It may only be live into one major market. It may have taken two of Melbourne’s biggest clubs to make it happen. It may not be repeated for the rest of the season.
Nonetheless, it’s enough to make footy fans rejoice.
Which is crazy. A TV network deciding to show a game of football live should not be newsworthy. It should happen every week. The broadcast deal should demand it.
We live in 2011, after all. Everyone’s on Facebook or Twitter or both. It’s no longer enough to simply turn off your phone and radio to avoid hearing the result of a game. You have to disconnect from most of the things that form part of your normal routine.
In fact, it’s gotten to the point where asking fans to wait an hour (or more depending on where you live) is more than a touch arrogant.
Delayed telecasts just don’t work in the world we live in. If they did, we’d see them happen in other sports all over the world, yet this issue appears to pretty unique to the AFL.
The NFL do “blackout” games in the local market of a game if it doesn’t sell out. However, what’s happening in the AFL isn’t about going live against the gate – it’s about going live at all. One needs to look no further than last Sunday’s Sydney-Essendon game being shown live by Seven into Sydney (where the game was being played) and on a one-hour delay into Melbourne (where football is supposed to lead in to the 6pm news) to see that.
(Even then, in the token live broadcast Seven did last year – a Collingwood-Geelong clash – 88,195 showed up. It was the biggest home and away crowd Geelong have ever played in front of. Somehow going live against the gate doesn’t seem like such a big issue.)
Leaving aside the world we live in, and the fact this problem is unique to the AFL, there is one other argument that should really come above all else: fans want live football.
There are few issues that get supporters as riled up as the lack of live footy on the box. All over the country, fans are complaining about it.
Every Friday night there are a stack of comments on Twitter bemoaning the status quo. Many a Facebook group has been created bemoaning the status quo. A countless number of letters to editors, blog posts, talkback calls and forum threads have all bemoaned the status quo.
Fans, simply, are sick of the way they are being treated. And that should be as powerful an argument as any.
But Channel Seven won’t voluntarily change their ways. As I wrote last month, “The current arrangement of having Better Homes and Gardens as a lead-in to Friday night games allows them four hours of primetime television on a night not renowned for having a great number of TV viewers. Going live would cut that back to only three hours and take all the associated advertising revenue with it.”
So the only way this is going to change is for the AFL to demand networks go live in the broadcast deal.
Andrew Demetriou has consistently said his “personal preference” was that it would happen. But it’s very difficult to escape the feeling that if it puts his target of a $1 billion TV deal in jeopardy, his personal preference will take a back seat.
Certainly, when doing the radio rounds last week, Demetriou was very keen to stress his preference was not the deciding factor.
That’s a shame. If the league put money over what’s truly best for the game, prepare yourself for five more years of angry fans – and five more years of last night’s news being news at all.
stewie anderson
Guest
g'day guys, i'm stuck in scotland UK. and whats the deal with the broadcasting of the afl this year !! before i could go to triple m through the internet and listen to the game. but now that seems to be off air!! do you guys have any links to listen or watch the footy online !!
Boomshanka
Guest
As if the herald sun is an authority of league matters. Every second story in that paper is twisted to include an AFL angle. In the interest of accuracy, the Warriors vs Storm game is still scheduled for 7.00pm Monday night. Why don't you come over after the warm up match at the MCG, and watch a real game of football against a side from both sides of the Ditch?
Redb
Roar Guru
Too easy: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/anzac-day-clash-loss-riles-melbourne-storm/story-e6frfgbo-1226022760058
Boomshanka
Guest
Redb If its live comparisons you seek then lets look at the last time the Storm played live into Melbourne. Round 2 2009 Broncos versus Melbourne 203 000 watched the game in Melbourne. Grand Final 682 000 watched the game in Melbourne before Channel Nine cut straight to their 6pm news denying fans the right to see the team celebrate. Your Serve
Boomshanka
Guest
Changing the subject again Redb? What a load of rubbish re the storm wanting to go position themselves after a AFL game. Channel Nine dictates what game is put on, when and into what market. Calling people ignorant without backing up your argument with facts is a typical AFL response to a perceived threat. So Collingwood and Carlton are not Victorian teams then eh? If its real comparisons you seek then lets see how the rugby league goes against this AFL's Fridays game in any market where it is shown live head to head instead of the warped Melbourne one. Is AFL a mighty sport that rates so high that every other code fears it and won't go against it or is it a sport which requires protection. I'd suggest the latter.
