Play Nice The 2021 Soccer Broadcast Rights Thread

[The_Wookie]

That bloke making a case in favour of fragmentation sounds like another case of soccer wishful thinking.
Sure, it's great for those consumers with niche interests, can pick and choose a range of cheap streaming options to watch a selection of niche sports, but it's a big jump from there to that somehow favouring any form of professional sport in Australia.
The flipside of this argument is that when Fox covered all sport, cosumers of sport paid a premium to have access to all sport, and those sports received decent broadcast deals, most importantly, those smaller sports have more sports fans on the one platform (and clearly, once upon a time, the A-League used to benefit from Fox also having the Premier League).
Going to a niche streaming service, one of many, with half the money being made, to all of a sudden argue this will somehow be a godsend for the A-League is absurd.
Interestingly, the key thing in favour of the A-League's most recent deal is that one game will be on good ol' fashioned FTA.

 

[Kwality]

That bloke making a case in favour of fragmentation sounds like another case of soccer wishful thinking.
Sure, it's great for those consumers with niche interests, can pick and choose a range of cheap streaming options to watch a selection of niche sports, but it's a big jump from there to that somehow favouring any form of professional sport in Australia.
The flipside of this argument is that when Fox covered all sport, cosumers of sport paid a premium to have access to all sport, and those sports received decent broadcast deals, most importantly, those smaller sports have more sports fans on the one platform (and clearly, once upon a time, the A-League used to benefit from Fox also having the Premier League).
Going to a niche streaming service, one of many, with half the money being made, to all of a sudden argue this will somehow be a godsend for the A-League is absurd.
Interestingly, the key thing in favour of the A-League's most recent deal is that one game will be on good ol' fashioned FTA.

The old FTA business model of the 20th century (e.g World of Sport ) is irrelevant to where we find ourselves today.
How it further evolves with major sport is clearer than the more niche sports.
Seeing past the spin is difficult outside the financials & the material released by the Sports is a mixture of ego & blind faith.

 

[NoobPie]

That bloke making a case in favour of fragmentation sounds like another case of soccer wishful thinking.
Sure, it's great for those consumers with niche interests, can pick and choose a range of cheap streaming options to watch a selection of niche sports, but it's a big jump from there to that somehow favouring any form of professional sport in Australia.
The flipside of this argument is that when Fox covered all sport, cosumers of sport paid a premium to have access to all sport, and those sports received decent broadcast deals, most importantly, those smaller sports have more sports fans on the one platform (and clearly, once upon a time, the A-League used to benefit from Fox also having the Premier League).
Going to a niche streaming service, one of many, with half the money being made, to all of a sudden argue this will somehow be a godsend for the A-League is absurd.
Interestingly, the key thing in favour of the A-League's most recent deal is that one game will be on good ol' fashioned FTA.

Exactly.

I think another error underlying the wishful thinking is the assumption that soccer fans are a discrete group from other sports fans when in actual fact they are likely to have the same profile as fans of other sports.

e.g in stylised numbers: 33% of their fans are pretty much soccer only, 17% soccer is the first sport but the also like multiple other sports, 50% soccer is just one sport they like and generally not their preferred sport

soccer might have slightly more soccer only fans given the sport is year round, but is likely to have a lot more where it is not the first sport given it is not the dominant sport culturally.

The upshot of this is essentially your "flipside".

Though to be fair the foxtel numbers suggest that the casual viewer had turned off the A League in massive numbers already they are also less likely to find their way back with the soccer on its own stream. And then you split that smaller number again with those soccer fans who primarily follow european/english soccer....

 

[NoobPie]

So perhaps the most precise public reference to the level of contributions from to the production costs in the A League soccer rights....

A-League ready to unleash ‘David Beckham’ rule | The World Game

The next A-League season is likely to feature the introduction of a ‘designated player’ rule which will allow wealthier clubs to field two further signings outside the salary cap.

theworldgame.sbs.com.au

The APL plans to use a portion of any proceeds to cover production costs for the five games per week to be streamed on Paramount+.

Under the terms of the broadcast accord, it’s understood Network Ten will only produce one match each week.

Exiting TV rights holder Fox Sports paid $15 million annually in production costs.

So on best available information, channel 10 are paying, to some level, for the production of the one (presumably saturday night) game each week. The APL is covering the rest and all of the W League.

