finders
Norm Smith Medallist
Looks like CH9 are playing a very cunning game and might just end up with the rights with foxtel.
Michael Warner
From:Herald Sun
April 18, 201112:00AM
A fierce tussle is on for TV footy rights and the AFL is looking like the big winnerr.
[/B]
THE AFL is on the brink of its biggest-ever pay day.
League chiefs will meet with Channel 9 early this morning, where the network will make its final offer in the race for footy's TV rights.
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.
Foxtel the winner in footy deal
Caroline Wilson
April 18, 2011 .
CHANNEL Seven has agreed to share Friday night football with Foxtel for the next five years as the battle for the 2012-16 broadcast rights moves close to a resolution.
A $1 billion, five-year deal remains in the AFL's sights, with a report expected to be tabled at today's AFL Commission meeting in Melbourne confirming that Foxtel will televise all nine home-and-away games live, with four of those games simulcast with the free-to-air broadcast partners.
The AFL last night refused to comment on the broadcast negotiations, but The Age understands that the competition remains hopeful of a resolution before Easter.
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Channels Seven and Ten remain in the front-running to win back those rights although Channel Nine in understood to be putting in its final bid today.
Seven executives met AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou three days ago.
Mike Fitzpatrick, chairman of the AFL's broadcast team, who also chairs the AFL, returned to Melbourne over the weekend from international business commitments.
Whatever the conclusion, the broadcasting of Australia's national football code will be transformed from next season, with the AFL having negotiated the sale for the next five years of every premiership game, bar the grand final, to pay television.
Significantly more than 30 per cent of Australian homes now subscribe to Foxtel, a figure expected to significantly jump as a result of the forthcoming AFL deal. Along with the grand final, Seven and Ten have also insisted that the Brownlow Medal remain exclusive to free-to-air.
The AFL will also prove successful in its bid for live coverage of every game.
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.
Channel Nine had already agreed to the nine home-and-away game-sharing arrangement. While the final figure remains uncertain, Channel Seven, which is also bidding on behalf of the Ten Network, has put forward a $400 million five-year bid, as revealed two weeks ago by The Age.
Foxtel, which will pay at least $500 million for five exclusive games, four shared games and every final on a shared basis apart from the grand final, could lift that figure to more than $550 million.
The roles of Channel Nine and Ten in the current negotiation remains uncertain. Nine appears determined to hold the next free-to-air NRL rights but is not out of the AFL race.
Ten is expected, but not certain, to continue its free-to-air partnership with the Seven Network and televise two Saturday games each week and share the finals with Seven. While Ten has indicated it would continue to televise both Saturday afternoon and its premier Saturday night game - sharing both with Foxtel - its financial position remains uncertain.
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
Michael Warner
From:Herald Sun
April 18, 201112:00AM
A fierce tussle is on for TV footy rights and the AFL is looking like the big winnerr.
[/B]
THE AFL is on the brink of its biggest-ever pay day.
League chiefs will meet with Channel 9 early this morning, where the network will make its final offer in the race for footy's TV rights.
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.
Foxtel the winner in footy deal
Caroline Wilson
April 18, 2011 .
CHANNEL Seven has agreed to share Friday night football with Foxtel for the next five years as the battle for the 2012-16 broadcast rights moves close to a resolution.
A $1 billion, five-year deal remains in the AFL's sights, with a report expected to be tabled at today's AFL Commission meeting in Melbourne confirming that Foxtel will televise all nine home-and-away games live, with four of those games simulcast with the free-to-air broadcast partners.
The AFL last night refused to comment on the broadcast negotiations, but The Age understands that the competition remains hopeful of a resolution before Easter.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Channels Seven and Ten remain in the front-running to win back those rights although Channel Nine in understood to be putting in its final bid today.
Seven executives met AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou three days ago.
Mike Fitzpatrick, chairman of the AFL's broadcast team, who also chairs the AFL, returned to Melbourne over the weekend from international business commitments.
Whatever the conclusion, the broadcasting of Australia's national football code will be transformed from next season, with the AFL having negotiated the sale for the next five years of every premiership game, bar the grand final, to pay television.
Significantly more than 30 per cent of Australian homes now subscribe to Foxtel, a figure expected to significantly jump as a result of the forthcoming AFL deal. Along with the grand final, Seven and Ten have also insisted that the Brownlow Medal remain exclusive to free-to-air.
The AFL will also prove successful in its bid for live coverage of every game.
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.
Channel Nine had already agreed to the nine home-and-away game-sharing arrangement. While the final figure remains uncertain, Channel Seven, which is also bidding on behalf of the Ten Network, has put forward a $400 million five-year bid, as revealed two weeks ago by The Age.
Foxtel, which will pay at least $500 million for five exclusive games, four shared games and every final on a shared basis apart from the grand final, could lift that figure to more than $550 million.
The roles of Channel Nine and Ten in the current negotiation remains uncertain. Nine appears determined to hold the next free-to-air NRL rights but is not out of the AFL race.
Ten is expected, but not certain, to continue its free-to-air partnership with the Seven Network and televise two Saturday games each week and share the finals with Seven. While Ten has indicated it would continue to televise both Saturday afternoon and its premier Saturday night game - sharing both with Foxtel - its financial position remains uncertain.
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