Redb
Roar Guru
Boomsanka said: "Later that same weekend, the Melbourne Storm attracted a viewing audience of 90k (for a one hour delay game) on a Sunday afternoon into Melbourne. I’d suggest that the Swans would kill for that sort of rating on a lazy Sunday afternoon into Sydney" Let's just look at some past TV ratings for the Swans in Sydney, say 2008, they are all comparable with a 90K rating, Rnd 1 - 104,000 Rnd 3 - 112,000 Rnd 4 - 118,000 rnd 6 - 107,000 Rnd 8 - 108,000 Rnd 11 - 134,000 Elim final - 186,000 So the Swans have done OK in the past post their glory years. Have dropped off since.
Ben of Sydney
Guest
Last year didn't they play St Kilda Geelong live and there was no spike in the ratings?
Redb
Roar Guru
I'm not sure how you can persist wtih falsehood beliefs when faced with facts. As per these facts: "2010 Round 9 – Coll v Geel was telecast live and rated 663,000 in Melbourne. Round 11 – Stk v Rich – on 1 hr delay rated 363,000 in Melbourne. Both had no competition from RL or any other sport." The game itself cannot be pigeon holed nor the fans when from week to the next when the ratings can fluctuate by 300K depending on the game regardless of competition. Yes there has been migration into Melbourne and yes there is a niche for the rugby codes but the AFL is still far and away the bgigest sport and there is no reason like NRL in Sydney that will change anytime soon. There would be plenty of times Sydney people watched a dull NRL game and missed an exciting game of AFL but due to historical links and maybe even some prejudice they did not watch the game. The same will happen in Melbourne. Your comment about the relative interest of Carlton v Collignwood shows ignorance. Another sport would be mad to go up against it and they wont. The Storm knows this only too well, maybe you should talk to their marketing dept. They avoid where possible going head to head on a Friday night and like to postion their games after AFL games where they can. This statement is also incorrect: "These high numbers also require Victorian teams rather than national, interstate or international as is the case with other codes" The Round 8 Fremantle v Collingwood clash rated close to the Coll v Geel game overall.
Boomshanka
Guest
Redb Hardly a conclusion, more of an observation as I never said that 40% of Melb viewers would always watch rugby league, more providing balance to Magpie Flags assertion that the league would only get a fraction if it went against the AFL. Your later comment with respect to viewship with no competition is closer to the mark and confirms that AFL needs its exclusivity more than any other football code. These high numbers also require Victorian teams rather than national, interstate or international as is the case with other codes. Over six hundred thousand people moved to Melbourne in the last 9 years. AFL fans would have us believe they all picked a local team and embraced the quirky regional sport. Nothing could be further from the truth. Tell yourself what you want, but once the AFL gets a little competition from rival codes in its heartland (as it has in northern and international markets) it will struggle to rate as well as it has in the past. The AFL is already experiencing reduced viewership against multi channeling alone as people start to have a little more choice.
Redb
Roar Guru
As a further example of just how irrelevant the above ratings comparison is as a guide to future viewership. 2010 Round 9 - Coll v Geel was telecast live and rated 663,000 in Melbourne. Round 11 - Stk v Rich - on 1 hr delay rated 363,000 in Melbourne. Both had no competition from RL or any other sport.
