SANFL on Channel 9 in 2014?

[Punchy Bassett]

Are the ABC cancelling their VFL coverage next year?

[The Dark Knight]

With the additional digital channels these days maybe they could be more flexible with times etc? Even cover a Friday night game on GEM or similar?

Already show NRL on there don't they into SA?

Yes.

so friday night is NRL, but they dont cover anything on a saturday night do they???

No they do not. There's pretty much only movies on GEM on a Saturday night.

[mighty_tiger_79]

sometimes the channel 7 sat night game is crap, not everyone has fox

perhaps they could broadcast sat arvo and sat night games??

i think they show nrl on sunday arvos

[nwdfanparade]

... tackled to the ground, ball spills out, umpire calls play on, crowd disagree, another player gathers up the ball, passes off with a handball, another handball, he bounces the ball, gets around his opponent, he's just outside the 50m line, sinks the boot in, its a long penetrating kick into a strong breeze, its.. its...

and now a message from our sponsor

[bays2011]

Are the ABC cancelling their VFL coverage next year?

My understanding is that there will be no state league coverage anywhere in 2014. After all, who would want to watch that sh!t?

[Wedgie]

Some interesting info from rocketrooster.com

Looks like nothing is in stone yet. The commercials have been pushing this for a few months. MMM local radio have said 'that's it' for the ABC etc and of course they have commercial interest. By the way there is a new television director Richard Finlayson at the ABC who takes up the position on July 1. Though he is from Sydney he does have an background in sport... 'as well as ...being responsible for key deals at SBS, including bringing the A-League to free-to-air TV' So let's wait and see hey Eddie !

[Gozu]

CHANNEL 9 has rivals in the SANFL's plans to return to commercial television for the first time in 23 years.

Channel 7 has revealed its general manager, Tony Davison, has been in talks with SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker.

The AFL's official free-to-air television partner is prepared to accept SANFL games - provided the state league can work its program around AFL games. And Channel 10 chief Frank Filosi also is prepared to consider adding SANFL matches to the station's Saturday afternoon schedule.

But while all the commercial networks will offer space on their signals to the SANFL, none are prepared to accept the production costs of televising the league.

This will cost $1 million a season - or $40,000 a match, as costed by Eddie McGuire's production company, McGuire Media, which is consulting with the SANFL on how it can return to the commercial TV market.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl ... 6662801420

[zipzap]

If this is a chess game that was a very cunning move by the AFL-in-the-reserves backers. B*****DS!

But with WIN selling NWS9 off it will be truly national at the end of the year and I would have thought that locally produced content would be less rather than more likely. Hmmm...maybe we'll get the Channel Niners back after all

[PhilH]

Outside of the news and travel shows (subsidised by SA Tourism) there is very little local programming on commercial TV already.

[Dogwatcher]

If this is a chess game that was a very cunning move by the AFL-in-the-reserves backers. B*****DS!

But with WIN selling NWS9 off it will be truly national at the end of the year and I would have thought that locally produced content would be less rather than more likely. Hmmm...maybe we'll get the Channel Niners back after all

I agree. However, I will say, from experience, that WIN are actually heavier with the axe than Nine. And that's saying something.

[bays2011]

It isn't really that surprising that the commercial networks are happy to air SANFL games, provided they don't have to pay for them. Free content for them to air, can't see any down-side for them. I have little doubt that the AFL and the 2 Adelaide AFL clubs, especially Adelaide will try and use this as a bargaining chip, ie we will pay for your games to be aired on free to air commercial TV, provided you let us have reserves in your main comp. So the only way to secure TV coverage will be to screw the integrity of the comp.

[heater31]

It isn't really that surprising that the commercial networks are happy to air SANFL games, provided they don't have to pay for them. Free content for them to air, can't see any down-side for them. I have little doubt that the AFL and the 2 Adelaide AFL clubs, especially Adelaide will try and use this as a bargaining chip, ie we will pay for your games to be aired on free to air commercial TV, provided you let us have reserves in your main comp. So the only way to secure TV coverage will be to screw the integrity of the comp.

Would rather have no tv coverage.....

[bays2011]

It isn't really that surprising that the commercial networks are happy to air SANFL games, provided they don't have to pay for them. Free content for them to air, can't see any down-side for them. I have little doubt that the AFL and the 2 Adelaide AFL clubs, especially Adelaide will try and use this as a bargaining chip, ie we will pay for your games to be aired on free to air commercial TV, provided you let us have reserves in your main comp. So the only way to secure TV coverage will be to screw the integrity of the comp.

