Great Russell Jackson piece on this in 2020:
"If you watch a grand final from the 70s, it's not much different to how they film it now."
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AFLW 2024 - Round 6 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
The downfall of Fox Footy.
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"If you watch a grand final from the 70s, it's not much different to how they film it now."
You look at todays TV guide. In between the weigh in, which I have no idea why it would be on fox footy. They have best on ground 3 times, no one one watches it. Put a couple of old games on
I still like it but agree they are running the risk of overexposure for Brown and Riewoldt x 2. No idea why Jack gets so much air time, never a fan of current players involved with the media.
On the Couch and 360 still a good watch but I have always turned it off for player interviews and most coach interviews. The show is still at its best with Gerard and Robbo going back and forth.
On the Couch and 360 still a good watch but I have always turned it off for player interviews and most coach interviews. The show is still at its best with Gerard and Robbo going back and forth.
I think that the majority of the decision making comes down to saving $$. Why have so many different people on the payroll and spread them over multiple shows when we can just pay the same 5 people to do all the shows.
Things that need to improve/change: (in no particular order)
Show ideas:
There is so much content that the AFL/Fox Footy could produce and half of it would just need a go pro and some mics. Not every host has to be some ex-AFL meat head, let's diversify and promote the game and give the fans more content. The ultimate goal for any channel is to produce shows to get people to watch right? more people watching = more ads = more revenue. Right now they are so thin on any decent content and there is a massive hole they can fill.
Anyway there is some ideas, so if you're reading this upper management, you're welcome.
Things that need to improve/change: (in no particular order)
- Better camera angles for games (including kicking for goal, occasionally showing from behind the goals or widen the angle so we can see ahead of the play)
- Get the commentators back into the grounds and stop calling from the studio because I might as well be calling from my couch
- Stop letting David King commentate Freo games
- Keep the call about the game and not about the boys club no one cares about
Show ideas:
- Supercoach/Fantasy show (someone suggested in thread already and I like it)
- Draft prospects Show - Who are next years draftee's, how did they go on the weekend, weekly interviews etc.
- Women's AFL Weekly Show
- Club Watch - A show where every club has the opportunity to be covered and not just the ones at the top of the ladder
- State League Updates - VFL/SANFL/WAFL (Could be 3 individual shows)
- Umpiring Weekly - Majority don't like them but in order for the game to grow we need them and having a better insight into what they do is only good for encouraging people to pick up the profession
- Injury Show - Weekly updates on what's happening with all the clubs injuries (could be included with the club watch show)
- Training and Fitness show - Skills, Fitness etc.
- Podcast/talk shows - There are so many, so many AFL Podcasters who are really good and would easily fit into there
- Local football heroes - go around local leagues, little leagues and see all the good work that is being done.
There is so much content that the AFL/Fox Footy could produce and half of it would just need a go pro and some mics. Not every host has to be some ex-AFL meat head, let's diversify and promote the game and give the fans more content. The ultimate goal for any channel is to produce shows to get people to watch right? more people watching = more ads = more revenue. Right now they are so thin on any decent content and there is a massive hole they can fill.
Anyway there is some ideas, so if you're reading this upper management, you're welcome.
greekstyler
Debutant
I don’t get why they continue to commentate from the studio now covid restrictions are over? Saving money?
Cleavy
Hall of Famer
that's the reason!
Father Jack
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Don't the clubs themselves put a fair bit of content out on their websites? Surely you could cobble together a half hour show for each club for late evenings when instead of repeating ad nauseum the early shows?
Also, I thought that the mid season draft would've been an ideal opportunity for a fly-on-the-wall doco series in the lead-up, following a number of the contenders sort of like The Rookie (or whatever it was called, either way that reality show from a few years ago), except much less gimmicky.
At the moment Fox Footy seems be exceptionally stale and really only worth it for the games, which to me seems like a massive missed opportunity. Not everyone wants endless stupid half-arsed comedy shows. It's a dedicated footy channel ffs, why shouldn't they aim at the hardcore fan instead of the casual like they seem to be doing?
