How can they list Vic clubs with traditionally strong supporter bases and not include Richmond ???
TV deal a boost for big clubs Jon Pierik
November 27, 2010 VICTORIAN AFL teams with traditionally strong supporter bases, not necessarily those in good form, loom as the major winners on free-to-air television from 2012 when the revised anti-siphoning rules begin.
A major overhaul of the sports broadcasting list announced by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy will mean four ''high-quality'' AFL matches per week will be shown on free-to-air television - including on the digital multi-channels - with five to go on pay television as the league will have 18 teams with the inclusion of Greater Western Sydney.
But the issue that had Free TV Australia and network officials still stumped yesterday was over what criteria would be used to determine what constitutes blockbuster or high-quality matches for free to air.
With free-to-air networks set to pay a record figure for the new rights deal between 2012-16,
one network insider yesterday said broadcasters would predominantly want traditionally strong clubs on show to attract the highest number of viewers to recoup costs and increase advertising revenue.
These clubs include Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong and St Kilda. [Where's us? ???]The Western Bulldogs, for example, are still not a favourite of networks despite reaching three straight preliminary finals. They face a challenge to win the regular free-to-air slots that sponsors crave, particularly if they struggle next year.
The Bulldogs have 10 matches on Foxtel next season, compared with the Blues (four), the Magpies (five), the Saints (six), the Cats (seven) and even the Bombers (eight). Even Melbourne (seven), which hasn't made the finals since 2006, is shown more on free to air.
Bulldogs president David Smorgon said the challenge was to play exciting football and hopefully attract more viewers.
''You have to start winning games and play good, exciting footy like the Bulldogs do and you should be OK,'' he said. ''That's what we are there for. That's the opportunity for everyone, the challenge for all of us to keep on improving the game and keep winning and doing those things.''
North Melbourne, another club that generally struggles for viewers - the Roos had one Friday-night match last season and have only one next season - could also face long periods without vital free-to-air exposure. The Kangaroos have 13 matches on Foxtel next season - the most of any Victorian club.
The AFL has said blockbuster games such as Anzac Day and the finals would be preserved for free to air.
A decision on which matches are preserved will be released in October of each year when the fixture is announced.
Federal Cabinet has required Conroy to come up with a legally binding agreement ensuring that blockbuster matches stay on free to air. The AFL had offered a letter of comfort guaranteeing the best matches would remain on free to air, with penalties for breaches of that agreement.
But cabinet wanted greater reassurance to protect the rights of viewers, leaving Conroy to begin work on a new agreement with the AFL. This mechanism, which reportedly hasn't made AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou ''wildly happy'', will be in place before the anti-siphoning agreement expires on December 31.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tv-deal-a-boost-for-big-clubs-20101126-18aoo.html
