Is Ten/ Paramount+ serious about football in Australia?

Australian football is about to step into what many feel is the long awaited light at the end of the tunnel.

After Foxtel’s apathy towards A and W-League broadcasting in recent years and a waning commitment towards it, Football Australia’s die has been cast in the direction of an exciting new partner, one that occupies the two spaces so vital to more successful and popular coverage of the leagues.

There is no such thing as a magic elixir in life, dint of hard work and shrewd planning and execution are the elements that bring success to people or organisations alike. However, there is something refreshing about change, new directions, different ideas and a break from the status quo.

That is the psychological space in which Australian football finds itself right now and Ten Network/Paramount+ executives will be scratching their heads, hopeful of formulating a plan of attack that will reinvigorate the domestic round ball game.

How should they go about it?

Most obviously, creating an awareness of the change and the new broadcast structure is vital, with every possible Australian receiving the message via a serious and consistent advertising and awareness campaign as soon as possible.

There is no need for the new partners to pull any punches in doing so. Get Tim Cahill and Ellie Carpenter on board immediately, throw in the footage of John Aloisi’s penalty against Uruguay as well as the famous Riley McGree scorpion kick and bombard the nation with positive football images.

His name is Riley McGree. He scored a very good goal. (Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Pay for the rights to the most catchy and apt song that provides a soundtrack to the feats of Sam Kerr back flipping her way to international recognition, as well as the sublime moments provided by Milos Ninkovic, Jamie Maclaren and Ulises Davilla in the most recent A-League season.

I don’t really care if the powers at be rebrand Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” or use Baker Boy’s “Meditjin” in order to sell the game of football to Australians in a more dramatic way than has ever been done before.

But for the sake of Johnny Warren, Les Murray and Mike Cockerill, do something!

Something pro-active. Something different. Something inventive. Heaven forbid, I’d even settle for something stupid.

As long as what the new regime presents is unique, contemporary and truly ambitious in its presentation and intention.

Sorry, got somewhat emotional there.

There is no excuse for the new broadcasting holders of Australian football not to have Socceroos and Matildas featuring regularly on Ten Network flagship programs such as ‘Have you been paying attention’. There, the game will find sympathetic ears in the form of Ed Kavalee and Sam Pang.

Network Ten’s nightly variety program ‘The Project’ would be the perfect cross promotional tool, featuring regular appearances by A and W League players during the season and Archie Thompson’s involvement in the world of Masterchef looms as a precursor to what could become common place for Australian footballers in the future.

The money is there to make significant changes to the way football has been broadcast in Australia over recent years and if Ten and Paramount+ are indeed serious about doing so, it would stand to reason that we will see their commitment in a tangible form in the short term future.

Football Australia’s eleven principles may have made no mention of fans, yet the new broadcasters could do far worse than engaging with active support right across Australia and developing its content with the emotions and desires of the supporters in mind.

Send correspondents out into the stands I say, engage visually and verbally with supporter groups in the Shed, the Cove and the Terrace. Talk to people, understand what football is all about and avoid sanitising it in a form palatable by Rupert Murdoch and a still conservative Australia.

Moreover, don’t insult anyone with your selection of commentators and/or presenters. The game needs people with serious, contemporary cred and youthful class.

Enough of NRL and AFL crossovers, be gone with 60+ veterans of the game and others looking for a cushy gig after years abroad and seeking the comforts of a safe role in Australia.

Set a ground breaking new agenda where your research and initiative lead to a dynamic new era of coverage of the A and W-Leagues.

The passion for Socceroo and Matilda success is destined to exist for eternity, what the game needs is your involvement to be more than just a financial one that perpetuates the mediocrity of the last decade.

I can assure you, fans across the country are with you Ten/Paramount+ and we all want you to succeed and profit exponentially. If you do, so will the game.

And that is exactly what we the fans have always hoped for and believe is possible for Australian football.