The 2017 Rights Deal Discussion thread

[Kwality]

That may be but your "Seven will win the AFL rights, ten the state rights" is based on literally nothing.

Its just as likely that the VFL rights could be rolled into the AFL rights agreement since both are up at the same time, and both are properties owned by the AFL (and this would bring it into line with similar deals signed by the NRL which includes the Holden Cup, NSW Cup and NSW Schoolboys as part of their deal). The SANFL and WAFL arrangements cant be included because those are not AFL properties.

Nine have actively been involved in both the SA and WA negotiations, Ten have literally not said a word thats been reported or speculated on.

Rolling the VFL rights into the AFL rights is an example of dividing loyalties ... not a criticism of the example Wookie ... IF adopted it will further fracture the div 2 clubs, div 2 being the non blockbuster Melbourne based clubs.
WAFL clubs wont compete with the Eagles & the Dockers, the Pies will power on, has this been thought out ? Victorians dont go to the footy as in the pre national comp days.
Where does SA stand given it appears to have the strongest of the state based comps.

 

[The_Wookie]

It was only an example. Havent seen speculation that it would happen anywhere. it is how the NRL rights went though

The SANFL would never let the AFL negotiate rights for them, and I dont think the WAFL would either. i

 

[Rob]

Given it's doubtful anyone would pay for state league rights, the leagues themselves are going to want the network that gives them the best coverage. And that's likely to be whoever has the AFL rights if they can get a slot between AFL games. It gives them an automatic audience.

 

[telsor]

Rolling the VFL rights into the AFL rights is an example of dividing loyalties ... not a criticism of the example Wookie ... IF adopted it will further fracture the div 2 clubs, div 2 being the non blockbuster Melbourne based clubs.
WAFL clubs wont compete with the Eagles & the Dockers, the Pies will power on, has this been thought out ? Victorians dont go to the footy as in the pre national comp days.
Where does SA stand given it appears to have the strongest of the state based comps.

How so? VFA never drew much of a crowd, VFL/AFL attendances are up.

 

[Our Game]

How so? VFA never drew much of a crowd, VFL/AFL attendances are up.

Actually for a 20 year period between 1966 and the early 1990s they drew very good crowds to their Sunday games and rated very well on Ch 0/10
The Current "VFL" get mostly pretty poor crowds compared to the old VFA in fact the VFA thirds/U19 games played on Saturdays used to get more people watching than some of the VFL matches do now.

Dont forget the VFA right from the split in 1896 had the VFL/AFL to compete with unlike SA and WA where the local leagues were the equivalent of the VFL/AFL.
A lot of people seem to forget and esp those at the AFL forget that ALL the current Victorian AFL teams and the Sydney Swans came via the VFA.

 

[Kwality]

How so? VFA never drew much of a crowd, VFL/AFL attendances are up.

Look at walk ups v club memberships before & after the rush to 3 game memberships, any effect on attendances, how about dollars? Wouldnt worry too much about historic attendance numbers, there is a changing pattern effected also by the Foxtel all games offer.

 

[Kwality]

Given it's doubtful anyone would pay for state league rights, the leagues themselves are going to want the network that gives them the best coverage. And that's likely to be whoever has the AFL rights if they can get a slot between AFL games. It gives them an automatic audience.

WAFL clubs may have to pay for the coverage.
The WAFC remains in discussions with preferred broadcast partner Channel 7 about televising the WAFL in 2015 following an end to the ABC's long-running coverage.
However, the commission is yet to secure sponsorship to underwrite the new broadcast agreement despite saying yesterday it remained confident of achieving a deal.
Each WAFL club contributing up to $50,000 to get the estimated $1 million-a-year deal over the line is one option floated.

 

[telsor]

WAFL clubs may have to pay for the coverage.
The WAFC remains in discussions with preferred broadcast partner Channel 7 about televising the WAFL in 2015 following an end to the ABC's long-running coverage.
However, the commission is yet to secure sponsorship to underwrite the new broadcast agreement despite saying yesterday it remained confident of achieving a deal.
Each WAFL club contributing up to $50,000 to get the estimated $1 million-a-year deal over the line is one option floated.

