New TV deal what do you want?

[Stuckey]

I was wonder what everyone would like to see included in the new TV we're all hoping is going to be the golden goose we need?

Personally I would love to see a big focus on the internet as anyone with a brain can see where the future lies.
-High quality live streaming of games
-Past match replays online (incase people miss the match)
-Mobile coverage
-Improvement on official club websites
-All games on free to air live to all cities except the city the game is played in
-If Fox get the rights (match of the day like BBC do?)
-Better football shows on free to air (much like AFL footy show big far less boofheady)
-Online data base of player and club stats
-Online base for all games. (If I wanted to watch the AU v MV 4-1 again)

Thats all I can think of atm, thoughts?

[sevengoals]

FTA football - SBS that means you!


Lots of money to help develop, nurture, and promote the game until it is "smart enough, mature enough and dominant enough" to sustain itself.

[EdDog]

FTA element is essential and needs to be a decent part. Not like shitty Liverpool TV 10 had showing games 2 days old.

Other than that, needs to be a massive amount of dosh for the FFA which gets passed along to the clubs. The second bit is vital.

Other than that I expect fox to have every game. Online or mobile component would be cool but can't see it happening.

[lufcmike]

If todays press is right the FFA got a 40million dollar deal -whoopee
With all the numbers that play soccer and have an interest in it this amount is a travesty when compared to the AFL's 1.2 billion and the joke game that is the NRL at 1 billion.

Good work Buckley, all that kind of money will pay for is new whistles for the refs.

[double07]

If todays press is right the FFA got a 40million dollar deal -whoopee
With all the numbers that play soccer and have an interest in it this amount is a travesty when compared to the AFL's 1.2 billion and the joke game that is the NRL at 1 billion.

Good work Buckley, all that kind of money will pay for is new whistles for the refs.

That would be $40m x 5 years so $200m if you want to compare apples with apples.

$200m for A-league + Socceroos would be very good.

[EdDog]

I wasn't expecting huge figures from this deal. And as good as it would be, to really grow the viewing audience, we need the free to air component. You can harp on all day about the number of people playing or involved in the sport in this country - and I admit it is a lot - but at the end of the day, how many of them watch the Soceroos or A-League? The EPL has a good following because of its prestige and quality, and as we can't compete on those levels, we need to make it easy for people to be exposed to it.

Actual prime time FTA live coverage of the A-League would do wonders if they can get some of the big derby games on at those times. Big crowds, atmosphere, and some decent football.

I have no interest in the NRL at all but admit that if there is nothing else on, I'll watch it cause i like sport and it's now on FTA. I've actually noticed my interest slightly grow - it is still a shit sport - but my point is we need the FTA exposure badly.

The money is secondary in this case and will flow if people like what they see.

[ChillyPhilly]

The last deal went for around $125 million all up. So there's a huge improvement, and $40 million for 25 weeks isn't shabby at all. Here's what I objectively think will happen:

* This deal will be the stepping stone for the next; in that regard, the benefits of this will put football in a better bargaining position financially for the next deal.

* Channel 10, in need of a ratings hit amid, well, falling share prices and low ratings, will outbid SBS. Their motive? Competition for 7'S AFL coverage and 9's NRL.

* Not all FTA games will necessarily be live, especially around the festive season. NRL started on FTA this way somewhat, with 12.30am replays of earlier matches.

However, what I want to happen, as do others:

* SBS to get the deal for FTA. New football shows and features, old Australian stars of the game to commentate, participate in features, not in a dissimilar fashion to the AFL's spin-off shows. Hopefully without the boofheadedness as someone mentioned.

* Key matches (e.g. all major rivalry matches including Melbourne and Sydney Derbies, and all finals) LIVE. I'd like to see SBS, should they get a deal, perhaps find a way to broadcast relevant matches for relevant states, like AU away matches to SA and the NT only, MV and MH matches to Tasmania etc.

