Seven's AFL coverage in 1997

[Scotland]

There's a bit of nostalgia involved but I reckon 7 did a pretty good job back in the 90s.

With 7/8 games a round they could never show them all, but with a single channel on a single network showing all their other programs on top of sport there seemed to be hours and hours of footy on each weekend. Used to shit me when they'd show West Coast away games on delay to fit in the news etc. but it wasn't until the latest 'Foxtel can show all 9 games' TV rights deal that WA has got a decent run with live footy despite technological advances...

I look at 7 now and wonder what went wrong.

 

[chaelsonnen]

Loved the 2000 Stand Tough opening. Used to get me pumped

 

[Dirty Bird]

I was looking through some old TV guides from 1997 this morning and thought it might be interesting to look at the level of coverage Channel Seven was giving to AFL ten years ago.

Here's Seven's schedule from a few random rounds...

ROUND 8

FRIDAY May 16
8:30 AFL Football: Round 8. Collingwood v Western Bulldogs. Delayed telecast from the MCG.

SATURDAY May 17
4:00 Interfooty.
4:30 Rex Hunt's Fishing Adventures.
5:00 Around The Grounds.
5:30 Seven News.
6:00 AFL Winners. AFL news and highlights from today's games: Melbourne v Geelong, North Melbourne v Port Adelaide.
8:30 AFL Football: Round 8. Adelaide v Sydney. Live from Football Park.

SUNDAY May 18
9:00am Sportsworld. Live.
11:00 Footy Panel with Rex Hunt. Live.
12pm AFL Gameday. Live.
2:00 AFL Football: Round 8. Fremantle v Brisbane. Live from Subiaco.
5:00 AFL Football: Round 8. Highlights from Essendon v St Kilda, Carlton v Hawthorn.

MONDAY May 19
8:30 AFL Football: Round 8. Richmond v West Coast. Delayed telecast from the MCG.
11:30 Talking Footy. AFL panel discussion show hosted by Bruce McAvaney, with Mike Sheahan and Leigh Matthews.

How it should be, a fair and equal fixture without it being a Vic-centric tv fixture.
I can swear that before Sydney-GWS in GWS' first game, we went about 10 years without having a live free to air game (outside of finals) involve 2 non-Victorian teams. That whole 9/10 followed by 7/10 tv deal was just too Vic centric.

 

[Ablett2Garland]

I liked when they would show the scores from other games "If you don't want to know the scores, look away now"

 

[bigfatcorn]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

 

[Sausages]

Whilst that's happening the voice over continues, the music lulling you into not playing it safe and getting a beer NOW:

"And there you can see that St Kilda is leading Collingwood at halftime 8.3.51 to 4.7.31"

 

[FootyJunkie]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

Footy is life, son

 

[FootyJunkie]

Loved the 2000 Stand Tough opening. Used to get me pumped

was actually surprised when I found out a boy band sang it.... Point Break

 

[pjcrows]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

Cheers Dad

 

[Dirty Bird]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

Roby?

 

[Xtreme]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

*looks at my signature* I ummm, well yeah

 

[Alberton]

Who has time to watch every single game every week, plus all these shows about footy, I watch the Eagles game and nothing else.

If you are watching 9 games of footy each weekend you probably need a new hobby, or to reconsider your priorities in life.

Thanks to Dermie, Sportsbet ads and the mini-league gameplans adopted since Roos coached Sydney, I totally agree.

Can't make myself watch more than the Port games these days.

 

[pazza]

The strength in that era was the commentary teams.

Not too much in the way of ego, but a lot of experience be it as journalists or as players and coaches.

McAvaney, Cometti, Morphett, Roberts, Landy.

Then Bartlett, McKenna, Scott, Healy, Watson, Kerley, Glendenning, Robertson, Barich, Cordy and Wheeler.

Then Dipper on the boundary.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

97 was a crap year.

 

[Balance]

You are seriously deluded. Do you work for Foxtel or Andrew Bolt or something?