 

[VFL13]

Sounds like another $100mil for football australia just for national team games and ffa cup. Not bad. Adding to the $200mil already. Things are heading in the right direction

 

[Kwality]

So perhaps the most precise public reference to the level of contributions from to the production costs in the A League soccer rights....




So on best available information, channel 10 are paying, to some level, for the production of the one (presumably saturday night) game each week. The APL is covering the rest and all of the W League.

Good timing

 

[The_Wookie]

Sounds like another $100mil for football australia just for national team games and ffa cup. Not bad. Adding to the $200mil already. Things are heading in the right direction

Lots of contra in this latest deal. cash increase is going to be much less than 100m especially since Football Australia had to buy the rights to the AFC content off the AFC to include in the package

 

[NoobPie]

Sounds like another $100mil for football australia just for national team games and ffa cup. Not bad. Adding to the $200mil already. Things are heading in the right direction

Haha, if down is the right direction

The $300 million figure is

1) less than last time
2) for the consumption of the eternally gullible

The aleague and league rights involve substantial production costs
The rugari article specifically says that the $100m figure, in addition to substantial contra, involves the actual purchasing of the Socceroos qualifier rights

 

[Rob]

Sounds like another $100mil for football australia just for national team games and ffa cup. Not bad. Adding to the $200mil already. Things are heading in the right direction

It seems like they onsold games they bought from the AFC. So it depends heavily on what they paid, how much is contra as well as the matter of production costs. $20m a year gross for the premium product doesn't seem like that good a deal.

 

[VFL13]

Really? A deal that gives soccer exposure it has never had on fta tv.
Yes a lot of contra but i will again point out, considering the last 2 seasons, these deals are big and show a big investment into the game by cbs/paramount/ch10.
The fact $100mil extra is spent and invested to get national team games and ffa cup games for 4 years is positive. Hopefully the next deals can be bigger and bigger.
Fellas, i am aware its not a mind blowing world changing deal, but i can tell you the soccer community is feeling a whole lot better.
I feel for foxtel, they have done a lot for soccer over 15years but it was clear they didnt want to continue, and fair enough.
Already i have seen more soccer stories and news on fta since the announcent than the last 5 years combined.

 

[VFL13]

It seems like they onsold games they bought from the AFC. So it depends heavily on what they paid, how much is contra as well as the matter of production costs. $20m a year gross for the premium product doesn't seem like that good a deal.

Well when i suggested there was still more to come from the $200mil deal and mentioned national teams and ffa cup, everyone told me they werent worth much, now $20mil a year is below par. Its all positive stuff from my perspective

 

[Kwality]

It seems like they onsold games they bought from the AFC. So it depends heavily on what they paid, how much is contra as well as the matter of production costs. $20m a year gross for the premium product doesn't seem like that good a deal.

The AFC ?

 

[VFL13]

Also, a big win from this extra deal is The FA Cup being broadcast on fta. A truly unique Australian sports comp that simply cant be rivaled. Very excited for that

 

[NoobPie]

Really? A deal that gives soccer exposure it has never had on fta tv.

Delusional. It is been on the ABC main channel leading into the news for the last couple of years. ABC main channel

The ABC main channel out rates the channel 10 main channel on Saturdays

At least it did last weekend.....maybe not when it had to show the A League though

Yes a lot of contra but i will again point out, considering the last 2 seasons, these deals are big and show a big investment into the game by cbs/paramount/ch10.

Well, everything is relative but there is no big investment by cbs/paramount/ch10. That's delusional

The fact $100mil extra is spent and invested to get national team games and ffa cup games for 4 years is positive. Hopefully the next deals can be bigger and bigger.

Haha, this makes me think of that canadian club ad "I only drink it cos my dad drunk it"......accept obviously instead of beer its koolaide!

Fellas, i am aware its not a mind blowing world changing deal, but i can tell you the soccer community is feeling a whole lot better.
I feel for foxtel, they have done a lot for soccer over 15years but it was clear they didnt want to continue, and fair enough.

Haha, you feel for foxtel.....who didn't want to pay substantially less than they did in the last 6 year deal to keep the rights!

It's like saying you feel for your landlord at your old rental as you are paying your board at the boarding house.

Already i have seen more soccer stories and news on fta since the announcent than the last 5 years combined.

That's called confirmation bias.....domestic soccer has maintained a level of coverage far in excess of the level of interest over the last few years.

 

[VFL13]

Anyway, im happy, and the fact noobpie is so worked up every time a story on soccer comes out is starting to concern me. Is that guy ok?
Gotta go, european football to be watched soon.

