A-League fans should be pleased the competition’s immediate future has been sorted out, even if the sums on offer aren’t quite what was first imagined.
Make no mistake – without Fox Sports, there’s no A-League. Or certainly not one where the pay TV rights alone are worth $57.6 million per season.
Critics who fixate on the fact that the figure is short of the $80 million hypothesised by Football Federation Australia chairman David Gallop back in February are overlooking a couple of key points.
Firstly, the focus shouldn’t be on the fact that the $346 million, six-year deal falls short of Gallop’s original figure. It should be on the fact that a broadcaster is willing to pay so much for A-League rights in such a competitive market.
Secondly, the figure paid not only represents an improvement on the previous broadcast deal, it also helps keeps the A-League in business when it looks like there wasn’t exactly an endless array of suitors.
The free-to-air component of the deal – yet to be finalised – will bring even more funds into the coffers.
More importantly, though, it will hopefully give the A-League a free-to-air home on a commercial network that might actually be watched by potential new followers.
Despite yesterday’s announcement largely representing good news, it still comes with a couple of caveats.
The sight of several A-League chairmen venting their astonishment on Twitter proves that not every stakeholder was kept up to date with developments.
Meanwhile, the terse media release from the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association that landed in inboxes around the country, which said the APFCA had not been “directly involved in the negotiations”, begs the question of just exactly who was.
Nevertheless, it’s clear this deal is a good one for Fox Sports. Not only did they retain the broadcast rights to a key subscription driver at a time when TV audiences are fragmenting, but they arguably paid less than many expected them to do.
Despite a few grey areas, it should also be seen as a good deal for Football Federation Australia.
Generating a substantial increase in the value of broadcast rights is no mean feat – particularly in such a competitive market.
There are legitimate concerns about the length of the deal, but even that can be viewed through the prism of ‘stability’ and the notion that at least we know where we’ll be in a few years’ time.
Those who complain that the deal fails to match the sort of money paid to broadcast the AFL and NRL fail to take into account that broadcasters arguably paid over the odds for products increasingly boasting diminishing returns.
And if you want a lesson in how to pay too much for something few people watch, look no further than Optus – which in hindsight did the A-League a huge favour by poaching the English Premier League.
It was no surprise to see Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany claim the EPL is now “invisible” – funny that – although he’s right to try and target football fans in Australia looking for a dose of local action.
Fans fretting that expansion is now suddenly off the table needn’t worry either. It has been made crystal clear to FFA that viewers expect to see new clubs on their TV screens, and no doubt that desire was part of the discussion, even if Gallop was coy on any plans.
An increase to the marquee fund will help bring bigger stars to the league, while the fact Socceroos, Matildas, W-League and FFA Cup games will all stay on Fox Sports is an added bonus for subscribers.
SBS used to call itself the “home of football”, but that mantle passed to Fox Sports long ago.
And while some Aussies still struggle with the concept of pay TV, we should have no qualms about how much Fox Sports is willing to pay to broadcast the A-League.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Football is the most popular game in North America? You can't possibly be serious.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Not really sure why you're so worried about what people do overseas? Cultural cringe much? Definitely prefer No.1 in the country I live in than worry about what's going on in Germany or Mexico or wherever. Who cares? I won't visit most of those overseas countries in my life in any case.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Yes, but you live in Brisbane, who cares about Brisbane? I mean really?
Pauly
Guest
Like the UFC is just playfighting
Clipper
Guest
Yes, being saying for awhile and it's good a lot of people are agreeing now. Yes, Agent 11 - Victory anre the most attended A Legue team, but still haven't managed to overtake AFL attendance there, unlike the Swans in Sydney, you have overtaken every NRL team there and WSW who have overtaken a few - proving my point once again.
Jeff Milton
Guest
Cousin, it says in your profile you have been a member since august? How come you know about pippinu back from 2010? Perhaps you have various names?
tully101
Roar Guru
China- football India- cricket USA- american football indonesia- football Brazil- football thats 3 out of 5 for football more countries are in Fifa then the UN, the 3 biggest sport tournaments in the world are football tornae ments, football is the most popular game in 6 out of the 7 continents. what else defines the world game? how about a game that is only popular in one country? and its only the most popular in one of the 3 biggest cities?
Paul
Guest
You'd think it'd be: Melbourne derby Sydney derby Big Blue Victory v Wanderers Victory v Brisbane Brisbane v Wanderers Victory v Adelaide Those alone would surely fill much of the Saturday slots. It is a tad unfair to the clubs not mentioned but if they can share in the broadcast revenue and the salary cap remains in place they should not be too disadvantaged. Besides, Wellington and Perth can still play their Saturday night fixtures due to time differences from Central and Eastern Australia.
Truth Bomb
Guest
I think developing a strong "digital / media" business is a no brainer for the afl. I think they'd prefer the current arrangements but it's a good fall back. I'm sure there'd still be "partners" that would provide necessary platforms and share risk. A braves new world beyond the current fta / stv premium paying paradigm but the afl will be very well placed to get the best outcome by 2023
albatross
Roar Pro
I am a cricket, ie not T(ip 'n' Run)/20, fan but crowing about Australia dominating cricket is a bit much. FFS most of the opponents are third world countries and/or economic basket cases and/or have small populations. In many the actual participation rates are not really significant. Plus both political and sporting administrations in those countries are often corrupt to the core. In any event my understanding is that cricket's revenues are largely underpinned by India which is a bit of a medium to long term risk factor.
AR
Guest
The clubs didn't know about the deal until after it was done. I'm stunned by that.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Cheers for that, Midfielder. Was great to listen too until Steve from Tassie came on to have his rant.
I hate pies
Guest
None of your replies remotely have anything to do with the fact that soccer is way down the list in Australia. The "world" game is irrelevant in a domestic market. In fact, it's the European and South American game only; it's not even the most popular sport in the two most populous nations on earth, or even in 5 of the 6 most populous nations on earth. It's not a world game at all. Keep up with the insults boys, that's all you've got.
Realfootball
Guest
A decent sum for FTA is certainly possible, but it will only happen if FFA is prepared to guarantee all the big games - meaning the derbies and Sydney/Melbourne contests- are the games the network gets. They would also have to toss in at least one big game for Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth as a cast iron guarantee - so Brisbane/Sydney FC, Adelaide/Victory, Perth/Sydney or Melbourne. The networks will not have any interest in the Mariners or the Jets (small population bases). I am sure that there will be one CCM and one Jets game for reach, maybe the F3 derby, or, for example, CCM/Wanderers, which always gets a good crowd. I suspect that this is why the Fox deal is somewhat less than some had expected. FFA would have known that they needed first rank content for the FTA and Fox would have demanded, understandably, a price discount to let that happen. I would be very surprised to see any Phoenix games in the FTA schedule. Absolutely no point, commercially. Makes it even less likely the Phoenix have a long term future in the A League.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
And I don't see Netflix boasting the infrastructure to professionally broadcast a sporting league. One of the main reasons Optus was never in the hunt for A-League rights.
Realfootball
Guest
Could the AFL take care of it's own broadcasting needs, MF? I am very skeptical that is the case. It would require a huge investment of capital and considerable exposure to risk. Why would they bother?
Realfootball
Guest
Is there an International Pedant Exchange program?
Post_hoc
Guest
You have a point, but the poster directly below (anon) kind of diminishes what you say, sad I know, because you have a point
Post_hoc
Guest
Hence them floating the idea of smaller sides on rectangular fields?
Post_hoc
Guest
well said, great commitment