Much has changed since 1997 including the amount of money in the game. Capitalism has definitely been the winner here but thanks for making me laugh

I don't know about whom you quoted, but there are lots of company men on here.

 

[FootyJunkie]

97 was a crap year.

 

[PP34]

I was just growing up at this time. But gee Seven seems to have totally cooked what was once great coverage from them.

 

[Balance]

I liked when they would show the scores from other games "If you don't want to know the scores, look away now"

Sometimes there were presenters in the studio announcing this, especially good when there was a huge thrashing going on as they would try to keep a straight face.

I remember one time Brisbane traveled to Perth and were ahead by something like 22 goals at half time. At half time: "if you don't want to know the score..." they cut back to the presenters with a big look of amazement on their face.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Seven truly was "the footy channel" back in the day.
They eventually televised all games, but distributed them accordingly by TV market for FTA and using their C7 pay channel to supplement their coverage.
The aim was to show you content from as many games as they could, just not necessarily the whole game or live (30 min, 1 hour or 2 hour delays were common) (which has certainly improved with Foxtel on board).
Late night Saturday replay was good when Ch 7 didn't have any sporting commitments - they would replay the game that clashed with the game you watched earlier that evening. Lots of Footy shows on Friday Night/Sunday mornings. Talking Footy on Mondays (Tuesday was kind of crap though).
Grand Final week was heaven, every night there was a program to lead up to the big day.
The old GF marathon was the best as they showed ANY final, not just GFs (the marathon now just sticks to GFs, which always produces a predictable line up of games each year). The brekky, the under 18s, reserves GFs leading into the big one. Then replaying the GF at night too.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Whilst that's happening the voice over continues, the music lulling you into not playing it safe and getting a beer NOW:

"And there you can see that St Kilda is leading Collingwood at halftime 8.3.51 to 4.7.31"

They never spoilt it, but they would trick you by going "oh, well that is definitely a surprise, I wonder if they'll be able to turn it around" or
"Things don't look to be going well there"

 

[FootyJunkie]

They never spoilt it, but they would trick you by going "oh, well that is definitely a surprise, I wonder if they'll be able to turn it around" or
"Things don't look to be going well there"

Round 16 2001 - Dennis was at Footy Park covering the Adelaide v Sydney game.

"Essendon are doing battle with North Melbourne in our other game, that's out at the MCG. We will be showing you highlights of that game following the action here in Adelaide. If you don't want to know the score, look away now... and to be honest, if you do see the score, you won't believe us anyway"

And the score showed North up by 10 goals at quarter time over reigning premiers Essendon.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Round 16 2001 - Dennis was at Footy Park covering the Adelaide v Sydney game.

"Essendon are doing battle with North Melbourne in our other game, that's out at the MCG. We will be showing you highlights of that game following the action here in Adelaide. If you don't want to know the score, look away now... and to be honest, if you do see the score, you won't believe us anyway"

And the score showed North up by 10 goals at quarter time over reigning premiers Essendon.

Yes
But I was referring to the post that said they'd tell you whose beating who, and by how much

 

[matt_nicholls]

Round 16 2001 - Dennis was at Footy Park covering the Adelaide v Sydney game.

"Essendon are doing battle with North Melbourne in our other game, that's out at the MCG. We will be showing you highlights of that game following the action here in Adelaide. If you don't want to know the score, look away now... and to be honest, if you do see the score, you won't believe us anyway"

And the score showed North up by 10 goals at quarter time over reigning premiers Essendon.

I was at that game as a neutral and hands down it's the best H&A game I've ever seen.

 

[tigerninja]

I will cancel my foxtel package when 7 broadcasts in HD, which will be never at this rate. Such a disgrace by the network.

 

[FootyJunkie]

I was at that game as a neutral and hands down it's the best H&A game I've ever seen.

I woke up at that Sunday and thought about going to the 'G as a neutral, but I got lazy and stayed in to watch footy on TV instead. I regret it.

Channel 7 agreed to show the whole game in full late on Monday night. The 1 hour highlights package on Sunday was not going to do the game justice.