The TV rights thread

[Ray Mosters]

279,000 watched the Storm V Panthers in Melbourne.

Nice!!! I was wondering what happened with that game ratings-wise.

I guess the one-sided result in the Melbourne-GC game meant a lot of people switched over to watch the Storm and a fantastic showing by the boys kept them glued.

Thats a massive result for the upcoming rights. They cant deny us guaranteed good viewing times for Storm games in Melbourne now. And this a one off game with little promotion or support, imagine what can be done with a sustained push and an oppurtunity to build up a following.

 

[Billythekid]

279,000 watched the Storm V Panthers in Melbourne.

That was the Sydney figure i think, Melbourne figures were 37K.

 

[Goddo]

TBH, it was an aweful game to watch. I switched off at half time.

 

[Ray Mosters]

Ahh, yes it was, 37000

20 Nine’s Sunday Football Nine 493,000 279,000 37,000 177,000 *** ***

Nevertheless, a massive focus of the upcoming rights needs to remain good viewing times for the Storm in Melbourne and the Reds in Perth.

 

[Panther_Daz]

Sorry about that! Read it wrong.

Pretty poor figures.

 

[BunniesMan]

It's a little low but with regularity and marketing it could be pushed up towards maybe 75-100k. And although that isn't good for the main channel, for the digital alternatives that's great. Every FTA game that is shown in NSW/QLD should be put on a digital channel in the other states in the next rights deal.

 

[Noa]

3pm Sunday is not much better the 12midnight in Melbourne if your only concerned with ratings. Sunday is local and junior football day in Tardia, and that is huuuuuge.

 

[adamkungl]

better than what AFL rates in Sydney most of the time...

 

[Paullyboy]

As was pointed out previously, that one-off was a smart and deliberate business decision to ensure they once again get a steal on our rights. One-offs, against the panthers of all clubs, are never going to rate highly unless promoted heavily - which it wasn't I'm led to believe.

Don't kid yourselves, the next deal for us will be a joke again

 

[Ray Mosters]

As was pointed out previously, that one-off was a smart and deliberate business decision to ensure they once again get a steal on our rights. One-offs, against the panthers of all clubs, are never going to rate highly unless promoted heavily - which it wasn't I'm led to believe.

Don't kid yourselves, the next deal for us will be a joke again

Seriously mate, this is like the first feeler jabs in round 1 of a boxing match. Dont call the result just yet. There is ALOT of rounds to go before this thing is decided.

The biggest factor in how things go for us is going to be who is in the running to get the free-to-air property. Quite simply if there is a couple of active participants, we cannot be denied a lucrative contract.

 

[Ray Mosters]

Hmmm, whats really interesting about that article is this line here

Either way, Channel Seven has bid $400 million on behalf of both networks in an agreement not including extra money for marketing and advertising.
Should Ten choose not to continue to televise AFL, Seven has committed to televising all four free-to-air games.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...-footy-deal-20110417-1djsz.html#ixzz1JqG1gjlX

So Channel 10 are considering not showing AFL, even at this late stage of the negotiations.

So if 7 gets all the AFL, they would be out of the running for the NRL, but 10 could emerge as a genuine contender, not just for Monday nights, but the whole lot.

Also, there is this little tidbit...

Channel Seven, should it prove successful, will host Friday night football in a simulcast across Australia with Foxtel in an agreement which would see the two televising identical ads.

I would suggest that 7 will get the lions share, if not all, of the advertising revenue from these Friday night games. That way the market for the advertising dollar for that slot is not split and still goes to 7 in its entirety, and Foxtel still gets to sell subscriptions on the strength of "showing every game live". 7 can still make the most possible money off the Friday night game, and so can Foxtel, as their focus is the whole package anyway.

That is a very clever compromise.

 

[Tigger Madness]

Ahh, yes it was, 37000

20 Nine’s Sunday Football Nine 493,000 279,000 37,000 177,000 *** ***

Nevertheless, a massive focus of the upcoming rights needs to remain good viewing times for the Storm in Melbourne and the Reds in Perth.

Which city is this?

 

[Tigger Madness]

Which city is this?

edit, nvm Im guessing its Brisbane

 

[Edwahu]

edit, already answered

 

[BunniesMan]

Which city is this?

Brisbane I'd say.

 

[Timmah]

LEAGUE fans are being denied the chance to watch games in high definition on free-to-air TV as networks refuse to spend more money on the technology.

While AFL devotees can enjoy high-definition TV on free-to-air every week, last season Channel 9, which holds the free-to-air NRL rights, showed just one NRL game in HD - the grand final.

Nine's HD channel GEM - vaunted as a mix of classics, new content and sport - has become the go-to for Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote tragics.

Nine's owner, private equity firm CVC, had wanted expenses kept to a minimum ahead of a planned $4 billion float, which now appears to be on the rocks.

Ten shoots all its AFL games in high definition for One HD. And while Seven does not show regular-season AFL in HD, it did for last year's finals and plans to do so again this year.

In 2003, a rule was introduced that broadcasters had to screen at least 20 hours a week of HD content. That level has not been raised. The Australian Communications and Media Authority said: "It is for broadcasters to consider how they use their high-definition channel."

