AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares?

WELL I DO.

i've started this thread to see how much interest there is within the NRL states (and other areas with poor coverage) to the possible increase in AFL coverage - will you begin to/increase your viewing of AFL if the games are on at better hours or more often ??

please mention your state & level of AFL and/or NRL interest in the reply.....thanks.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Bags.
I'm in SA and a crows Member.
It didnt really bother me either way as I have free to air and FOX.

But I would like more coverage of NRL as I dont really follow it but love to watch the NSW QLD games as they have so much passion.

Surley NRL must be concerned about the emergence of AFL.
Not so much for thsi generation of supporters but growing the next and the next.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

G'day Son of Bag Limit

I am an avid rugby league viewer (grew up in Sydney - go the Roosters!!).

Have watched a few AFL games but can't get into it because I don't know the rules properly or appreciate the skills as I have never played the game.

I would probably watch a game that Sydney was in if there was nothing better to watch (unlikely).

Like most sports its good to watch a grand final or a good, fast game but most of what AFL I have watched is boring compared to Rugby League.

Rugby League should be scared. With this exposure AFL will spread in popularity in non Victorian areas more than Rugby League will to non Sydney/Brisbane areas.

The dark horse of course is football (soccer) - but there is still a long way to go for it to be mainstream - Australia will need to get to the World Cup a few more times and our competition to get stronger (via Asia??).

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Gidday All
I am based in Sydney and dont mind watching a bit of AFL but certainly wouldnt be going out of my way to unless it was a final involving the swans.
As i currently hold ten i wasnt very impressed with the announcement of airing rights and especially the bloody price they payed for it,time will tell if it was the right decision but i have my doubts.
Most people i know up here arent interested and its only the swans in the finals that drew some following out last year.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Sydneysiders may not be all that interested in it, but they obviously felt the interest from most of the rest of the country warranted the amount they spent on the rights.

It wouldn't suprise me if we look back at the end of this particular deal thinking they got it cheap.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

I am in Brisbane and as an ex South Australian I am hoping to get some free to air AFL live instead of waiting until 11pm or 2 am for the replay on Friday or Saturday. While I am now getting used to the NRL I do miss the AFL as it still rules.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

I'm in Sydney and I hope it's not going to be a midnight replay :swear: if ch7 & ch10 are smart enough they can try to take on NRL on friday night but alas a movie will be thrown in to get viewers from ch9 Foxtel may be the big looser here

cheers laurie

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

I'm a south aussie who follows the Crows. Don't care who has the rights but I think 7/10 have paid too much for them and 9 probably shouldn't be losing much sleep over missing out. A win/win for 9 imo.

PS perhaps the bean counters should have factored the growth of the roundball game into their calculations. A sleeping giant, but not forever......



ice

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

I've tried to get into it but its just so damn scrappy and random.. Must take a long time before you can recognise skill, league and cricket all the way for me..

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

luv your signature tarnor

anyway, I live in Melbourne and don't really care who televises the footy really. I think the increased pace in the game has taken out a lot of the 'physical' skills of yesteryear and turned it more into the proverbial basketball and arial ping-pong than ever before. Btw, I'm a long suffering Richmond supporter

I also can't work out which is the lesser of two 'evils' now, re commentators. I like Eddie and I think he's allright except when he puts his Collingwood hat on or calls the footy. And Bruce McAvaney should stick to calling athletics. Ch10 have the only no-nonsense/no-hype commentators overall

And finally, if the socceroos can make it to the 2nd round of the World Cup and do well in Asia in the next few years, all this hype around the AFL telecasts could become redundant

cheers

bullmarket

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Do any of you mad sports fans (you can deduce I'm not one) want to comment on whether this will have any effect on the SP of TEN?
It has been ailing badly for some while.

Julia

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

At least I dont have to listen Eddie call another game.Hes good for the game but to biased IMO and he's not the only caller who leans to a particular team. Back to the topic,I live on the Gold coast and AFL coverage is OK expect for Friday nite matches that are delayed and broadcast at midnight I just hope the AFL, 7 and 10 get their act together and show friday nite matches.As for the deal i dont think PBL would be to worried about the losing the bid.
Cheers
Luke

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

League should be very worried. PBL were content to screw the AFL in the northern states while they had the league rights. I think it will hurt PBL more than people think. Sure Seven and Ten have paid a heap but at least they have a quality product! All PBL are left with is league. They might be looking at a healthy ratings winner in Sydney but not the rest of the country (Brisbane has never been a big TV ratings winner in the league for Nine.) Sure Origins rate well - but you want viewers watching more than three games per year. I live in Central Qld and am licking lips at possible live Fri and Sat AFL night games.
Ten have done a great job affiliating themselves with the Brisbane Lions and showing the games live on Saturday nights. I think it is a smart move for them and the network cred factor should get a shot in the arm in the long term.
Without insulting anyone, AFL and League are chalk and cheese. It is like comparing Chess to O's and X's. People say they like league because it's simple, uncomplicated they can understand the rules. No argument there - it sure is basic!

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

People say they like league because it's simple, uncomplicated they can understand the rules. No argument there - it sure is basic!

Click to expand...

no way... AFL is way more basic.. all ya do is scramble around and try to kick the ball threw a couple of sticks..

i would have thought league has got way more appeal to the masses..

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

I'm afraid not Tarnor.

Look at the research. Close to 50% of those attending AFL games are female - this compares to closer to 20% at League games. AFL is fortunate to be seen as the preferred "family" game.

Outside of Sydney league is floundering. Even in Qld AFL is making big headway into traditional league territory. The Brisbane Lions average more people attending per game than the Brisbane Broncos! NSW (read Sydney and north coast) is the last post. AFL attendances have been up each year for the past 4 years.