[Stuckey]

Personally although its assured SBS would do a fantastic job of it I would rather it go to 10 as we are desperate to break into the mainstream and SBS isn't exactly that. I love SBS and watch it more then 7,9 or 10 but most people aren't like me!

[terry tibbs]

SBS have been great. But I have huge concerns about Les Murray's influence and control, and whether that's what's best for the game. It may be time to break up the sokkah clique and bring in some fresh blood in order to present it to a wider audience.

Ideally, a team comprising the likes of Martin Tyler (ain't gonna happen, I know), Zeljko Kalac and say Stephanie Brantz to provide a balance of expertise and likeability.

There's a heap of AFL players who love the round ball, maybe (shh...whisper it..) even one of them could be eloquent enough and understand the game well enough to be used to break through a few barriers.

Can't see Ten being too hard at it right now though, they can't get basic Mon-Fri primetime right at this stage.

[ChillyPhilly]

'The AFL's deal is worth more - $1.25 billion to the NRL's $1.025 billion - but the NRL is revelling in figures that show each NRL minute on TV is worth $1275 to the AFL's $1170.'

[Old Gregg]

SBS have been great. But I have huge concerns about Les Murray's influence and control, and whether that's what's best for the game. It may be time to break up the sokkah clique and bring in some fresh blood in order to present it to a wider audience.

Ideally, a team comprising the likes of Martin Tyler (ain't gonna happen, I know), Zeljko Kalac and say Stephanie Brantz to provide a balance of expertise and likeability.

There's a heap of AFL players who love the round ball, maybe (shh...whisper it..) even one of them could be eloquent enough and understand the game well enough to be used to break through a few barriers.

Can't see Ten being too hard at it right now though, they can't get basic Mon-Fri primetime right at this stage.

Yeah ^
A-League would be nothing like the ratings gold of NRL and AFL for the commercial networks, and so I would not be surprised if they screwed it around based on the schedules of Big Brother/Masterchef/SnogMarryPunch/etc, showed matches on delay at midnight, and generally treated it as nothing more than filler should a commercial network get the rights.

SBS getting the games would be ideal in terms of coverage, but realistically there's no way they could compete with Foxtel. I'd actually really like to see something like this:
- Foxtel - Every match live (as per current situation)
- SBS - 'Match of the Round', maybe on delay by an hour, as well as a decent hour-long highlights / panel show with the likes of Foster, Awaritefe, Simon Hill, Bosnich (yeah I know those two are contracted to Fox), Viduka, etc...
- Ch10 (for example) - The (round ball) Footy Show: Highlights, panel discussion, ribald humour, hijinks, blokes wearing dresses.

[ChillyPhilly]

Ratings, everyone, will be the biggest challenge of a FTA deal.

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/5/8 ... ways-to-go

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1202 ... -mls-today

[lufcmike]

Remember boys and girls football has one big problem apart from 1/2 time there are no breaks in play, which means where do you put commercials thats where the revenue to pay for the deal will come from.

AFL is easy as goals are scored regularly giving breaks in play, Yes I know rugby goes for 40 minutes but look how they have modified the game to provide breaks and it will only get worse, you'll be able to hear the east coasters screen about that next season. More video ref decisions and time outs introduced.

If 10 shows live games it may do like ESPN did with the split screen adds one side and game the other or they don't bother and just cut to 4 minutes of adds every 15 minutes and bugger the game they can show any highlights when they are back from the break..

It may make interesting viewing or not.

[Stuckey]

You'd lose me as a viewer if they did that.
I think if they are so desperate to have ads in football (even though every other country on the planet seems to live without them) advertisers need to get smarter and be able to get their message across in the team it takes a GK to take a goal kick, or a throw in.

But yes that is one advantage AFL, Cricket, NFL and Baseball have over football.

[sevengoals]

Ch10 is floundering.
7 and 9 have the other codes/sports.
lufcmike has brought up the conundrum with advertising.
-( ITV infamously went to a commercial just as England scored their only goal against USA at the WC2010, God imagine...)

Who can you trust down there to respect the game and its supporters in the FTA TV world?