Yet the Federal Government is pressuring consumers to spend up on digital TV technology.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ans-in-hd-desert/story-e6frexnr-1226040568992

 

[Ray Mosters]

OK, I was trawling back through some of the articles on the AFL TV rights and I found this

Mr McWilliam (from Channel 7) told the court that Foxtel was bidding for the pay-TV rights separately. "I don't want to imply we are bidding with Foxtel. I received a letter from the ACCC about that,'' he said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/afl-rights-deal-a-long-way-off-mcwilliam/story-e6frg8zx-1226034722448

So the ACCC explicitly prevented Foxtel and the FTA networks from bidding for the rights to the AFL together

I see no reason why they wouldnt do the same for us, which removes a huge danger for us IMO.

If 9 and Foxtel cant collude to put together a prohibitive first bid we are much more likely to get a healthy bidding happening.

 

[Paullyboy]

Seriously mate, this is like the first feeler jabs in round 1 of a boxing match. Dont call the result just yet. There is ALOT of rounds to go before this thing is decided.

The biggest factor in how things go for us is going to be who is in the running to get the free-to-air property. Quite simply if there is a couple of active participants, we cannot be denied a lucrative contract.

I'm aware of this, but if you think this is round 1 you are kidding yourself. Channel 9 know that they have the NRL over a barrel (in that the NRL have zero power to force them to do anything under the current contract - if in doubt, refer to the 'use it or lose it' argument) and they are strategically positioning themselves for the next contract.

The NRL has proven itself to be completely incapable of standing up to channel 9, and as such I'm just warning all you guys that are getting excited - don't be, we'll get shafted.

 

[applesauce]

Also, there is this little tidbit...

I would suggest that 7 will get the lions share, if not all, of the advertising revenue from these Friday night games. That way the market for the advertising dollar for that slot is not split and still goes to 7 in its entirety, and Foxtel still gets to sell subscriptions on the strength of "showing every game live". 7 can still make the most possible money off the Friday night game, and so can Foxtel, as their focus is the whole package anyway.

That is a very clever compromise.

So wouldn't people just intend to watch it on 7 anyway?

Or will 7 still show BH&G and people would want to watch it "live" get Foxtel?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ans-in-hd-desert/story-e6frexnr-1226040568992

Glad to see plenty of 9 hating comments got threw and hopefully highlights to those dicks the frustrations of NRL fans.

 

[docbrown]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/billion-tv-footy-battle-heats-up/story-e6frf9jf-1226040673502

D-day for $1 billion TV footy battle

UPDATE 2.25pm: EDDIE McGuire has remained tight-lipped over his employer's eleventh hour bid to secure the AFL's lucrative broadcasting rights. As league chiefs pored over a last-minute pitch from the Nine Network today, McGuire said he was confident the final decision would be made with the welfare of the game and it’s impact on the community at heart.
"The last couple of negotiations have been absolute crackers for football and I expect that that will continue,'' McGuire said.
"I have the greatest of confidence in Mike Fitzpatrick, Andrew Demetriou, Chris Lynch and Gill McLachlan heading up the media rights team and I'm sure we will get the best possible result for football.
"The outcome I want is as much money to come to the AFL so we can invest in areas and make (more) AFL fans. The money invested into the AFL rights will keep the game strong.


"We want to see as many live games as possible and as much access around the country as we can."
Nine has made a late play for control of the five-year contract, to run from 2012-16, in a pitch that would see it share home-and-away broadcasts with pay-TV giant Foxtel.
The AFL Commission will meet later today to assess the bids from Nine, Foxtel and rival co-bidders channels 7 and 10.
A decision could be announced as early as this afternoon, but is more likely later in the week. It is believed Seven and Ten will be given one last chance to better Nine's offer.
The AFL is eyeing a $1 billion sale price, well up on the existing figure of $780 million. AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick returned from a business trip to London yesterday and has been updated on the progress of the negotiations.
Speculation over the TV rights race spilled over during coverage of yesterday's Melbourne-Gold Coast clash at the Gabba, which was aired by Seven on a long delay.
"Do you think we'll be calling (football) in 10 years' time, Dennis?" Bruce McAvaney asked co-caller Dennis Cometti.
"We might not be calling next year, Bruce," Cometti replied.
"Whoops," McAvaney said.
Seven has come under fire from footy fans and the league for refusing to go live on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.
Nine has committed to live broadcasts from next year and will also allow Foxtel to simulcast all of its matches if it reclaims the AFL contract.
Foxtel will secure five of the nine home-and-away matches from next year regardless of the winner of the free-to-air battle.

Tell me that's not a huge conflict of interest.

If 7 get screwed over this and are forced to pay overs, then it's their own fault because they were stupid enough to fall for it.

Nine are in front for the AFL rights now and the word is they're hoping to onsell some of the 4 anyhow - as they really can't afford it. Despite rumours to the contrary, 7 haven't yet agreed to live Friday night simulcasts. Best move for 7 is to wipe their hands, let 9 take it. 9 will be stuck with 4 games it can barely afford and by law forced to keep all 4 on FTA. Either 7 picks up 1 or 2 for cheap because 10 can't compete in the offsale or 7 leaves 9 stuck in a growing debt cycle for the next 5 years.