Radio to deliver every AFL game live
By Caroline Wilson
The Age
September 27, 2006
Every AFL game will be broadcast live in Melbourne next year in a radical shake-up of the competition's radio rights, which look set to reap the league an estimated $8 million between 2007 and 2009.
Under the two-tiered deal, 3AW and Triple M go head-to-head calling four of the eight weekly AFL games, including the Saturday afternoon match of the day. The ABC and newcomer SEN will each call five games, but will get second choice of matches on most Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights.
The AFL-SEN deal is all but signed. While network sources suggested last night that SEN may be paying as much as $1.5 million over three years, final arrangements have not been completed. As part of the deal, the AFL is expected to invest in SEN, a public company, through an options deal.
Under the new arrangements, all interstate Saturday night games will now be broadcast into Melbourne.
The AFL and ABC remain in dispute over Saturday afternoons, but both parties suggested they were confident of reaching an agreement. The AFL Commission was told two days ago that separate deals with all four stations were imminent.
The ABC had been angered by its relegation to the second tier of the new radio structure, which initially forced it to miss out on the Saturday afternoon match of the day. But the AFL has proposed a compromise under which 774 would call alongside Triple M and 3AW on a maximum five occasions.
Under the agreement, all four stations will call Friday night football and every AFL final, including the grand final, over the next three years.
Triple M and 3AW will pay an estimated five times the current rates to call the match of the day in Melbourne or Geelong each Saturday and the best of the two Saturday night games. They will also call the 2.10pm game each Sunday.
Triple M is believed to be paying less than 3AW because of its commitment to call every Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions game into those respective cities. The 3AW deal includes its sister station 6PR in Perth, and Triple M's involves its Adelaide counterpart.
However, both commercial networks are believed to be concerned about some conditions in the draft contracts. These include internet agreements, coverage into regional areas and other networking issues.
The ABC, which significantly increased its initial $80,000 a year to gain a better deal, will share the second choice match on Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. The second-tier stations will also call the 1.10pm Sunday game and the Sunday twilight match.
The AFL has recently offered the ABC several concessions, including a stipulation it could share the Saturday match of the day with Triple M and 3AW if the second match was being played in Perth or if the second choice game involved two non-Victorian teams. The ABC would have to travel to Adelaide on no more than four occasions.
Although unlikely to be finalised before Saturday, the radio deal will probably be decided before the final break-up of the television rights - Channels Seven and Ten appear no closer to a deal with Foxtel.
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