Maybe its not aimed at the hardcore fan ? Do they make up the majority of subscribers?
Fox would know my viewing habits, FTA have no idea.
The AFL media rights winners have to operate within the rules set by the AFL. See
AFL's hunt for more broadcast dollars could cost it the fans
Gillon McLachlan's "parting gift" to the AFL would be a new television-broadcast rights deal that quickly fills in the financial hole left by the COVID pandemic. But will the fans be better off?
Lyon, Brown & Reiwoldt are overexposed, no question.
Father Jack
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Yeah I'm just assuming that a dedicated 24/7 would appeal to the hardcore fan and thus they'd make up a fair bit of their audience, but then I don't know how big that demographic is. I just don't understand why they don't have a range of different offerings because at the moment there is nothing that really interests me outside of the games.Maybe its not aimed at the hardcore fan ? Do they make up the majority of subscribers?
Fox would know my viewing habits, FTA have no idea.
The AFL media rights winners have to operate within the rules set by the AFL. See
AFL's hunt for more broadcast dollars could cost it the fans
Gillon McLachlan's "parting gift" to the AFL would be a new television-broadcast rights deal that quickly fills in the financial hole left by the COVID pandemic. But will the fans be better off?indaily.com.au
Lyon, Brown & Reiwoldt are overexposed, no question.
Elixuh
See you on the 9th green at 9
They have gone and created all of these different shows, but you just get fed the same topics and opinions because almost every show has overlapping personalities. Quantity over quality.
Shows now have full 5min gambling segments in the middle.
The way they analyse the game is cookie cutter on repeat with no innovation. The personalities like Brown, Lyon and Riewoldt sound like they're reading off a script and then handing over to the next person to start their speech.
Their main product, being presenting football matches, has gone downhill drastically. 7's telecast is now far superior.
I assume its like this on fox, ie the focus on light entertainment/comedy, because if they anchored the product to substantive analysis, discussion and commentary it wouldn't work with the personalities they have.
They seem to spend a lot of effort on production value in terms of graphics, music, sets, camera movement, novelty/cheesy stuff but then the commentary to accompany it is dreadful. 7 has their commentators sitting stationary at a table and it works better.
If I didn't watch so much golf, I wouldn't bother with fox. To give some perspective, the golf commentary in the US is universally panned as horrendous. But to an aussie that watches AFL, its excellent.
Shows now have full 5min gambling segments in the middle.
The way they analyse the game is cookie cutter on repeat with no innovation. The personalities like Brown, Lyon and Riewoldt sound like they're reading off a script and then handing over to the next person to start their speech.
Their main product, being presenting football matches, has gone downhill drastically. 7's telecast is now far superior.
I assume its like this on fox, ie the focus on light entertainment/comedy, because if they anchored the product to substantive analysis, discussion and commentary it wouldn't work with the personalities they have.
They seem to spend a lot of effort on production value in terms of graphics, music, sets, camera movement, novelty/cheesy stuff but then the commentary to accompany it is dreadful. 7 has their commentators sitting stationary at a table and it works better.
If I didn't watch so much golf, I wouldn't bother with fox. To give some perspective, the golf commentary in the US is universally panned as horrendous. But to an aussie that watches AFL, its excellent.
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The callers leave plenty to be desired & the pictures* are the same.
* thats 100% a commercial decision.
They are so big about which private schools kids went to - why not just go all in and do replays of Scotch v Haileybury or whatever and be done with it.
Seriously but - they are obviously hard up on budgets. Hence the really pared back roster of people just doing the same shows. And having to flog the boxing (@$60 a pop) to try to bring more money into the fox coffers. But you know what's cheaper than paying 4 dudes to sit around a table - reaching into your library and just putting on replays of old games. People like that shit.
Seriously but - they are obviously hard up on budgets. Hence the really pared back roster of people just doing the same shows. And having to flog the boxing (@$60 a pop) to try to bring more money into the fox coffers. But you know what's cheaper than paying 4 dudes to sit around a table - reaching into your library and just putting on replays of old games. People like that shit.
