What should be on the AFL channel?

Foxtel are already offering the sports package with the new afl station for free to new subscribers. Is there a delete button on the remote for that station lol

Exactly. lol

I would love to have seen that alcohol fueled night where hanging out with Ben Cousins in a hotel cost Daniel Conners an eight game in-club suspension. It would have been a rating bonanza!

They've based their $600 mill investment on something. It doesn't matter to me, I'm happy, all games live, a dozen AFL talk shows, life has never been better. I assume the AFL is happy as long as the cheque doesn't bounce.

The Cattery, You kept the numbers to this week because they do not represent the norm. The NRL had a split round and the AFL had the first-ever Q-Clash played as a stand-alone fixture on Saturday night. Subscribers from the southern states tuned into the Lions vs Suns game because it was a novelty event and the only match available at that time. Curious onlookers from QLD would have tuned in to see how the novelty event went. They aren't regular viewers that Foxtel can rely on. Foxtel would be mad to base their decision on an anomaly.

james you may well be right about all of that, I'll be honest, I kept this link to this particular week because they were pretty good numbers, it's just a little reminder to us all that Fox have gone into this deal with their eyes wide open (as has Seven). That 351 for the Suns v Lions is a record AFL audience. Yes, no doubt a novelty factor attaches to that figure, but the next two games on that top ten are still very good figures for the AFL. EVen at no.6, for Ess v Suns, 230 is a very good figure.

hey cattery, I suppose in that week May 1 to May 7, those ratings didn't include the NRL Monday Night Football Match between Manly and Canberra. That particular weekend on Fox, due to the test match and city v Country game, there was only 2 games on Fox, Broncos V Storm on Saturday Night and Raiders V Tigers on Sunday. AFL did well with the AFL game between the suns and Lions. However there was a novelty value attached to the game, been the queensland derby, had an AFL lead in game with Richmond V Fremantle and also there was no other AFL game on at the same time, 7:30 Staurday Night. Normally when you have 2 games of NRL or AFL at the same time, you do tend to cannonbalise the ratings. On the same night, it was noted the broncos were going to rest some of their stars, and also there was no lead in game, which there normally is at 5:30 every Saturday Night. Food for Thought.

Anything is possible. These are the Fox ratings from Week 19, May 1 to May 7: 1 LIVE: AFL GOLD COAST V BRISBANE LIONS FOX SPORTS 1 Sat 19:00 351 2 LIVE: NRL BRONCOS V STORM FOX SPORTS 2 Sat 19:30 327 3 LIVE: AFL COLLINGWOOD V W BULLDOGS FOX SPORTS 1 Sun 16:31 286 4 LIVE: AFL RICHMOND V FREMANTLE FOX SPORTS 1 Sat 16:00 285 5 LIVE: NRL RAIDERS V WESTS TIGERS FOX SPORTS 2 Sun 14:00 231 6 LIVE: AFL ESSENDON V GOLD COAST FOX SPORTS 1 Sun 13:00 230 7 LIVE: AFL PRE GAME SHOW FOX SPORTS 1 Sun 16:00 196 8 LIVE: AFL WESTERN BULLDOGS V SYDNEY FOX SPORTS 1 Sat 13:00 180 9 LIVE: NRL WARRIORS V PANTHERS FOX SPORTS 2 Sun 12:00 153 10 LIVE: AFL: ON THE COUCH FOX SPORTS 1 Mon 20:30 148 Seven of top ten shows are AFL. Two of these seven are actually AFL talk shows - which helps explain why Fox has created half a dozen new talk shows over the past 12 months. I've got a feeling Fox know what they're doing.

Aussie rules is not a national sport. It's a minority sport in QLD and NSW. The majority of persons who play and follow the game in Queensland are the South Australians and VIctorians who've emigrated since the 90's. Why are Aussie rues fans so cocky about their sport? It has had a coule of major advantages working in its favour since the mid 19th century -- first professional code played in Australia, was played in all Australian states long before rugby league existed, native game -- yet it is is only popular in the southern states. Aussie rules was actually played in QLD, NSW and PNG long before the people of these regions knew about rugby league, yet rugby league has surpassed it as the number one code. If Aussie rules is so great then how come rugby league was able to flick it aside with so much ease? Maybe Aussie rules isn't as great and nationalised as its cheersquad says?