 

[weewilly]

Nothing for either the AFL or NRL to worry about!
I doubt it will be on the main channel for very long with the pathetic ratings soccer has been getting over the past few seasons both on FTA and Fox = you cannot put lipstick on a pig!
Its only about $50 million a year and that is about a tenth of what the AFL get per year or about $4.2 million per club a year and that's if it all goes to the clubs!
For as long as I can remember the soccer urgers have predicted the rise of soccer to #1 football code in Australia and the demise of the AFL and NRL I'm still waiting and and it still ain't going to happen any time soon!

 

[Rob]

The AFC ?

The people that own the broadcast rights to pretty much all Socceroos games that aren't friendlies.

 

[Kwality]

Nothing for either the AFL or NRL to worry about!
I doubt it will be on the main channel for very long with the pathetic ratings soccer has been getting over the past few seasons both on FTA and Fox = you cannot put lipstick on a pig!
Its only about $50 million a year and that is about a tenth of what the AFL get per year or about $4.2 million per club a year and that's if it all goes to the clubs!
For as long as I can remember the soccer urgers have predicted the rise of soccer to #1 football code in Australia and the demise of the AFL and NRL I'm still waiting and and it still ain't going to happen any time soon!

Is anyone suggesting the AFL or NRL are being challenged ... a non AFL thread ?

 

[NoobPie]

Is anyone suggesting the AFL or NRL are being challenged ... a non AFL thread ?

Ten backs soccer to become ‘No.1 sport in Australia’ after $300m investment

 

[The_Wookie]

Ten backs soccer to become ‘No.1 sport in Australia’ after $300m investment

They also said it wouldnt happen overnight and that it was a worthy ambition to chase.

“It’s good to have a big ambition like that,” Beverley McGarvey, the chief content officer and executive vice president of ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, told the Herald. “We’re not in this for a quick win. This is something we will build together with our partners. And I think all of the partners involved know that there’s a long-term goal here, but to do it you’ve got to do it one step at a time. Being the number one sport in Australia, that’s not going to be true by next year. But I think it’s a good ambition we can work towards and this is kind of where it starts for us."

Theres a lot of hate in this thread for a deal that has little in the way of details.

 

[Kwality]

Ten backs soccer to become ‘No.1 sport in Australia’ after $300m investment

$300mil would get you to #1, its a self serving headline but yes its the substance of the story.

 

[NoobPie]

They also said it wouldnt happen overnight and that it was a worthy ambition to chase.

And I was answering Kwality 's question in response to weewilly

Theres a lot of hate in this thread for a deal that has little in the way of details.

Hate?

Sheesh, people are just commenting on a new soccer tv rights deal in presumably the appropriate thread

The lack of detail is itself worthy of discussion

 

[Kwality]

And I was answering Kwality 's question in response to weewilly



Hate?

Sheesh, people are just commenting on a new soccer tv rights deal in presumably the appropriate thread

The lack of detail is itself worthy of discussion

What is missing from the PR spin that accompanies all such announcements ?

 

[The_Wookie]

Nothing for either the AFL or NRL to worry about!

Not everything has to be something for the AFL or NRL to worry about.

I doubt it will be on the main channel for very long with the pathetic ratings soccer has been getting over the past few seasons both on FTA and Fox = you cannot put lipstick on a pig!

Which is partly why they didnt get as much money, but Ten/Paramount seem committed to the course based on the language of their execs, soooo.

Its only about $50 million a year and that is about a tenth of what the AFL get per year or about $4.2 million per club a year and that's if it all goes to the clubs!

So? Not every deal is going to be as big as the AFLs.

For as long as I can remember the soccer urgers have predicted the rise of soccer to #1 football code in Australia and the demise of the AFL and NRL I'm still waiting and and it still ain't going to happen any time soon!

And while it may never happen, it should stop people reaching for the stars. The AFL have done it with GWS and Gold Coast and AFLW, why should soccer aim high?

Delusional. It is been on the ABC main channel leading into the news for the last couple of years. ABC main channel

The ABC main channel out rates the channel 10 main channel on Saturdays

At least it did last weekend.....maybe not when it had to show the A League though

It'll be in prime time this time with the promise of marketing a Football Saturday Night - signed into the contract apparently, and not on at 5pm on a Saturday. Preceeded by a decent pre show - which it hasnt had before. In additional Ten will be running a childrens program to encourage participation.

