Devil is in the detail for TV rights
Caroline Wilson
The Age
December 3, 2006
Seven and Ten's relationship with the AFL shows little sign of improvement, writes Caroline Wilson.IS THERE no end to the AFL's broadcasting saga? Virtually 12 months have passed since football chiefs Andrew Demetriou and Ron Evans announced the deal of a lifetime with Channel Nine and Foxtel, a deal that would plough millions of dollars into the game at every level and guarantee the survival of the struggling clubs for at least another five years.
For a time things moved quickly after that. Three days after the AFL's triumphant announcement, Kerry Packer died, leaving Australia's two other commercial free-to-air networks with a massive choice. But by then, channels Seven and Ten had already made that choice. They would match Nine's bid and worry about Foxtel later.
They did that less than a fortnight later. The AFL, knowing it had lost significant control over its broadcast rights having sold Channel Seven the right to bid first and last back in the late 1990s issued a brief press statement announcing its new media partners.
Actually sitting down and talking with Seven and Ten took much longer summer had ended and the first meeting did not go well and the reality now is that the AFL's loss of control, coupled with the Federal Government's insistence that it cannot deal directly with pay TV, means that the broadcast schedule for 2007 remains in doubt.
Foxtel is officially out of the picture but no one seems prepared to rule the pay network out unconditionally. Various Foxtel shareholders and subsidiaries continue to attempt to re-open negotiations, which is not surprising given the massive hit the network will take in Victoria, particularly, should it lose AFL.
The AFL is forging ahead with the prospect of eight free-to-air games each weekend and given that the Fox Footy Channel has been permanently removed whether or not Foxtel blinks, that seems the best result for the traditional football states and the struggling clubs.
But for the second media deal in succession, the developing markets, where the game must entrench itself, could be harmed largely because the AFL went for the dollar with not enough concern for the detail.
This time around, regional areas of NSW and southern Queensland so channels Seven and Ten assure us will be well served by regional networks.
They also assure us, less convincingly, that community television can take care of Sydney and Brisbane, which have been promised live Friday night football. Two days ago, the new rights-holders wrote to the AFL demonstrating why Channel 31 was a reasonable option. The AFL will not buy it.
The other argument Seven and Ten is conducting is over the prospect of Saturday night games. The networks are pushing the league to stagger Saturday nights to allow one game to start at around 6.30pm and the other closer to 8pm for an 8.30 television kick-off.
Again the AFL is dubious, having been happy with the regular timeslots of the past five years. But it has to work with its new partners and Demetriou is putting on a brave and diplomatic face at present. The problem is that neither party seems to fully trust the other, which is not exactly the basis for a solid partnership.
If there is one thing the AFL cherishes, it is its fixture. Unlike rugby league, or virtually any sporting competition in this country, AFL fans can plan their football travel months in advance, and by joining forces Seven and Ten antagonise the league by threatening that control.
Not surprisingly, when the subject of buying first and last bidding rights came up this time, a terse negative was the reply.
Seven and Ten insist that the AFL was greedy, that it wanted to do a deal with Nine and Foxtel and had it taken a minor financial hit a year ago, it would have done a better deal with them in terms of game development around the country.
If there is an uneasiness between Seven, which continues to remain coy over its commentary line-up, and Ten over Seven's plunder of the V8 Supercars and the question of which network will host the 2007 grand final the much-mooted coin toss is reportedly days away then both parties are denying it.
The AFL continues to insist it is more than happy with the current state of affairs despite the fact it seems to have more control over the Kangaroos and Carlton at present than it does over just who will televise Friday night football into Sydney and Brisbane.
The fact remains that we are nearing Christmas yet again and still the 2007 AFL picture is unclear. The AFL might boast a lucrative partnership, but right now it is not showing any signs of being the start of a beautiful friendship.
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