Better deal for fans

Article from afl.com.au.

AFL FANS will gain greater access to live football from 2012 after the Federal Government ruled on its highly-anticipated anti-siphoning laws on Thursday.

The new deal means that under the next TV rights deal, black spots in national broadcasting of matches will be eliminated while the sanctity of high-quality AFL games on free-to-air television will remain intact.

The decision means blockbuster matches, such as Friday and Saturday night matches as well as the traditional Anzac Day and Queen’s Birthday fixtures, will continue to be shown live on free-to-air television with broadcasters given the freedom to screen games on their new digital multi-channels.

In a key development, the AFL will be able to negotiate with other networks, such as Foxtel, for the rights to cover particular matches each round following the Government’s decision to take four AFL games per weekend off the anti-siphoning list.

AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan heralded the Federal Government’s decision as a win for the television-viewing public.

“I think there are 71 games currently not shown in some markets in Australia. There are black spots in our free-to-air and our pay television schedule,” McLachlan said from AFL House on Thursday. “That doesn’t need to be the case.

“That situation occurred through discussions between the free-to-air channels and pay television. It was an arrangement between themselves and it occurred because we weren’t able to have that discussion directly with pay television because all eight games were listed. 

“We are pleased that [the Minister] understands our need to be determining what games are scheduled in which slots and that we are the best body to be choosing which games go where.

“What that does is help enhance national coverage and I think that’s a great outcome for football supporters everywhere.”

McLachlan moved to allay fears that high-quality games will be more likely to be broadcast on pay television channels only under the new arrangement.

“There will be inevitable questions about the quality of games on free to air television,” he said. 

“I reiterate the undertaking that we have given to the Federal Government and the commitments that Andrew [Demetriou] has made publicly before that there will be high-quality AFL games on free-to-air on Friday nights and Saturday nights.

“There will be free-to-air football on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays. The South Australian teams and the Western Australian teams will continue to be shown on free-to-air television in those markets.

“This is a sensible and balanced decision that is in the interests of the wider football community, fans and the code itself.”

McLachlan wouldn’t be drawn on what effect, if any, the Government’s decision on anti-siphoning would have on the value of the next broadcast deal that will come into effect from the 2012 season.

However, he did reveal there was no strict timeframe for a deal to be reached and that it wouldn’t necessarily be for the same duration as the previous five-year deals.

“That’s something that we’ll talk to the partners about,” McLachlan said.

“It’s been two five-year deals historically so that is probably a good starting point but I don’t know that we’re bound to that.”