- Sep 27, 2005
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The way I would describe Fox's coverage now is lazy.
Between 2002 and 2006 the coverage was innovative, exciting, even cutting edge. Clinton Grybas taking talkback on White Line Fever, The Winners, Grumpy Old Men, the club shows, Frankie and Deano, the News program, Headliners and the docos, the state league wraps.
It's not a patch on what it was. Not even close. Bounce and that new 'comedy' show are pure s***, 360 has the same guests on and the same format, it's tired. On the Couch - meh. Even the coverage of the games, they're literally dialling it in. I'll probably end up getting rid of it this year.
Between 2002 and 2006 the coverage was innovative, exciting, even cutting edge. Clinton Grybas taking talkback on White Line Fever, The Winners, Grumpy Old Men, the club shows, Frankie and Deano, the News program, Headliners and the docos, the state league wraps.
It's not a patch on what it was. Not even close. Bounce and that new 'comedy' show are pure s***, 360 has the same guests on and the same format, it's tired. On the Couch - meh. Even the coverage of the games, they're literally dialling it in. I'll probably end up getting rid of it this year.
Daicos2Daicos
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Living with’ was a fave show of mine back in the old days of fox, had the girlfriends of players on , Lloyd’s missus etc, it gave a different perspective of footy.
Section226
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Agree that Fox's coverage is stale and lacking direction.
For games IMHO:
Live programs:
Overall, Fox has just got lazy and seem to be going through the motions. I put the blame firmly on the General Manager/whoever is in charge of programming and production. Like Ch7, they deserve to lose the broadcasting rights based on their current efforts.
For games IMHO:
- 4 commentators only - 2 callers, 1 on special comments, 1 on the boundary. Hearing 2 doing special comments/stats basically compete for air-time takes the focus away from where it should be - calling the bloody game.
- EVERY commentator at the ground. It's obvious when they're calling off the TV and sometimes from different locations by the marked difference in audio quality.
- Behind the kicker shots at goal (particularly long-range) annoy the crap out of me as it doesn't give a depth perspective.
- Too many tight shots overall not allowing the viewer the bigger picture.
- How many times have you seen a different camera angle of a goal/play later in a highlights package (or on another Fox program) and think, WTF didn't you show us that angle live???
- Having a camera shot isolating the coach/individual player at the full time siren - go wide and get the reaction of many, preferably with the crowd in the background.
- Stop the interviews with players. Do you really get anything worthwhile? "How do you feel?"
- Cut the coverage AFTER the club song and a brief wrap-up of the game. You're not Ch7 and need to go to the news. Your live programs that follow can wait.
Live programs:
- Get rid of the new Saturday night program. Seeing (and hearing) far too much of the same people. Go back to last year's format.
- AFL360 producers have it easy. Same daily format week after week. I detest interviews with current players/coaches. Boring as bat's poo. Whole show needs a massive revamp. Again, same guests all the time.
- Bounce needs refreshing. Audience members need to be at least 16 (hearing young kids screaming is a massive turn off). Ditch 'Cut the Crap'. Get some new segments - handballing comp amongst local clubs? Cameron Mooney is not naturally funny, so stop forcing it with Numerology.
- Couch is OK but again, no interviews of current coaches/players.
- First Crack is OK
Overall, Fox has just got lazy and seem to be going through the motions. I put the blame firmly on the General Manager/whoever is in charge of programming and production. Like Ch7, they deserve to lose the broadcasting rights based on their current efforts.
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peternorth
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I haven't heard the word cookie cutter since......forever.
Great way to sum up fox footy.
Great way to sum up fox footy.
- Jun 12, 2018
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Tuned in to 360 to get the wash up on the may incident first time in along time.
You realise they are struggling to pay robbo and weasels fat wages when they do a 15min cross promotion of F1.
Surely there’s enough in and around the game to talk about so it’s not filler.
Trying to get you in to other sports so you don’t cut subscription when AFL is over!
You realise they are struggling to pay robbo and weasels fat wages when they do a 15min cross promotion of F1.
