AFL announces 4.5billion, 7 year media deal (2025-2031 inclusive)

[BringBackTorps]

C. Wilson stated the AFL is having talks with Paramount Ten from 1.6.22,"They are in town this week"; & also stated the next Rights' deal will be "six hundred or more million dollars a year, is what its going to be about".

E. McGuire admitted Nine group were interested in the Rights- but did not, surprisingly, rebut Wilson's quantum.
He also stated "It's going to be massive...For the first time in a long time, there is going to be an auction", with many interested parties bidding.


Full report, & video here

Footy Developments in NSW and Queensland

People will play what they see as 'popular' And what they are good at and if they are good at it may be they could earn some money. What's popular ? Well netball is popular and now basketball has come along and the AFLW and NRLW. It's debatable what looks more appealing and what suits...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[The_Wookie]

The AFL held meetings with the three free-to-air networks on Thursday or Friday last week. Ten’s huge US-based parent company, Paramount, has already made a forceful case by inviting the AFL’s senior executives to New York this year.

Senior club and AFL insiders have told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that they favour Foxtel and Seven, although there is a view that Paramount-Ten could make the largest financial offer. Either way, the insiders say, the intense competition for the rights ensures that the code will remain the country’s biggest for broadcast dollars and the AFL will gain a sizeable increase.

Sources confirmed that Paramount, which owns CBS in the United States and has recently paid billions for the streaming rights to cricket’s Indian Premier League, still wanted to win the entire rights package – free and pay. It did not wish to win the rights and then sell off particular slots, such as Friday or Saturday nights, as had been speculated.

While the AFL also met with global tech giant Amazon in Los Angeles in April, The Age and Herald cannot confirm the extent of its interest in gaining an AFL foothold.

 

[pz5151]

Almost anyone but Channel 7 would be a better option. How they consistently have the worst commentators, camera angles (showing extended vision of people sitting on bench, crowd shots etc and ignoring play, super close up shots so you have no idea what is happening more than 2 metres away from the ball) despite having had half a century to learn how to broadcast a game is beyond me.

Channel 9 for that brief period had easily the best coverage.

 

[Redline]

Almost anyone but Channel 7 would be a better option. How they consistently have the worst commentators, camera angles (showing extended vision of people sitting on bench, crowd shots etc and ignoring play, super close up shots so you have no idea what is happening more than 2 metres away from the ball) despite having had half a century to learn how to broadcast a game is beyond me.

Channel 9 for that brief period had easily the best coverage.

Probably right but I would be shocked if it's not the same Seven / Kayo arrangement in some form. I think everyone else is just there to drive up the price.

 

[Hodgey 15]

Almost anyone but Channel 7 would be a better option. How they consistently have the worst commentators, camera angles (showing extended vision of people sitting on bench, crowd shots etc and ignoring play, super close up shots so you have no idea what is happening more than 2 metres away from the ball) despite having had half a century to learn how to broadcast a game is beyond me.

Channel 9 for that brief period had easily the best coverage.

I'm with you and majority of footy watchers - Seven's broadcast has not been up to scratch.
If Seven get new licence I would expect some major changes with their broadcasting. AFL have been very vocal on how they are not happy with Seven's current efforts.
I can't see AFL letting Seven get away with same rubbish for next block of broadcasting.

 

[Rob]

Almost anyone but Channel 7 would be a better option. How they consistently have the worst commentators, camera angles (showing extended vision of people sitting on bench, crowd shots etc and ignoring play, super close up shots so you have no idea what is happening more than 2 metres away from the ball) despite having had half a century to learn how to broadcast a game is beyond me.

Channel 9 for that brief period had easily the best coverage.

Not arguing with your comments on Channel 7, but Channel 10 did it better than 9 did during that time. Better commentators for one.

 

[pz5151]

Not arguing with your comments on Channel 7, but Channel 10 did it better than 9 did during that time. Better commentators for one.