The W-league suffers moving from ABCs main channel on Sunday arvo to 10bold.

But cross promotion that the ABC cant deliver through various reality programs, the project, news features and what not will be something the A-league hasnt really had before if it comes to pass.

Well, everything is relative but there is no big investment by cbs/paramount/ch10. That's delusional

$300m in cash/contra and buying into the APL itself is not exactly a small investment.

You use the words delusional a lot here for no reason at all.

Also, a big win from this extra deal is The FA Cup being broadcast on fta. A truly unique Australian sports comp that simply cant be rivaled. Very excited for that

Only the final is guaranteed on Ten.

And I was answering Kwality 's question in response to weewilly

So?

Hate?

yes hate. It comes out any time someone has anything positive to say about another sport in this thread.

Sheesh, people are just commenting on a new soccer tv rights deal in presumably the appropriate thread

Sure you are.

The lack of detail is itself worthy of discussion

Sure, if you the details, which no one realy does here.

• The "substantial production costs" - this is all borne out of the statement that says the APL will "share production responsibilities" - no one really knows what this means or how much of a share falls on the APL, but sure it COULD be substantial.
• The $100m committed by Viacom/CBS in cash/contra is still committed BY Viacom, that Football Australia spent a unknown amount of money buying rights of the AFC to include in the package doesnt change the fact that they were still offered $100m from Viacom.
• No one has any idea what the contra amounts are, or even what the contra entails.

 

[The_Wookie]

A-league signs $200m, 5 year deal with Ten/Paramount+

The A-league has announced that it has signed a $200 million, 5 year deal with the CBS Viacom for A-league and W-league matches on Ten and Paramount+. The deal does not include the FFA Cup or Socceroos and Matildas matches, as these are sold separately by the FFA.

• The A-League and W-League has signed a five-year contract with Ten and its streaming subsidiary Paramount+ worth $200 million in cash and commercial contra, according to sources, and contains triggers for a further three-year extension. In the first year, it contains $32 million in cash – with Football Australia receiving a 20 per cent share, as per the APL’s independence terms brokered last year – and a further $11 million in contra, which will be gradually reduced over the term of the contract.
• A-League live and free every Saturday night on 10 and 10 Play on demand. Every Saturday night during the season is Football Night on 10, with the A-League’s match of the round broadcast live at 7:30pm. The deal guarantees one A-League match each week, on Saturday nights, will be broadcast live on Ten’s main channel for the duration of the agreement, preceded by a magazine-style discussion show – ensuring a level of free-to-air coverage hitherto only dreamed of in the league’s 16-year history.
• Westfield W-League live and free every Sunday afternoon on 10 Bold and 10 Play on demand. 10 Bold will be the new home of the Westfield W-League, with a match broadcast live every Sunday of the league.
• All A-league and W-league free-to-air matches will also be simulcast on 10 Play.
• All other A-League and Westfield W-League matches will be shown on the brand new Paramount+. Paramount+ launches on Wednesday, 11 August for $8.99, with football fans and Club members given a special deal to access all games.
• As part of the five-year tie-up between the Australian Professional Leagues and US giant VIACOM CBS, the latter has acquired a minor 2.5% stake in the former – becoming a shareholder as well as a partner.
• The APL has also agreed to share responsibility for broadcast production, a move rarely undertaken by major sporting competitions in Australia. This ensures a minimum standard of production will be upheld across both the A-League and W-League and the ability to scale the number of cameras used at matches up or down based on the importance of certain fixtures.
• APL will from next season produce its own “product” – that’s the A-League and Westfield W-League games, plus myriad features and news around them – and package it appropriately, in readiness for distribution via the commercial stature of the Ten Network and on Australia’s newest streaming channel. Before the start of the new season, some of that content will also be central to a new digital platform that APL promises will become the Australian home of football content.

