Optus has signalled its intent to bid for A-League broadcast rights, growing its hold on the world game in Australia.
The telecommunications company shocked football fans by winning the rights to the English Premier League earlier last year.
Now chief executive Allen Lew says Optus will be a player in upcoming negotiations to the local competition – if the price is right.
“We’re looking at it seriously,” Lew told Fairfax Media.
“If it makes sense and it adds value to what we are providing football fans, at a commercial deal that we feel is fair, then we will see how we can bring it across.”
The A-League rights are on the market over the coming months as Football Federation Australia looks for an improved deal to the current four-year tie-up with Fox Sports and SBS which ends in 2017.
FFA has been unhappy with the poor coverage from SBS, which shunted the league to its secondary channel.
Earlier this month, FFA boss Steven Lowy said a key plank of any new deal would need to be an improved free-to-air component, calling the current arrangement “unacceptable”.
Earlier this month, local EPL fans reacted angrily to news that the competition would only be available to Optus customers, and at an additional cost to all but premium subscribers.
Lew confirmed that would be Optus’ model should it buy into the A-League.
It remains to be seen whether serious interest from a major free-to-air broadcaster will eventuate, with Channel Ten believed to be the most likely bidder.
josh
Guest
Especially when FTA means FTA advertisements.
Midfielder
Guest
MF I am tempted to provide detail but can't however re the constant invasion of the Football tabs all I can say is Eddie is right and Kossie is wrong ...
Travis
Guest
I'd be more worried about your prissy sport if I were you
Midfielder
Guest
MF You strike me if nothing else as a reasonably intelligent fellow. Given this you either totally miss my message or are deliberately trying to change what it says. First and in HUGE MEGA caps we understand we are going to take a hit to revenue to go on a commercial FTA ... Second when we did the last media deal no commercial FTA expressed any interest in showing the A-League... this time they all have RRRRRR before you say it let me say it ... MASSIVE hit to revenue OK OK we agree.. So unlike before we we have interest ... unlike before we have another party in Optus in competition with Fox... unlike before we have in BeIn sport competition to Fox for the net rights and international rights... Thus we are in a paradigm ... the old paradigm of begging Fox to broadcast it and please give us some money is gone. Today FFA can say what will you do for Football ... Just on the 2.5 billion dollar AFL deal .... hhh .... rrrr I am totally lost why you keep bringing it up its like you wanta say Football weak AFL strong ... who cares ...
mattq
Roar Rookie
FTA will be a component but the new paradigm is likely to me a bidding war for non-FTA content. That's what Middy means.
clipper
Guest
56k is a pretty fair number, considering it's on 7mate,especially when the highest rated show on the multi channels yesterday in Sydney was Shaun the Sheep with 40k. I would suspect the actual number would be higher. As we all know, the majority of Swans fans are in the east and north, but when ratings are done, the whole of Sydney numbers are averaged out.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
8,000 of the 8,308 were free tickets to the Giants game. You get them with a Big Mac at most outlets. "Do you want fries and a Giants membership with that?"
Fussball IUL
Roar Rookie
FACT The ALeague has never been broadcast on 7mate in Sydney or Brisbane. When it is, we will compare the TV viewing in Syd & Bri for HAL & AFL. I repeat: I’m confident ALeague on 7mate will exceed those paltry AFL Tv ratings in Syd & Bri
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
"We're all doomed" said Hanrahan! A-League will die and Melb0urne Ru1es will take over the world. Oh dear!
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
FFA favours SBS or ABC, because Commercial TV stations are much more cut throat and ruthless. If a commercial TV station buys the A-League rights and if it doesn’t rate, they’ll take it off air. To make them guarantee to show live games prime time, the FFA will have to take less money from commercial TV stations. The low ratings on SBS are an issue, but the question is will the ratings be higher if its shown on Commercial TV. Is it SBS's fault that their ratings are low or the product's? Getting rid of their SBS commentary and maybe take the Foxtel commentary would be a good start.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I am working on old world technology. That's the one that the FFA is saying they MUST be using (and most soccer fans appear to agree with them). That's the one which will give the AFL $2.5 billion for the next six years (starting next year), and give the NRL $1.8 billion for 5 years (starting in 2018).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Certainly the Brisbane numbers are absolutely abysmal - very much at A-League levels. With Sydney, you average is across four games, so yes, the A-League probably would get that for a one off game per week - it probably wouldn't match it for an average of 4 games per week. The good news for the Sydney numbers is that the Swans had 56k and the Giants had 37k (playing another new team with little support). Take that Swans number of 56k. You might want to argue, oh yes, the A-League will get that easily in Sydney - but what I can tell you right now is that for the season just past, the A-League failed to reach that number on a national level on FTA more often than not. I repeat: failed to reach it on a NATIONAL level on FTA more often than not.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Yes I remember his last rant as Pippinu. He really attacked the FFA and football over the World cup bid and vowed to get revenge. I suspect he has gone over to the dark side and his revenge is taking the form of many people disguised in all sorts of capacities, but the end game is to bring down the FFA and football. Bring on the defenders of the realm! :)
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Why would you doubt clipper likes rugby?
Fussball IUL
Roar Rookie
AFL FTA TV ratings for last weekend in Sydney & Brisbane Average for 4 matches broadcast: Fri night, Sat (afternoon & night), Sunday (afternoon) Syd: 37k Bri: 18k As 4 AFL Chairmen agreed in that video - Qld & NSW have 52% of the population and these "northern states" are the key consumer markets in Australia. I'm confident ALeague on 7mate will exceed those paltry AFL Tv ratings in Syd & Bri
Sydneysider
Guest
"I like Super Rugby and try watch a bit of the Rebels and Brumbies when I can," I doubt it.
clipper
Guest
Have to agree with MF on this one, did see him comment. I often commented on lack of FTA for Rugby and, of course, on the woeful TV ratings in VIC, SA and WA for league.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
SS Actually, not wanting to sound like a smart@ss or anything, but when the deals of all the Winter codes were being negotiated, I did post a fair bit on all three boards. In the case of Super Rugby, I thought it was a very good deal, I said as much, and I accepted Super Rugby did the very best they could do to get a bit of their product on FTA, not ideal, but they did the best they could do (by the way, I like Super Rugby and try watch a bit of the Rebels and Brumbies when I can, but I probably watch more A-League). I simply say to you, and Midf hints this below, that you might have to accept a 2nd best solution to get the A-League on commecial FTA - that's the reality. Some people agree, some disagree - that's ok - we'll all know when we know.
Midfielder
Guest
MF Please accept yes for the answer.. FFA I believe will negotiate a FTA match on a commercial channel... it will be a hit on revenue ... WE ALL UNDERSTAND THIS ... The reasons for going to a commercial FTA broadcaster are well know and have been explained by many. I suggest you copy something like this... To go to a commercial FTA broadcaster will be a huge hit to revenue .... post it each day ... we all agree .. I also copy my opening line from my above post """ I think Optus has changed things the old paradigm is well and truly dead when Football had to go with a begging bowl."""" You are still working with the old paradigm formulas .
Sydneysider
Guest
MF Why don't you post on the rugby tab about their lack of FTA appeal? Go check out the comments on the Green & Gold rugby forum about their hopes for FTA coverage in the future and how rugby deserves better coverage. Why don't you post on the rugby league tab about their lack of TV ratings in Melbourne and Adelaide? Yes, you've repeated yourself 100 times. A-League FTA TV rights to be $0. Great, now go and post on the rugby tab about their lack of FTA coverage.