I found the production values on 10 to come off a bit cheap personally and wasn't a fan of the 5 minute warning. Both far superior to 7 though.

 

[Kwality]

I'm with you and majority of footy watchers - Seven's broadcast has not been up to scratch.
If Seven get new licence I would expect some major changes with their broadcasting. AFL have been very vocal on how they are not happy with Seven's current efforts.
I can't see AFL letting Seven get away with same rubbish for next block of broadcasting.

The AFL would be involved in every aspect of the way the game is covered.
I'm unimpressed too.

 

[Kwality]

'Seven leveraged the record ratings of last year’s Tokyo Olympics to capture almost half of the nation’s commercial streaming minutes aired across Australia’s three free-to-air networks in 2021, with its video-on-demand platform, 7plus, enjoying 57 per cent year-on-year growth.
Seven chief digital officer Gereurd Roberts said during the company’s business update last week that 45 per cent of all BVOD (broadcast video-on-demand) streaming minutes in the Australian FTA market in 2021 were consumed on 7plus.'

“It is the most under-reported, under-appreciated digital transformation in Australian media,” Mr Roberts said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/sevens-streaming-arm-fuels-success/news-story/a3d755c06281aa5090e620763d913867

 

[legend166]

Report: 10 bids $3b for AFL rights | TV Tonight

10 reportedly wants all the rights, including digital rights, some matches on 10 and the remainder on Paramount+.

tvtonight.com.au

Wouldn't be the worst.

 

[weewilly]

The AFL would be involved in every aspect of the way the game is covered.
I'm unimpressed too.

I cant won't watch the AFL matches on CH 7s main channel as it is not in HD ánd way too many ads but how does that it work as it is on 7s HD channel (like last nights match) and Foxtel who get their feed for some of their AFL matches from 7 and they are in HD as well how come?

 

[madmug]

Comments that The bidders may have been asked to include figures for both an 18 & 19 team roster. Its suggested that extra team, with probably more Thursday night games, will raise a fair bit extra coin which makes it a financial benefit. All that comes as a pleasant surprise.

 

[Bjo187]

I cant won't watch the AFL matches on CH 7s main channel as it is not in HD ánd way too many ads but how does that it work as it is on 7s HD channel (like last nights match) and Foxtel who get their feed for some of their AFL matches from 7 and they are in HD as well how come?

What about the fact 7 reduce the background crowd noise making it seem like a full stadium has about 10k people there. Did it with last year's grand final too I thought there was something wrong with my tv until I noticed they intentionally do it this season as well (by comparing it to foxtel showing the same game).

 

[Cleavy]

"The AFL has been keen to use Ten’s interest to push up the price Seven and Foxtel would possibly pay to maintain the rights. The league is keen to clinch a deal within weeks, with talks set to gather pace after Mr McLachlan returns from a short break.

Nine Entertainment has proposed a bid for a package of Thursday night games to the AFL, though the league is believed not to be keen to split its hosting options across more than two broadcasters unless it receives bids that are too lucrative to turn down.

With Foxtel and Seven looming as the most likely option though, it means Mr McLachlan has failed so far to generate significant interest from international media companies such as Amazon Prime, Netflix and YouTube, despite initial discussions and meetings."

looks like we'll be stuck with the current arrangement...

 

[Rob]

"The AFL has been keen to use Ten’s interest to push up the price Seven and Foxtel would possibly pay to maintain the rights. The league is keen to clinch a deal within weeks, with talks set to gather pace after Mr McLachlan returns from a short break.

Nine Entertainment has proposed a bid for a package of Thursday night games to the AFL, though the league is believed not to be keen to split its hosting options across more than two broadcasters unless it receives bids that are too lucrative to turn down.

With Foxtel and Seven looming as the most likely option though, it means Mr McLachlan has failed so far to generate significant interest from international media companies such as Amazon Prime, Netflix and YouTube, despite initial discussions and meetings."

looks like we'll be stuck with the current arrangement...