Surely there’s enough in and around the game to talk about so it’s not filler.
Trying to get you in to other sports so you don’t cut subscription when AFL is over!
Agree, with a lot that been said here. The current show line up really doesn't offer anything that you would say, yes i will sit down and watch that. AFL 360 is possibly one of the most boring shows unless Robbo goes full on fanboy or drunken rant.
The same old stuff week after week night after night. No innovation.
Jono Brown is painful to listen to as well
The same old stuff week after week night after night. No innovation.
Jono Brown is painful to listen to as well
I still like the Gerard and Robbo combo, just please get rid of player interviews, I always switch off or fast forward.
I enjoy Monday before the coaches start and segments like Real or Overreaction. That's when the show is at its best.
I enjoy Monday before the coaches start and segments like Real or Overreaction. That's when the show is at its best.
Smoooothy
SACK THE LOT OF THEM!
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the laziness in the broadcast is what gets me now. every game that isn't played in VIC is now commentated from a tv in a studio instead of at the game.
there seems little to no interest in promoting any new callers to the game. adam papalia is the only new caller in god knows how long, and he is streets ahead in terms of his commentary. everyone else seems to care about being mates with everyone else and getting their soundbyte (the Mark Nicolas issue)
the embarrassing offering of their post saturday night game show. i lasted 4 minutes
the ****ing sportsbet ads are just deplorable. *gamble responsible
there seems little to no interest in promoting any new callers to the game. adam papalia is the only new caller in god knows how long, and he is streets ahead in terms of his commentary. everyone else seems to care about being mates with everyone else and getting their soundbyte (the Mark Nicolas issue)
the embarrassing offering of their post saturday night game show. i lasted 4 minutes
the ****ing sportsbet ads are just deplorable. *gamble responsible
The Games - Too many ex players/analysts force feeding us bland Champion Data fed stats and dry analysis. Get back to 2 "callers" calling the game and letting us enjoy the emotion of it. Let the "called" game entertain us.
Analysis shows like First Crack and On The Couch - Would be more enjoyable and looked forward to, if the games(as stated above) hadn't already been analysed for us in real time when we should have been losing ourselves in an entertainingly "called" game.
360 - Very tired format and hosts. Gerard is wedded to his "family" roster, and Robinson is insufferable. Went from watching it most nights, to IQ'ing it so as to fast forward the crap, to deleting it off IQ altogether.
Comedy shows - Horrible. Just really horrible.
AFL Tonight - Good to IQ to catch up on the main stories in the first segment. Then delete when they get to interview with ex/current players.
During the Week shows of interest - Absolutely nothing.
Riewoldt Brothers - No Mas. No more. Please no more. Pretty please, no more.
Analysis shows like First Crack and On The Couch - Would be more enjoyable and looked forward to, if the games(as stated above) hadn't already been analysed for us in real time when we should have been losing ourselves in an entertainingly "called" game.
360 - Very tired format and hosts. Gerard is wedded to his "family" roster, and Robinson is insufferable. Went from watching it most nights, to IQ'ing it so as to fast forward the crap, to deleting it off IQ altogether.
Comedy shows - Horrible. Just really horrible.
AFL Tonight - Good to IQ to catch up on the main stories in the first segment. Then delete when they get to interview with ex/current players.
During the Week shows of interest - Absolutely nothing.
Riewoldt Brothers - No Mas. No more. Please no more. Pretty please, no more.
- Jan 25, 2016
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Would the fact you're not paying extra today for Fox Footy affect the quality of programming. Originally when Fox Footy was created you had to pay extra for it, consequently the service provided needed to have an element of quality attached.
Also what has happened to the huge supply of games which should be on file from VFL, SANFL, WAFL & AFL. Who has rights to those because I'm sure there would be plenty of games people would like to watch from days gone by.
Also what has happened to the huge supply of games which should be on file from VFL, SANFL, WAFL & AFL. Who has rights to those because I'm sure there would be plenty of games people would like to watch from days gone by.
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I don't think that's the case anymore when a lot of people are just getting Foxtel for the sports package.
