. Will those who seeemed happy with the old FTA deal get Fox when their coverage is also improving without the extra cost? At least improving in terms of timeslots, remember live on Friday night is also an FTA thing in Vic on 7, NSW and Qld on 7mate; though probably not SA and WA – it already happened in Tas on Southern Cross, who also broadcast in Tas without ad breaks in play.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:41am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
There is no doubt Ch 7 should gain out of going live on Friday Night. The no Ads siren to siren & HD is a pretty good inducement to go to Fox.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:05am
The_Wookie said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:05am | Report comment
As a carlton supporter Im not going to bother with fox this year..17 out of 22 matches are on FTA for the Blues this year.
February 7th 2012 @ 1:47pm
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
For a fellow football info junkie that surprises me. The footy talk shows alone have it all over anything on FTA.
Gerard Whately on AFL360 offers some of the most intelligent observations on footy (now 4 times a week).
February 7th 2012 @ 1:53pm
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 1:53pm | Report comment
4 times a week? Do you mean there are 4 episodes of AFL360 four times a week??
February 7th 2012 @ 1:57pm
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
Yes 4 editions of AFL 360, probably Mon – Thurs.
February 7th 2012 @ 2:52pm
The_Wookie said | February 7th 2012 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
I obtain these other shows through less than stellar means.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:10am
buck said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
this is also good for football as it will bring in more viewers to Fox who might switch over to football or rugby
February 7th 2012 @ 9:37am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:37am | Report comment
There will be some minor benefits to the HAL, Super 15, but the results to date do not show the A League gaining the traction you would expect from the numbers that already subscribe for AFL or NRL, the Big Bash on the other hand has benefited massively.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:43am
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
I guess the thing about cricket is that it is followed equally strongly through all the states.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:49am
Redb said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:49am | Report comment
So in theory is the A League. Super 15 no.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:16am
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
I’m not so sure about Super 15. The A-League is followed consistently through all the states (in the sense that no one state is a lot stronger than another), but cricket appears to be that little bit stronger overall.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:25am
Rough Conduct said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Football has its strongholds just like every other football code, do you think Victoria and Queensland have equal passion for the game?
February 7th 2012 @ 10:49am
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Rough Conduct
When the FFA first started planning out the blueprint for the A-League, you might be surprised to learn that at that early point, a Melbourne team was viewed as the highest risk, based on two key points: 1. a relatively low per capita participation rate, and indeed, even in whole numbers, Victoria’s numbers were lower than Queensland’s numbers; and 2. the fact that Melbourne was the home of the AFL.
It’s also worth noting that the Victory initially struggled to raise the capital to even get started, and when the A-League kicked off, the Victory was the only club in which the FFA retained some ownership.
Seven years on, and we see that Melbourne has become the bedrock of the A-League – but the FFA never imagined that a possibility at the start of the A-League.
Their strategy at the time was to be a clear number 2 football competition in all the states, i.e. second to the NRL in the Northern states, and second to the AFL in the Southern states. I’m not sure how that has turned out, others are better placed to comment, but it does suggest that the FFA’s planning was based on having an even spread of interest across the Australian states – and that is at the opposite end of where the AFL and NRL find themselves, based predominantly in the two largest cities in the country.
Indeed, I’ve often argued that the FFA could do no worse than focus its operations on the third largest city of Australia, Brisbane, thereby generating some of the benefits that the AFL and NRL are able to generate in terms of a major presence in a large city, such as concentrated media interest, etc.
When viewed from that perspective, the inclusion of the Gold Coast and Townsville actually mades some strategic sense.
February 7th 2012 @ 11:41am
Rough Conduct said | February 7th 2012 @ 11:41am | Report comment
It does not matter what the FFA thought was the case, the evidence is there, look at the MV support – and the team is rubbish, look at the support for the derby. Look at the bandwagon support for the Roar, the non-existent support for GC and the unsustainability of NQF. Albeit to a lesser extent, football has the same issues with geographical / cultural boundaries as other football codes in the country. Cricket is the only one that can boast genuine nationwide support across a large cross-section of Australian society.
February 7th 2012 @ 12:11pm
The Cattery said | February 7th 2012 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
RC
The point I’m making about the evenness of support across the country still holds true relative to the AFL and NRL, who have concentrations of support in some parts of the country, and a relative paucity in other parts of the country.
The A-League (and cricket and basketball, etc) is not like that, there is a more even spread.
Sure, Melbourne A-League crowds are pretty good, although on a pro-rata basis, Mariners, Jets and even Adelaide crowds stack up fairly well, and I note that the Roar managed a grand final crowd that almost matched the best MV grand final crowd.
As for TV support, I don’t have any stats, although an article this morning suggested that SFC gets consistently good ratings (viewed over a long period).
February 7th 2012 @ 11:36am
Roarchild said | February 7th 2012 @ 11:36am | Report comment
The W league out rates the A league because it’s on FTA. So greater Foxtel penetration is a good thing for those sports exclusively on Fox.
Serious Soccer fans would already have Fox so probably only small gains if the reason they are signing up is for the AFL channel.
However the combination of BBL/A league (pick your poison) and compelling winter content is a winner because it makes Foxtel a year round prospect. If there is 3 (only interested in AFL) or 6 months (only interested HAL/BBL) where you don’t have much interest it doesn’t seem compelling to get a subscription.
I have felt Fox have done a great job with their NRL and AFL coverage but with so many games on FTA it hasn’t been a must have.
February 8th 2012 @ 11:02am
Jaceman said | February 8th 2012 @ 11:02am | Report comment
Saturday arvo W league outrates the A league – ru serious???
February 7th 2012 @ 9:23am
langou said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Yeah I am getting Fox because of the footy coverage with an added bonus of now getting to see the A-League, socceroos, more test cricket and the golf. I agree with Buck, there will no doubt be a few Aussie Rules fans who might get more into the A-League or Super Rugby because of their fox supscription.
February 7th 2012 @ 9:56am
Jason Cave said | February 7th 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
And not only that-but better news coverage as well ie CNN, BBC World, SKY News. Also 4 racing channels-Sky Racing 1,2. Sky Racing World and TVN.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:02am
langou said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
I forgot about the racing, another reason to celebrate.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:14am
stabpass said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:14am | Report comment
I am going to resist as long as i can, with FTA, the internet, playstation, wi, and a myriad of other electronic gadgets available, i spend enough time using/abusing them when i should be doing other things. Also a distraction for the kids when they should be kicking or hitting a ball around a oval.
At one stage i had a share in a racehorse, and was going to get fox if it did OK, but yep you guessed it, it didn’t do that great, probably saved me a packet, as the next thing would have been a TAB phone account, and the combo of live racing, alcohol and gambling whilst sitting in front of fox racing is a dangerous mix.
February 7th 2012 @ 10:17am
Clayts said | February 7th 2012 @ 10:17am | Report comment
As a subscriber from 2008, I missed out on the FoxFooty channel (unless I went back home to the folks place) so I cannot wait. I got Fox in the first place because I found myself going to pubs to watch the games that weren’t on FTA and spending more money than if I just got Fox anyway!
I don’t think people realise how easy it can be done. I have the full package (got sucked in by the 1st month free thing and never looked back) but its really not that expensive to get the basic sports package. When I subscribed it was $60/month for the sports. You’d spend more a month on coffee, and you get ad-free, HD footy. I hated when forced to watch games on 7. Once you have seen footy in HD, its hard to watch it is SD again IMO
February 7th 2012 @ 12:58pm
Justin said | February 7th 2012 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Fair call. Anyone who goes to the pub once or twice a month to watch their team play because they dont have Fox due to cost is a moron.