Would rather have no tv coverage.....

Exactly. Put it on the internet.

[Pseudo]

It isn't really that surprising that the commercial networks are happy to air SANFL games, provided they don't have to pay for them. Free content for them to air, can't see any down-side for them. I have little doubt that the AFL and the 2 Adelaide AFL clubs, especially Adelaide will try and use this as a bargaining chip, ie we will pay for your games to be aired on free to air commercial TV, provided you let us have reserves in your main comp. So the only way to secure TV coverage will be to screw the integrity of the comp.

Would rather have no tv coverage.....

x2.

The TV coverage on a commercial station would likely be heavily skewed in favour of AFL reserves teams.

[Harry the Horse]

The TV deal is a big game changer and I now have grave concerns as to where this is all going.
The SANFL clubs are desperate to remain on TV and if they can't raise the cash without the Crows' money, I think enough of them will roll over and vote the Crows and Power in.
What they don't realise is they sign their own death warrants by doing that.
Hardcore SANFL members and fans will walk away and withdraw their membership dollars leaving a soulless shell of a comp.
There will never be another generation of Norwood, Glenelg, West fans etc. They'll all barrack for the Crows or Power as these two clubs basically cannibalise South Australian football.

Our only hope now is to raise the cash so the SANFL clubs don't need the Crows.
We need a white knight from somewhere ...
If any of you are mixed up in cashed up SA companies .... start pleading your cases to the boss cocky.

[bays2011]

The TV deal is a big game changer and I now have grave concerns as to where this is all going.
The SANFL clubs are desperate to remain on TV and if they can't raise the cash without the Crows' money, I think enough of them will roll over and vote the Crows and Power in.
What they don't realise is they sign their own death warrants by doing that.
Hardcore SANFL members and fans will walk away and withdraw their membership dollars leaving a soulless shell of a comp.
There will never be another generation of Norwood, Glenelg, West fans etc. They'll all barrack for the Crows or Power as these two clubs basically cannibalise South Australian football.

Our only hope now is to raise the cash so the SANFL clubs don't need the Crows.
We need a white knight from somewhere ...
If any of you are mixed up in cashed up SA companies .... start pleading your cases to the boss cocky.

Are the SANFL clubs that desperate to remain on TV? Why? Surely their relationships with key sponsors don't rest entirely upon appearing on ABC TV a few times per year? And what if the TV was replaced by internet coverage? Right now it is entirely feasible for all games to be made available on the web, after all they are all filmed. Live web coverage of all games may be a big ask, but at the very least they could certainly be placed on the web to be replayed upon demand. And the web broadcasts could be used as a vehicle to promote SANFL and club sponsors, whereas the potential for this is very limited on the ABC.

[Harry the Horse]

There's a strong feeling, which I believe is warranted, that once you slip off free-to-air TV, you slip out of the consciousness of the public. Out of sight, out of mind. Not even Fox can lay claims to bridging that gap at this stage although obviously the A-League and netball do reasonably well on there.
It would be a massive gamble by the clubs to let free to air TV go and stake their futures on internet TV ... and one I fear the eight club directors don't have the cods to take.
But then again, I would argue it would be suicidal for the eight clubs to admit two reserves teams into the League.

[Wedgie]

Super 15s is only covered by Fox and the Queensland Reds had higher average crowds than the Broncos last year and that'll continue again this year. I actually have more interest in sports covered by Fox due to the quality they provide. I rarely watch FTA as its crap.?

[SimonH]

Let's not forget supply and demand. If there really are 3 networks prepared to broadcast it, then they can't all expect to get their advertising revenue for absolutely nothing. Sure, the TV station don't pay full production costs— but the SANFL licence the footage to them to broadcast (while keeping the net rights for itself) for a reasonable fee. That's bread and butter for TV networks re non-sport and sport programming; the only difference here is that they will presumably only broadcast to one market.

The sooner some deal is signed off, the better— because if SANFL TV 2014 can be set in concrete, then it can no longer be used as leverage by the AFL reserves interests.

[Jim05]

Super 15s is only covered by Fox and the Queensland Reds had higher average crowds than the Broncos last year and that'll continue again this year. I actually have more interest in sports covered by Fox due to the quality they provide. I rarely watch FTA as its crap.?

Same, hardly ever watch FTA anymore.
Fox kills them in terms of quality and ad free is also a huge bonus