Did he buy back the rights in 87 for the 88 season as Ch 2 covered the 87 season? Unfortuantely I can't forget us throwing away about 3 big 3/4 time leads in the first 5 rounds on the way to a wooden spoon with TJ ripping the last remains his hair out in the coach's box 
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Yeah I didn't explain that too well did I
Skase bought the rights back in late 1987 for the 1988 season onwards - I think he bought them initially for 3 years for a then record price and up until 2001 Seven held the rights.
To further clarify:
At the end of 1986 the AFL (then the VFL) in their wisdom
sold the TV rights to a company called Broadcom (rather than 7 who were the only other bidder BTW). Broadcom were to then "on sell them" to whoever they wanted - again Ch 7 was the only TV network interested and they were going to show the footy. But Seven's ownership changed in early 1987 and as I said Fairfax pulled the pin and IIRC the AFL then had to quickly find someone to broadcast the footy (first year for the Eagles & Bears remember) around the country. Only takers were the ABC who had then for the 1987 season.
I read with interest yestyerday in the HUN that one Mike Sheahan reported about the Ch 7 Sydney ownership thing in his editorial - perhaps he memory was jogged while reading OER
Thus ends WP's footy history leasson for this week
