The 2017 Rights Deal Discussion thread

[Experimental]

Sounds like Ten may be open to grabbing a small slice of both codes rather then a large chunk of one. How would being stablemates on the same network play with the two codes?

The NRL should just be happy with what they're offered. I could see it working if it were organised to have NRL on Saturdays and AFL on Sundays or something. Would be good marketing for 10.

 

[hitthepost]

Sounds like Ten may be open to grabbing a small slice of both codes rather then a large chunk of one. How would being stablemates on the same network play with the two codes?

AFL and NRL both have rights deals with Fox.
Both their websites are run/designed by Telstra.
There'd be contractual arrangements that Ten doesn't advertise Saturday's Canterbury v Eels game during Friday night's Lions v Dockers game, I'd wager.

 

[The_Wookie]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/med...sion-rights-deal/story-fna045gd-1227102863828

AFL eyes as much as $1.6bn for television rights deal

THE AFL is set to negotiate the richest sports deal in Australian television history, with an opening bid of $1.5 billion-$1.6bn.
The extraordinary figure is being privately discussed as attainable by AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and the powerful AFL Commission ahead of the upcoming broadcast rights negotiations, The Australian can reveal.

A starting figure of $1.5bn- $1.6bn — which would surpass the AFL’s current deal by $300 million — was put forward by commissioners as an achievable target for a five-year deal when the league blows the siren on negotiations in the coming weeks.

Under an even more ambitious scenario, commissioners including former News Corp Australia boss Kim Williams and Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder have discussed a $1.7bn or $1.8bn deal.

As the current rights holders, media mogul Kerry Stokes’s Seven Network and Fox Sports will again be frontrunners, determined to secure matches. They will face competition from NRL rights holder the Nine Network, if only to bid up the price Seven could pay to renew its contract.

But Nine’s interest could be limited by its commitment to the NRL. If Nine overplays its hand with the AFL, the high-stakes tactic could hand the Ten Network an advantage when these rights come up for renewal next year.

Ten has a genuine interest in securing some games, and will explore a partnership with one of the other networks to defer the cost.

“We’ve very interested but obviously at the right price,” Ten chief executive Hamish McLennan recently said. “We won’t be blowing our brains out.”

ref: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/med...sion-rights-deal/story-fna045gd-1227102863828

 

[Experimental]

As long as every game is HD and live on Fox Sports, every Queensland club game is live on free to air TV, and the grand final is in HD, I'm happy.

 

[RodneyMaynard]

There'll be a significant uplift in the mobile/internet component in the deal. With Netflix coming in Fox desperatley needs to keep live sport, so we can expect an uplift in the STV contract (especially if Netflix makes an unlikely bid for the rights). The real issue will be getting an increase from the FTA networks, though as the article this morning suggests, there's more competitive pressure this time 'round with Ten looking to grab some games. And besides the monetary value, there's the actual structure of the deal. Maintaining the current set-up (all NSW teams on FTA into NSW etc) is a must, but I'd also really like the AFL to demand HD broadcasts. It's going to be a fascinating 6 months.

 

[The_Wookie]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ts-record-broadcast-deal-20141027-11cj47.html

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan expects record broadcast deal

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan expects to land a record television rights deal, but admits it will vary significantly from the previous arrangement because of the changing media landscape.

The existing deal with Channel Seven, Foxtel and Telstra, worth close to $1.25 billion, expires at the end of 2016, and the AFL is set to begin negotiations for its next arrangement.

Speaking at a lunch organised by the NSW Business Chamber at Greater Western Sydney's Learning Life Centre on Monday, McLachlan said he was open to the possibility of two free-to-air broadcasters sharing the rights as well as selling games directly to fans, knowing this would be on the table once the AFL commenced talks for 2017 and beyond.