References

• 26.05 – ViacomCBS And Australian Professional Leagues Announce Landmark Rights Deal (A-league)
• 26.05 – Why new broadcast deal smells like Ten spirit (A-league)
• 26.05 – Network 10 And Paramount+ Will Be The New Home Of A-League and Westfield W-League (Ten)
• 26.05 – A-League seals landmark five-year, $200m broadcast deal with Network Ten (The Age)
• 26.05 – Network Ten and Paramount+ sign A-League broadcast deal (Mumbrella)
• 26.05 – A-League announces Channel 10 as new broadcast partner in five-year deal (ABC)

Paramount+/Ten sign $100m Football Australia deal

10 ViacomCBS and Football Australia announce largest Socceroos and Matildas broadcast deal ever. A new era for Australian football begins. While US streaming giant Amazon Prime Video, in partnership with free-to-air broadcaster SBS, was considered to be the favourite to secure the next broadcast deal, the Nine owned Stan platform also became a contender.

https://twitter.com/ParamountPlusAU/status/1404673612485840900

The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Ten’s owners, ViacomCBS, have invested a further $100 million into the sport – according to sources with direct knowledge of the deal – to secure a suite of key international fixtures involving Australia’s men’s and women’s teams as well as the FFA Cup and other Asian tournaments. The $100 million figure is not all pure profit for the governing body. The deal also includes a significant amount of contra, while FA had to spend an unspecified amount to buy the rights to much of the Socceroos and Matildas content off the AFC’s confederation’s marketing agency to facilitate the package it has now sold to Ten.

• Football Australia and 10 ViacomCBS enter into landmark media rights agreement until the end of 2024.
• Network 10 and Paramount+ to be the new home of National Teams football and the FFA Cup bringing more football to more fans providing unprecedented reach.
• New deal includes all Westfield Matildas and Socceroos matches outside of FIFA World Cup Finals plus the next four (4) seasons of the FFA Cup from Round of 32 matches onwards.
• A minimum of 16 Senior National Team matches over the term and the annual FFA Cup Final to be broadcast on Network 10.
• The first ever direct commercial free-to-air broadcast deal for Football Australia’s National Teams.

The agreement, which encompasses the media rights for all national teams (Socceroos, Westfield Matildas, Young Socceroos, Westfield Young Matildas, Joeys, and Westfield Junior Matildas) owned or controlled by Football Australia, as well as AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar, AFC Asian Cups, and other AFC tournaments until 31 December 2024, also celebrates the largest Socceroos and Westfield Matildas broadcast deal ever. Football Australia acquired the rights to the AFC competitions from the AFC to enable this compelling package of rights to be created.

In a ground-breaking move, the agreement will also include coverage of the FFA Cup (from the Round of 32) on Paramount+ with the FFA Cup Final, to be broadcast on Network 10 each year.

For the fans, this means that extensive coverage of Australia’s National Teams and the FFA Cup (in addition to the A- League and Westfield W-League) will be available on 10, 10 Bold and 10 Play, as well as Paramount+, which will be available in Australia from 11 August, for $8.99 per month.

As part of the deal, 10 ViacomCBS will also commission a children’s programme focused on promoting participation in football.

Having once made the Big Bash League the country’s hottest sporting property in the summer, Ten believes it can now make the round-ball code the most popular in Australia.

“It’s good to have a big ambition like that,” Beverley McGarvey, the chief content officer and executive vice president of ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, told the Herald. “We’re not in this for a quick win. This is something we will build together with our partners. And I think all of the partners involved know that there’s a long-term goal here, but to do it you’ve got to do it one step at a time. Being the number one sport in Australia, that’s not going to be true by next year. But I think it’s a good ambition we can work towards and this is kind of where it starts for us.

Under this landmark agreement, 10 ViacomCBS will broadcast the below content across Network 10 and Paramount+:

• Matildas Friendly Internationals (home and away)
• Socceroos Friendly Internationals (home and away)
• U23 Men’s Friendly Internationals (home)
• Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier Round 2 matches (home)
• Other Football Australia controlled Youth National Teams matches (home)
• FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Asian Qualifiers – Round Three (including prospective Play-Off matches)
• AFC Asian Cup China 2023TM Finals
• AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022TM Finals
• AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals 2022, 2024
• AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Final Round) for Paris Olympics 2024
• AFC U20 Asian Cup Finals 2023
• AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals 2023
• AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Finals 2022 and 2024
• AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Finals 2022 and 2024
• AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals 2022, 2024
• AFC Solidarity Cup 2024
• A-League Club Play-Off matches to enter FFA Cup Round of 32
• All FFA Cup matches played from Round of 32 onwards, including the Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and the FFA Cup Final
• All non-Australian matches across AFC competitions, including Round 3 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches and AFC Asian Cup matches

References

• Football Australia reaches landmark media rights agreement with 10 ViacomCBS
• Ten backs soccer to become ‘No.1 sport in Australia’ after $300m investment
• 10 WINS BIDDING WAR FOR SOCCEROOS AND MATILDAS MATCHES