I suspect that, in practice, WAFC would pay, and $1M less/year would be distributed down the food chain, which could mean $50K/year less gets to each WAFL club.

 

[Kwality]

2030 & the rivers of gold dry up:
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/broadcast-tv-will-be-extinct-by-2030-says-netflix-boss-20141128-11w124.html

 

[Gigantor]

2030 & the rivers of gold dry up:
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/broadcast-tv-will-be-extinct-by-2030-says-netflix-boss-20141128-11w124.html

We've discussed this many times on this board.

Would it really take till 2030? That's still a lot of years, probably more than I would have expected.

For mine, it's not so much that the TV dollars will dry up, we all know that will happen eventually, rather, the real issue is the transition to the AFL going directly to the consumer in selling the broadcsting of AFL matches.

How quick will that transition be? And will there be a few years of transition when the revenue will be down as the AFL tries to increase the market for direct consumers as the TV money grandually dries up.

 

[Our Game]

This Age article today gives a good insight into the TV stations thinking on HD.
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/our-tv-networks-have-had-it-too-good-20141129-11uq9b.html

Our TV networks have had it too good
Date
November 30, 2014 - 12:15AM

• Read later

Peter Martin

"When after some years it became apparent that Australians weren't going to switch to digital if all they got was the same channels (invalidating the networks' dodgy looking research) the networks said they could better use the excess spectrum for extra channels themselves.

Each still maintains a token commitment to high definition on one of its channels (it's actually degraded high definition to make way for the extra channels) but no one much notices. Much of the time those channels don't carry high definition content. The spectrum is wasted, but no one else has it. That's how the networks think."

 

[The_Wookie]

The AFL has told the market it values its next broadcast rights deal at $1.75 billion over five years, setting the scene for a long and tough fight for what is considered the most valuable sports rights in Australia.

The mooted value, met with scepticism by some television executives, would represent a $100 million annual increase from the current five-year $1.25 billion deal with Seven West Media, Foxtel and Telstra that expires at the end of 2016.

It is understood the AFL has already held informal chats with the networks ahead of more formal negotiations that would begin in the new year, with the league targeting a new deal to be signed by the end of the 2015 season.

ref: http://www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/sport/tv_networks_will_vie_for_afl_rights_Q5Xp5BOMjLjQmCZZl6txmI

 

[Connar]

I imagine that Channel Seven & Foxtel will retain the AFL TV Rights with Ten securing VFL TV Rights from 2017.

 

[Our Game]

ref: http://www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/sport/tv_networks_will_vie_for_afl_rights_Q5Xp5BOMjLjQmCZZl6txmI

If they can get that amount it most likely be the last of the big bucks unless the FTA stations get even more desperate for live content in the future when other forms of information delivery take hold.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Live sports = audience has to watch the ads. that means sports will keep their value longer.

People dont want to time shift live sports like they do a sit com or a drama or a movie or even a public/current affairs program.

 

[Gigantor]

Live sports = audience has to watch the ads. that means sports will keep their value longer.

People dont want to time shift live sports like they do a sit com or a drama or a movie or even a public/current affairs program.

Very true, the numbers are pretty clear on this one, there is a big difference between ratings for live sports, as compared to when it's on delay or replayed.

But there is at least one complication in this argument. We know that C7 used to prefer showing big rating lifestyle shows for the first hour of an AFL game, and it would then show the footy one hour on delay (or so).
Commercially, from C7's perspective, it can probably take the hit in ratings in showing the footy on delay because of the supersized ratings for a one hour lifestyle show.

Fortunately for us footy fans, who hated the game on delay, the AFL was able to use some muscle to get rid of it, but you'd think they may have taken a small hit in TV revenues in doing it.