 

[The_Wookie]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/afl-in-bid-to-sell-matches-online/story-e6frg6n6-1227104086011

AFL in bid to sell matches online

THE chief executive of the Australian Football League has opened the door to selling matches directly to fans in a controversial move that will bypass the commercial networks, as the code chases the richest sports deal in Australian television history.

While AFL fans will still be able to watch the vast majority of games on TV, it is understood the AFL Commission is preparing to retain the rights to at least one match a week through its in-house media unit.

The games will be broadcast online, available to watch for a fee on a match-by-basis basis or through a season-long digital pass.

Asked if the league was considering an American Football-style sports rights deal, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan told The Australian: “That’s an option that will come into discussions.

 

[Our Game]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/afl-in-bid-to-sell-matches-online/story-e6frg6n6-1227104086011

AFL in bid to sell matches online

This could be the big game changer and dont forget Kim Williams is now an AFL commissioner and his background in the media will be invaluable when talking to the TV companies

 

[bigleague]

This could be the big game changer and dont forget Kim Williams is now an AFL commissioner and his background in the media will be invaluable when talking to the TV companies

I think it's probably more a bargaining chip, I don't think they would be financially better off doing it themselves just yet.

 

[The_Wookie]

I think it's probably more a bargaining chip, I don't think they would be financially better off doing it themselves just yet.

Im not sure thats the case, it wasnt possible to watch the AFL on a pc or laptop in Australia during the current deal - local IPTV rights appear to have been restricted to mobile, tablet, tbox and 12 hour delays on the AFL website. You cant even access it on Foxtel Play. Its been said that the AFL retained the rights to laptop screenings, so nothing would really change - except the AFL might actually use it this time.

 

[Furn2]

What will change is Foxtel will pay less, this would take an exclusive game away from them and would kill off their biggest selling point of all games live and exclusive in HD.

Its just a bluff to get Foxtel to offer more, to which they will answer where not interested at all if we cant have all the games, then the AFL will see a guaranteed $700mil + hole in their budget and give in.

 

[bigleague]

Im not sure thats the case, it wasnt possible to watch the AFL on a pc or laptop in Australia during the current deal - local IPTV rights appear to have been restricted to mobile, tablet, tbox and 12 hour delays on the AFL website. You cant even access it on Foxtel Play. Its been said that the AFL retained the rights to laptop screenings, so nothing would really change - except the AFL might actually use it this time.

I was under the impression it would be exclusive to the AFL, shown only online, which would mean the AFL would be responsible for it's entire production? Otherwise I don't see it being anything revolutionary to what they do currently in partnership with telstra, except maybe like you said with availability on PC. But even then the NRL app offers pass holders ability to watch games live to air on laptop, albeit in restricted resolution. I assumed the AFL pass would have offered at least the same?

 

[The_Wookie]

I was under the impression it would be exclusive to the AFL, shown only online, which would mean the AFL would be responsible for it's entire production? Otherwise I don't see it being anything revolutionary to what they do currently in partnership with telstra, except maybe like you said with availability on PC. But even then the NRL app offers pass holders ability to watch games live to air on laptop, albeit in restricted resolution. I assumed the AFL pass would have offered at least the same?

No. for whatever reason the AFL pass doesnt allow for local screening inside of 12 hours unless on mobile or tablet device.

 

[bigleague]

No. for whatever reason the AFL pass doesnt allow for local screening inside of 12 hours unless on mobile or tablet device.

That's strange, did they intend to do something with them during the current deal? I remember vaguely reading something similar during negotiations on the current deal. In any case I think sports bypassing networks is still a while off, Freudenstein seemed pretty confident that the cost is still to high to make money on.

 

[Furn2]

Again its because of Foxtel, if people can stream to a big screen in decent quality then that is competition to Foxtel, part of the last deal was that only phones and tablets can stream because its a different market to foxtel which can offer proper HD for big screens as well as to phones and tablets.

