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FFA announces bumper six-year, $346 million A-League broadcast deal

20th December, 2016
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The FFA need to find a balance between keeping the A-League competitive, but also keeping players in Australia. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
20th December, 2016
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The FFA has pulled off a major coup with its new broadcasting deal, with a six-year, $346 million agreement which will see Fox Sports remain as the competition’s pay TV provider.

The deal, which has been touted as a “quantum leap” for football in Australia by FFA chairman Stephen Lowy, will see every A-League game broadcast on Fox Sports across Foxtel, Foxtel Go and Foxtel Play.

FFA Cup, Socceroos, Matildas and W-League matches will also all remain with the pay TV giant under the new agreement, which officially begins on July 1, 2017.

However, in a departure from the current deal, one A-League match per weekend will be shown for the first time in the competition’s history live on free-to-air TV on Saturday nights. However, the free-to-air details for 2017-2023 are yet to be confirmed, with the deal to be officially finalised in early 2017.

It is believed the free-to-air provider will not be confirmed until the rights for cricket’s Big Bash League are sold. Channels Seven, Nine and Ten are all reportedly keen on showing both the A-League and Big Bash, but have put securing the rights to the popular Twenty20 tournament as a higher priority than the football.

FFA chief executive David Gallop said all commercial free-to-air providers are interested in acquiring the A-League rights, and said there is the option for them to pick up a broadcast package which improves on the current one simulcast match per round arrangement.

While the $57.6 million-per-year deal is short of the $80 million mark targetted by former chairman Frank Lowy, it does eclipse previous estimates of the deal – which put the figure at around $50 million per season – and more than doubles the current arrangement in a like-for-like comparison.

The $346 million price tag will rise once the free-to-air, radio and international broadcast rights are announced.

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Under the deal, $3 million per season will be put towards drawing marquee players, like Melbourne City’s recent signing Tim Cahill, to the A-League.

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“We have seen the enormous impact that our current marketing and marquee player strategies are having,” Gallop said.

“This year TV audiences, crowds and club memberships are all up and it is our intention to re-double our efforts in these areas under the new deal.

“The new arrangements will benefit all areas of football in Australia, but in particular the A-League clubs and players who will receive additional funding as a result of today’s announcement.”

The broadcast deal does not cover matches in the final round of Socceroos World Cup qualifying, the Asian Cup and the Asian Champions League, as the rights are controlled by the Asian Football Confederation.

The radio and international rights are expected to be announced around the same time as the free-to-air agreement in 2017.

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2017-2023 FFA broadcast deal

-$346 million deal over six years, starting July 1, 2017
-Figure is expected to rise as the free-to-air, international and radio broadcast rights are announced
-All A-League matches to be shown live on pay TV by Fox Sports
-One A-League match per week to be shown live on a yet-to-be-confirmed free-to-air channel
-Fox Sports to remain as the broadcaster of the FFA Cup
-Socceroos, Matildas and W-League games will continue to be shown by Fox Sports
-Does not include Asian Champions League, Asian Cup and final-round World Cup qualifiers

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