Suns first ever Thursday/Friday night match not on FTA Nationwide. Why?

GCS in 11

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Jul 6, 2011
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After 9 years, the AFL finally have given us a prime time match....that’s not on prime time on FTA. I’m thankful we are getting a Thursday night match finally and have been rewarded for being semi decent for the first time ever, but this is just strange to me that it’s a fox game.

Every other Thurs night game has been on 7 this year so this really doesn’t make any sense. Tough for us to attract sponsors when even when we are good, we can’t get on nationwide FTA :/
 

GCS in 11

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its Free to Air in Victoria
It’s not, the front bar is on at 8:30pm this Thursday night in Melbourne. It’s a Fox Exclusive match
A701B91E-A78B-4A77-AA83-4F8290A01177.jpeg
 
Jan 19, 2008
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After 9 years, the AFL finally have given us a prime time match....that’s not on prime time on FTA. I’m thankful we are getting a Thursday night match finally and have been rewarded for being semi decent for the first time ever, but this is just strange to me that it’s a fox game.

Every other Thurs night game has been on 7 this year so this really doesn’t make any sense. Tough for us to attract sponsors when even when we are good, we can’t get on nationwide FTA :/

Pt in the "Things the AFL does that don't make sense" file. The file....is big.
 
Sep 28, 2011
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I enjoy how other teams can sneeze and channel 7 will be swarming around them, when we have to work bloody hard just to get 1 FTA game a year (had 0 last year, and were scheduled for 0 this year before Covid) and then people complain about why we need a massive handout than others when we get 0 national exposure for sponsors.

Will enjoy Thursday night for what it is, but it should really be on FTA.
 

Greenac

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Pt in the "Things the AFL does that don't make sense" file. The file....is big.

Can't blame this one of the AFL though can you?


I presume they are going to televise Freo vs Geelong FTA instead on the Monday night?

They aren't showing the blockbuster tonight on FTA so being the standalone game doesn't guarantee you a FTA audience. Contracts and such I presume (*ing stoopid but there you have it).
 
Apr 28, 2008
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I was surprised when I overheard it mentioned on the news last night that the Suns had a thursday night game. Hearing that it isn't going to get C7 primetime coverage outside the QLD market almost makes more sense. Dick move against the Suns, but Suns in marquee primetime raises the eyebrow. Hopefully soon it won't given the vibe around them and some of their young stars right now.
 
Oct 16, 2006
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Can't blame this one of the AFL though can you?


I presume they are going to televise Freo vs Geelong FTA instead on the Monday night?

They aren't showing the blockbuster tonight on FTA so being the standalone game doesn't guarantee you a FTA audience. Contracts and such I presume (f*n stoopid but there you have it).

Nope that’s not on 7 either.
I wondered how long it would take people to realise the suns game isn’t FTA.
Expecting media outlets to have faux rage is the next couple of days over this.
Also looking forward to the general
Public surprise Thursday night when they try to watch the footy.
 
Feb 13, 2011
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After 9 years, the AFL finally have given us a prime time match....that’s not on prime time on FTA. I’m thankful we are getting a Thursday night match finally and have been rewarded for being semi decent for the first time ever, but this is just strange to me that it’s a fox game.

Every other Thurs night game has been on 7 this year so this really doesn’t make any sense. Tough for us to attract sponsors when even when we are good, we can’t get on nationwide FTA :/
For the same reason all your other games aren't on FTA?

Your club has no fans outside of the Gold Coast and 7 are supposed to only get 3 games a week.

This isn't the first Thursday match to not be on FTA either.
 

JohnZ

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Mar 10, 2016
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Channel 7 don't have exclusive rights to Thursday Night games. They bought:

22 Friday Nights (17 this year)
22 Saturday Nights (17 this year)
22 Sunday Arvos (17 this year)
11 Public Holiday + Thursday Nights (9 this year)

So if the AFL schedule 17 Thursday night games this year, Ch7 will only show 9/17. It sucks GC is the first team to cop this, but it's better than playing Sunday 6pm on Foxtel.
 

GCS in 11

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For the same reason all your other games aren't on FTA?

Your club has no fans outside of the Gold Coast and 7 are supposed to only get 3 games a week.

This isn't the first Thursday match to not be on FTA either.
1. In the 2017-2022 deal, Seven got 3 games + “special games“ (Thursday nights, Anzac Eve/Day, any non traditional match basically), so there’s 3-4 games a week on 7 without it being set in stone. All Thursday night matches this year have been on 7 so far.

2. QLD ratings are up 31% this year. If you want to keep the game growing up here, national exposure for the suns would help immensely.
 
Last edited:
Feb 13, 2011
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1. In the 2017-2022 deal, Seven got 3 games + “special games“ (Thursday nights, Anzac Eve/Day, any non traditional match basically), so there’s 3-4 games a week on 7 without it being set in stone. All Thursday night matches this year have been on 7 so far.

2. QLD ratings are up 31% this year. If you want to keep the game growing up here, national exposure for the suns would help immensely.
1. We've been getting way more Thursday night matches this season than usual, seven don't have the rights to all of them.

2. I agree, and it's why it will be on FTA in Queensland.
 

PowerForGood

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After 9 years, the AFL finally have given us a prime time match....that’s not on prime time on FTA. I’m thankful we are getting a Thursday night match finally and have been rewarded for being semi decent for the first time ever, but this is just strange to me that it’s a fox game.

Every other Thurs night game has been on 7 this year so this really doesn’t make any sense. Tough for us to attract sponsors when even when we are good, we can’t get on nationwide FTA :/
It's a sign of respect, means they've become a good non-Vic team.
 
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