 

[Experimental]

I think Foxtel does a tremendous job with the Fox Footy channel, and from the statistics I've seen, is the number one subscription bringer to Foxtel. Without every game live in HD, they'll lose a ****load of subscribers - myself included. Foxtel will be willing to offer a ****load more than they're currently paying, I'll bet.

 

[Jim Dixon]

I think Foxtel does a tremendous job with the Fox Footy channel, and from the statistics I've seen, is the number one subscription bringer to Foxtel. Without every game live in HD, they'll lose a ****load of subscribers - myself included. Foxtel will be willing to offer a ****load more than they're currently paying, I'll bet.

Companies like Foxtel make no sense in the 21st century without live sports. The AFL should screw them, and screw them hard.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

No. for whatever reason the AFL pass doesnt allow for local screening inside of 12 hours unless on mobile or tablet device.

12 hour delay on PC protects Fox Footy
No delay on mobile and tablet adds value to a Telstra mobile broandband subscription.. Telstra paid $153mil last Media Rights deal - it needs to get some value.

 

[Kwality]

This could be the big game changer and dont forget Kim Williams is now an AFL commissioner and his background in the media will be invaluable when talking to the TV companies

A Foxtel employee quoted Williams (when Foxtel CEO) responding to suggestions of the AFL Commission going it alone as saying 'I'd like to see them try'.

Does the AFL have the money to deliver such a dream at a time when the game is expanding & there is a need for equalisation?
Selling the rights has no commercial risk.

 

[The_Wookie]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...afl-broadcast-rights-bid-20141104-11gmym.html

Seven to remain 'sensible' in AFL broadcast rights bid

Bidding is set to start at about $1.5 billion. Roger Colman, an experienced research analyst with CCZ Stratton Equities, told Fairfax Media earlier this year he had not ruled out a new broadcasting deal reaching $2 billion but said it was more likely to fall short.

While live sport, in particular the AFL, has become a key plank of Seven's offerings, Worner said his network would take a pragmatic approach during negotiations. "There's no 'whatever it takes', you know. There are sensible decisions, and we'll be making a sensible decision," he said.

Worner would not speculate on what the ultimate cost would be. "We have a policy of polite silence on not just sports rights negotiations but all content negotiations, so I would adhere to that," he said.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Thought I'd put up my spreadsheet of TV/Media Rights since 2002 when Foxtel got involved in broadcasting. I have written over the years that rights will grow by 35-40% if the economy is strong as that's what TV advertising rates grow by over 5 years. However over the last couple of year I changed that from what TV rights will grow by, to what Media rights will grow by, as Telstra and mobile rights start to takeover some of TV's monopoly along with things like IPTV and streaming over the NBN becomes a reality. My guess is a 30% increase this time.

 

[The_Wookie]

nice work REH

 

[Connar]

With Seven having WA, VIC & SA Football TV Rights. I would expect ten to get all the TV Rights & Fox's Deal be the same as 2012-2016.

 

[Kwality]

With Seven having WA, VIC & SA Football TV Rights. I would expect ten to get all the TV Rights & Fox's Deal be the same as 2012-2016.

Depends if the current owners of Ten cut their losses & that well known US sportscaster, the Discovery Channel, is running the show eh !

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

With Seven having WA, VIC & SA Football TV Rights. I would expect ten to get all the TV Rights & Fox's Deal be the same as 2012-2016.

Ten dont have the money.

In WA and Vic 7 will do what 7 did with the SANFL and use 7Mate on Saturday arvo. Some Sanfl games on 7Mate out rated the AFL game showing at the same time on the main channel - and because of Thursday night footy and 7 having no Saturday arvo games when they had Easter Monday and Queens Birthday games, 7 in Adelaide showed the Sanfl game on the main channel and not 7Mate those Saturdays. The Sanfl GF on the Sunday after the Saturday AFL prelim final, outrated more than half the port and crows games on 7 in Adelaide (7 only figures not 7+Fox Footy figures). 7 will go for the lot.