Redb
Roar Guru
"That makes 256/(256+340) or about 43% of football viewers on that Friday night were watching rugby league." Stop and think about your conclusions here, it's important you understand a few things before implying that 40% of Melb viewers would always watch rugby league. The games were not head to head the whole night, the RL game was live with a new stadium (event factor) and started one hour earlier than the delayed telecast of the AFL game between two lesser Melb sides (Demons & bulldogs). The RL game was telecast live at 7:30 and all over by 9:30pmish. The AFL game between two low drawing teams was on delay at 8:30pm with a telecast that lasted 3 hours to 11:30pm. The AFL ratings in Melbourne for these teams were not unlike previous ratings results these teams alway draw. Let's face it was a special occasion international against two smallish AFL teams in a regular round. A live AFL game on Friday night between two powerful teams will rate 500,000+ in Melbourne. It would do this one week, and then rate 350,000 the next for the different teams. AFL ratings in Melbourne are not static. I would love the ARL to try it against a Carlton Collingwood or Essendon live blockbuster. I guarantee you the RL game would get nowhere near 40% of the audience. p.s. the Swans have drawn over 130,000 in tv ratings at times in Sydney.
Boomshanka
Guest
I do live in a fantasyland - its called Melbourne, a big city of approximately four million people which prides itself as being the world capital of sport yet only recognises one code of football during winter. For your information, the only time in living memory that rugby league has ever gone head to head in Melbourne against the AFL was last April's ANZAC test match which for Melbourne rated 256k (average) against the AFL 340k (average). That makes 256/(256+340) or about 43% of football viewers on that Friday night were watching rugby league. I'll take that as reasonable fraction of viewers and suggest that with the enormous growth that Melbourne has experienced in the last ten - twenty years, there both demand and room for another code. Later that same weekend, the Melbourne Storm attracted a viewing audience of 90k (for a one hour delay game) on a Sunday afternoon into Melbourne. I'd suggest that the Swans would kill for that sort of rating on a lazy Sunday afternoon into Sydney.
Magpie Flag
Guest
Exactly. Its a problem for those with less disposable income of course but if you were say, a rugby fan with insomnia, you can basically buckle into the arm chair at 5 pm on a Saturday and watch live super rugby until 5 am the next morning when the Force are playing at home like they did last week and this week..... FTA is good for exposure of the game and for those who can't afford pay TV. For those that want to watch live football, FTA (ch 7 particularly) = pyss pulling delayed telacasts and butchered footage cutting to close ups that deprive the people actually following the game of context
Magpie Flag
Guest
You are living in fantasy land if you think that bone in your mouth (that NRL is going to attract a fraction of viewers if it goes live against the AFL on Friday nights) is a real one!
Football United
Guest
fair point but then again it could happen in any region, not exclusively melbourne
Fool
Guest
If memory serves me correct, the AFL went to parliament to proposition the government. Can you imagine the NRL. which is run by Fox Sports wanting to do this? Not really in their interests.
Fool
Guest
Well that is good news. I actually do not subscribe to all this premium channel guff. Get it out there on free to air tele. What I would like to see is ALL NINE matches on free to air, coast to coast. If it is on the tele the kiddies will flock to it. I got into soccer as a young un, in AFL heartland because I lived in a deep valley and could only get UHF channels. Personally, I would rather watch something sporting, with big crowds that get into it then some girly show that a lot of this 'y' chromosome generation get into.
Boomshanka
Guest
Agree Whites, but the rugby league is still listed so they can't show it on GO or GEM. All it takes is a letter to the Ministers office, but will Channel Nine do it???
Boomshanka
Guest
I've been told that should Channel Nine and the NRL wish to ask the Broadcasting Minister to put Rugby League into say, southern and western states on their multichannels, this would be approved with no hesitation (along what has happened with 7mate and the AFL). Despite an approach to Channel Nine, they have shown zero interest in doing so. Reckon it'll have much to do with driving up the AFL rights for Seven / Ten so they're out of the picture for the NRL bidding (where the real value lies). Another example of TV Networks playing strategic games to the detriment of sports fans.
Whites
Guest
It's quiet simple now with the changes to the anti-syphoning list but still to complicated for TV channel programmers. AFL Friday Night Ch7 LIVE - VIC, TAS, SA, NT and maybe still delayed in WA. 7MATE LIVE - NSW, ACT and QLD NRL Friday Night Ch9 QLD game LIVE - QLD Ch9 NSW game LIVE - NSW and ACT GO! or GEM NSW or QLD game LIVE - VIC, TAS, SA, NT and WA That way everyone, everywhere can watch whatever game they like LIVE. (Suggestion for Channel 7:Move Better Homes and Gardens to Saturday night after the news.)