Fine by me, I like the current arrangement. Streaming sucks arse.

 

[Bjo187]

"The AFL has been keen to use Ten’s interest to push up the price Seven and Foxtel would possibly pay to maintain the rights. The league is keen to clinch a deal within weeks, with talks set to gather pace after Mr McLachlan returns from a short break.

Nine Entertainment has proposed a bid for a package of Thursday night games to the AFL, though the league is believed not to be keen to split its hosting options across more than two broadcasters unless it receives bids that are too lucrative to turn down.

With Foxtel and Seven looming as the most likely option though, it means Mr McLachlan has failed so far to generate significant interest from international media companies such as Amazon Prime, Netflix and YouTube, despite initial discussions and meetings."

looks like we'll be stuck with the current arrangement...

Ideal is probably foxtel, 7 and 10. I reckon the more networks have the rights the better for cross promotion. It's equivalent of having both the age and herald sun reporting on the game instead of just exclusively the herald sun. 7 and 9 would be pretty cool too. It also gives some variety in the broadcasts, 7 have been shithouse lately.

 

[The_Wookie]

Ideal is probably foxtel, 7 and 10. I reckon the more networks have the rights the better for cross promotion. It's equivalent of having both the age and herald sun reporting on the game instead of just exclusively the herald sun. 7 and 9 would be pretty cool too. It also gives some variety in the broadcasts, 7 have been shithouse lately.

Any combination of Seven, Ten and a paytv broadcaster works for me. I dont see Nine being able to give the same level of coverage as Seven or Ten during the footy season when the NRL is on

 

[Hodgey 15]

Seven better lift their game (which I'm sure they've been told to do).
Terrible broadcaster.

 

[Bjo187]

Any combination of Seven, Ten and a paytv broadcaster works for me. I dont see Nine being able to give the same level of coverage as Seven or Ten during the footy season when the NRL is on

Yeah agree with this and 10 would put it on the main channel across Australia you'd think, which imo is very important.

The one advantage with 9 is though, they might give a better balance of footy coverage in nsw and qld instead of being all nrl.

It's strange, 9 want Thursdays but they already have the NRL that night, it would be smarter to grab Saturdays when they have no sport content on. Or maybe they wanna go nrl in nsw and qld and afl everywhere else and dominate the ratings nationally on Thursdays.

 

[The_Wookie]

Yeah agree with this and 10 would put it on the main channel across Australia you'd think, which imo is very important.

The one advantage with 9 is though, they might give a better balance of footy coverage in nsw and qld instead of being all nrl.

It's strange, 9 want Thursdays but they already have the NRL that night, it would be smarter to grab Saturdays when they have no sport content on. Or maybe they wanna go nrl in nsw and qld and afl everywhere else and dominate the ratings nationally on Thursdays.

9 want thursdays because it gives them stuff that will actually rate in the south and west of the country. They'll keep the NRL on GEM and do the same to the AFL in NSW and QLD.

 

[madmug]

9 want thursdays because it gives them stuff that will actually rate in the south and west of the country. They'll keep the NRL on GEM and do the same to the AFL in NSW and QLD.

So the AFL will perhaps need to decide between the cash & the exposure in their new team areas???

 

[parano1a]

It's strange, 9 want Thursdays but they already have the NRL that night, it would be smarter to grab Saturdays when they have no sport content on.

Nine now have Rugby Union on Saturday nights most weeks.

 

[madmug]

Nine now have Rugby Union on Saturday nights most weeks.

Gee, that'll be a winner.

 

[parano1a]

Gee, that'll be a winner.

They acquired the rights primarily to drive the subscriber base of Stan Sport. Similar to Paramount/10 for A League.

 

[Kwality]

So the AFL will perhaps need to decide between the cash & the exposure in their new team areas???

Just an example of the factors considered when signing up for however many years.