The AFL Channel and the AFL broadcast rights deal with Foxtel might turn out to be a dud investment. The only justifiable reason Foxtel can offer for paying so much for the rights is they want to increase their customer base in the southern states. Obviovusly Foxtel think the best way to lure Victorians to their service is by giving them the option to watch 8 games per round live and uninterrupted. But how plausible is it? Many of the Melbournian Aussie rules fans come from the lower earning sectors of society. These people save their money so they can become a ticketed member of their favourite club. They won't watch a game on TV if they can see it from the sidelines because it doesn't give them the same thrill. How many of them will be able to add a monthly Foxtel subscription on top of the hundreds of dollars they spend on ticketed memberships? The richer fans in Melbourne will probably take up Foxtel, but how many of them are there? How many of them already have Foxtel? I can see subscription rates in Perth skyrocketing. The demand for ticketed memberships of the Eagles is so great they have to turn some fans away. The ones who are turned away will pick up Foxtel. So Perth is likely to jump on board. That's one city. What about Adelaide? I cannot see Port Adelaide's fans subscribing to Foxtel just so they can see their team play on TV. Are the Crows' fans any different? But these questions aren't the only unknowns that Foxtel would be worried about. The other question is how many subscriptions will Foxtel need in order to make a profit? They will increase their subscriber base in the southern states, but will they draw in enough customers to regain the money they spent on the rights? I believe this is a make or break period for the AFL. If this deal causes Foxtel to lose money then the AFL can expect to receive a lot less for the next deal. The fact they didn't receive much interest from the FTA networks shows their worth to that sector of the media has reached its peak. If Foxtel ends up showing far less interest in the product when the next broadcast rights are negotiated then the AFL won't be getting the money its needs to drive its expansion into QLD and NSW.

Actually one thing would be cool. 'FANZONE'. Where a supporter from each club does the commentary, like they have on Sky Sports in the UK. So, as a fan, you rock up to Fox Sports to learn the ropes midweek. Then come the weekend you can let fly, with all the bias and one eyedness you can possibly muster. I shall be lining up for that privilege and take a crack at a few other choice subjects when handed the microphone.

Zero interest in it.

How about an "umpire watch" show that rates the performance of each umpire in each game. Instead of "umpire bashing" this would show the games' mediators as they really are and tell us the good and bad from the ugly.

"Throw a teams draftees into a house with maybe 1 veteran and see how much of a mentor AFL players REALLY are." AlfredC please mate don't even put ideas like that into their heads. Shows that some people must have no life of their own if they are willing to watch "Big Boredom". :)

Personally, I thinking having a 24/7 AFL channel will be great for the game. Firstly, i think it provides a medium for young players to gain media training and also be given a chance to prove that footballers are more than brainless blobs of muscles. It would be great if we heard more from the kids because clubs are reluctant to put their kids in front of the camera because everything is scrutinized so heavily. Put em all up and we wont have time to be so critical of them. It wont surprise me however, if we end up just getting repackaged American reality shows ala: Housewives of the AFL, AFL's Got Talent. AFL Jersey Shore might work though? Throw a teams draftees into a house with maybe 1 veteran and see how much of a mentor AFL players REALLY are.

Great NRL ratings in 2 states in Australia. I prefer to watch a national game without a million ads...

Fox only has rights for the AFL and Foxtel Cup. The ABC has rights for most state leagues. Would be nice to see highlights packages or something bought from the ABC for the fox channel.

it will include the Foxtel Cup which is a second tier Australian football competition. Foxtel usually covers the TAC Grand Final, and no doubt a version of TAC Future Stars could be included on Foxtel or they could just cover the Suns.

Not last week on Pay TV. Foxtel is loving AFL and pays more for the better game for a reason.

Is the channel dedicated to just the AFL or all Aussie Rules?