 

[The_Wookie]

Interesting little sidenote

http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...rops_reach_rule_battle_lr5rANeZwHIN74EamaO3FP

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive David Gyngell says the network will override its regional affiliate WIN Corp when their affiliation deal runs out, saying Nine will simply stream programmes to the regions via the internet.

Speaking after the free-to-air television to live events company’s annual meeting Mr Gyngell also blasted the mooted $1.5 billion to $2 billion price tag for the next round of AFL sport rights as “a complete joke”.

Mr Gyngell said he was no longer lobbying for repeal of the 75 per cent reach rule that prevents metropolitan broadcasters from taking over the regional affiliates saying it would become redundant as viewers watch more television over the internet

http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...t_plan_half_baked_says_NqwT84FmTzddSZPSqd4YbJ

Nine Entertainment stands to lose almost $100 million a year if it scraps it affiliation with regional TV stations, Prime Media chairman and former News Limited boss John Hartigan said.

 

[Our Game]

Interesting little sidenote

http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...rops_reach_rule_battle_lr5rANeZwHIN74EamaO3FP



http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...t_plan_half_baked_says_NqwT84FmTzddSZPSqd4YbJ

David Gyngell is a typical Sydney centric rugby loving TV exc who is speaking through his pocket.I hope Ten gets sold to Murdoch and he goes for broke to get the AFL rights.

 

[Kwality]

Ten is slowing the rights discussions:

Talks for the richest sports deal in Australian television history have been postponed until next year due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the sale of potential bidder Ten Network.
According to sources, the AFL Commission has decided to wait for the free-to-air network’s future to be clarified to maximise competition tension and get the best possible deal for the code.
Commissioners believe any scenario in which Ten’s programming budget is significantly boosted will improve AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan’s chances of attaining a “record deal being bigger than the last”.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au...nd-digital/ten-battle-delays-afl-rights-talks

 

[Sydney Bloods]

David Gyngell is a typical Sydney centric rugby loving TV exc who is speaking through his pocket.I hope Ten gets sold to Murdoch and he goes for broke to get the AFL rights.

thats not how murdoch works. he'd buy 10 just to drop the price to a flat million destroying competition and then have some no name neck beard from fox walk in at the last second when all hope of a great deal is lost with billions yes with an s and walk off with 7 exclusive games a week.

murdochs a bastard and the only thing he wants making money is foxtel. murdoh needs to stay the * away from the AFL as much as possible.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Interesting little sidenote

http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...rops_reach_rule_battle_lr5rANeZwHIN74EamaO3FP



http://www.afr.com/p/business/marke...t_plan_half_baked_says_NqwT84FmTzddSZPSqd4YbJ

Nines getting ahead of the NRL's plan for streaming. the NRL rights deal in online terms is just ahead of the AFL's with as of next year for example the nrl app will stream games on normal pcs and latops where as AFL will still only work on mobiles and some tablets.
there's also talk of a smart tv app only being held up until they are sure it doesn't class as competing broadcast.

the NRL for all its faults and there are s**t tons is always thinking ahead on how to make the most money out coach sitters. Nine is just trying to stay ahead of the game.

 

[Connar]

As well as VFL, I hope that Ten can also secure WNBL & W League Soccer.

 

[Experimental]

I hope that Ten can also secure WNBL & W League Soccer.

They're not going to spend money on something that nobody is going to watch.

 

[The_Wookie]

Wleague might do ok on FTA. It does comparatively ok compared to state leagues - although not when you consider the Wleague is shown nationally and the VFL/SANFL and WAFL are only shown in one state

 

[Rob]

Wleague might do ok on FTA. It does comparatively ok compared to state leagues - although not when you consider the Wleague is shown nationally and the VFL/SANFL and WAFL are only shown in one state

From what i've seen of mediaweek's tweets over the last couple of years the W-League and WNBL rate pretty much the same. In both cases no FTA network is going to be interested, it's at best multichannel fodder and it would be lucky to rate half on a multichannel than what it does on the ABC. Which is half of not much in the first place.

In saying that, the NBL on 10/One doesn't do much better, if at all.