The AFL is pouring big money into developing youngsters in NSW and QLD. Sydney even recruited the son of old Balmain fullback Gary Jack last year. With the money from the new TV rights pouring in AFL will be in the best position of all the codes(AFL,league and union) to tackle the threat of inroads to be made by soccer in 2006.

Analysts say that Packer was so clever making Seven and Ten pay so much for the rights. Well from a short term view point that maybe correct but - look at the big picture. If the AFL shines brighter, it just makes Nines "jewel in the crown" League appear quite dull by comparison.

It is interesting that league fans say that the new rights will give Nine the ability to push league more. Garbage. Nine is all about ratings. They are not going to help league by broadcasting into VIC,TAS,SA and WA in primetime. They would get a bigger audience showing reruns of old "Carry On" movies.

The AFL has never been headed by league in the ratings - ever!! So why on earth would you think that " league has more appeal to the masses?"
If they haven't made ground on AFL after 100 years they never will. Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe the league with Nine backing will start up a team in Adelaide called the Rams and a team in Perth called the Western Reds - sure to be a success!!

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Thanks for the contributions guys - quite enlightening in some respects.

However please stop using this as 'my game is better than your game forum' - we can start another one for that.

My data outside this forum fairly well agrees with the contributions - in sydney & the bigger coastal areas of NSW league dominates, and with the levels of population, nine will continue to market league to these masses, but outside these areas nine knows league just doesnt rate, so they dont show it.

the afl lions success over the last 5 years has given the impetus needed for coverage in qld, and some success is clearly evident for 10. swans success may mean some benefit to coverage in sydney, but will have to wait and see.

the suggestions made recently of league floundering and union taking over as the premium game in nsw/qld seem to have credence, and would appear to be a more sensible fit if trying to move this form of rugby into other states, as there is clearly more appeal there.

keep up the good work....wheres your contribution woywoy ??

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

Next big thing will be the AFL introducing the "AFL world series" - just like the Yanks do with the baseball world series (only US teams compete LOL).

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

You make a very good point Son of Baglimit concerning the popularity of Union. The expansion of League, AFL and Union is totally based on popularity and acceptance. TV coverage plays a huge part in this. Union is in the best position to "branch out" into new markets. The southern states as a whole do not embrace league the way northern states accept AFL. If the Perth Super 12 team is a success it could be the first nail in the coffin for League.

My prediction for the next 10 years.....the AFL doesn't want to eliminate any of the 16 existing teams. With the money provided from TV rights, clubs are now assured of survival. The catch being the AFL will do more "Sydney/South Melbourne" plays and move say Kangaroos to Canberra, Hawthorn to Tasmania and perhaps Melbourne to either Brisbane or Sydney as a second side. Union over the next 10 years will overtake League as an attraction. Nine and PBL should bask in the sun with current league ratings in NSW because it won't get any better than this. Ratings, viewers, followers and more importantly - "DOLLARS" will start slipping away. Waking up this morning I would rather be Andrew Demeitriou than Geoff Gallop.

Regardless of the code viewers and spectators like to see the best quality on offer. A code is only as strong as the quality of it's domestic competition. Ironically, people throw mud at the AFL for not being an international sport - yet that is precisely it's strength. Each week people watching get to see the likes of Carlton vs Collingwood, Adelaide v West Coast. Why wouldn't networks pay big dollars for it.

Soccer has seen the error of its ways and are trying to start over with A league. For years union was behind the 8 ball because they would get 60,000 to see the Wallabies v All Blacks yet only 900 would turn up the following week to see Randwick take on University. Since the Super 12 series - bang - off like a rocket. As for League it has become a victim of its own success with State of Origin. The concept has become so huge it is seen as more prestigious than the Premiership and even playing for Australia.

If codes were shares AFL would be your blue chip hold, union would be the specie you would like to have a few bob on and league would be a SELL. As for soccer - until soccer matters on the domestic market - they won't get the money or TV ratings.

As this is a stock market forum and not a sports forum I'll leave you with this viewpoint from a marketers perspective.

If you asked 4 children - that each played soccer, union, league and AFL what is their ultimate dream you might get the following answers respectively:
Playing for:
Manchester United
Wallabies
NSW
Essendon

As an advertising executive for a company dealing in Australia looking to spend $100,000 where do you think you will get the best bang for your buck.
Soccer? Premier league is thin on the ground in Aust. Wallabies - sure about 8 - 10 games a year is good (although some o/seas at 2:00am), NSW - only 3 games a year (with the 3rd downgraded if a whitewash) or Essendon - 22 games shown right around Australia primarily at primetime. In my opinion people worried about the share price of Seven and Ten this week and next week are perhaps being too short-sighted. And those at Nine who are feeling pretty smug should look over their shoulders.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

One of the best things I like about being a Sydneysider is the diversity.
The sports I follow are in no order of preference are league (roosters),rules (swans), rugby (wallabies), cricket and I even enjoyed the recent soccer.

Who is the best, don't care, just take each one as they come.

As to the rights, don't care either, as long as there's good coverage.

Re: AFL TV RIGHTS - who really cares ?

from SA and Port Adelaide supporter...

personally glad Chnl 9 are out... cause the game became too Victorian Centric... tho I do think eddie was good for the game...

biggest risk facing AFL is
1. over zealous rules committee who are trying to soften up the game...
2. new style of possession play as used by Sydney, Adelaide, which is reliant of super fit athletes being able to fill up every hold within 60m of the ball... and then playing stop start possession football... (a lot like soccer really... except a lot more boring, cause play stops when someone takes a mark...)

I think bring back the style of footy of the 90's... and then its blue sky for the AFL... otherwise I can see soccer slowly increase in popularity to become a significant threat to the other codes... more skilful, more edge of your seat entertainment...