The downfall of Fox Footy.

[corbies]

I'm hoping they at least go to all the Victorian games once they start to call every match come 2025.
I'd say every game full stop but I'll take what I can get at the moment.

Doubt it. Fox League call every match in the NRL but call matches from the studio even when its in Sydney.

 

[JohnZ]

I'm hoping they at least go to all the Victorian games once they start to call every match come 2025.
I'd say every game full stop but I'll take what I can get at the moment.

Interstate they should be able put together a team (like they pretty much have for Perth games) if they get to call every match. With a reduced number of games for the VIC based callers (5 per week on average), all they need is a radio box to call the game from with no need to be on screen at all. For the interstate games they can throw to the studio for pregame/half time/post game (like they used to do with Sandy Roberts on a Saturday arvo).

Doubt it. Fox League call every match in the NRL but call matches from the studio even when its in Sydney.

NRL has a lot of small suburban grounds with limited room for media. Pretty sure they're at the game most of the time if it's played at Accor or Allianz stadium even with Ch9 there.

 

[1989]

What this particular thread shows is that everyone has their own preferences which obviously makes it hard for tv decision makers. The only universal dislike seems to be for BT though who isn't Fox. He really is incompetent as a commentator. It's like he's trying to be Lou Richards but without the charisma

To be fair, Taylor would also fall into the 'everyone has their own preferences' category.

 

[Father Jack]

Doubt it. Fox League call every match in the NRL but call matches from the studio even when its in Sydney.

I reckon it would be easier to call NRL from off the telly, unlike the AFL and nearly every other sport in existence

 

[The Sultan]

No first crack tonight ??

 

[Mentallo]

I thought it would even be on Sat night post game but nope.
Pretty pathetic really.

 

[greekstyler]

Interstate they should be able put together a team (like they pretty much have for Perth games) if they get to call every match. With a reduced number of games for the VIC based callers (5 per week on average), all they need is a radio box to call the game from with no need to be on screen at all. For the interstate games they can throw to the studio for pregame/half time/post game (like they used to do with Sandy Roberts on a Saturday arvo).


NRL has a lot of small suburban grounds with limited room for media. Pretty sure they're at the game most of the time if it's played at Accor or Allianz stadium even with Ch9 there.

The thing that shits me is that sometimes for WA games they have Papalia (Perth based) calling with Der-Wayne (from studio in Melb) yet other games Papalia and Pavlich/Schofield are calling by themselves from the ground. Mind-boggling and needless.

 

[jefffff34]

The thing that shits me is that sometimes for WA games they have Papalia (Perth based) calling with Der-Wayne (from studio in Melb) yet other games Papalia and Pavlich/Schofield are calling by themselves from the ground. Mind-boggling and needless.

They obviously think we are tuning in for the commentators, and not the game.

 

[The Sultan]

They obviously think we are tuning in for the commentators, and not the game.

BT likes this..

 

[AlecDuncan]

Did they really can First Crack - during the finals?

Slow clap guys. Congratulations to the old Bud Light marketer on her new gig at Foxtel.

 

[JohnZ]

Did they really can First Crack - during the finals?

Slow clap guys. Congratulations to the old Bud Light marketer on her new gig at Foxtel.

Their scheduling is all over the place and stuck in 2012 when the channel first launched. They need to go clean slate and give every show they run a thorough once over (what is its purpose, what value does it add to the channel etc). My ideas for 2025 onwards (new broadcast deal):

Shows
AFL360 - Monday and Wednesdays only. No player/coach interviews, move the format closer to Footy Classified whilst retaining what makes AFL360 a better show at its core. Monday focus on the previous weeks games, Wednesday with a focus to the next weeks games.

Fox Footy Live - Filmed Podcast format similar to what ESPN does for NFL/NBA, or a filmed version of sportsday on SEN (previous 3AW). Have a consistent rotating panel of hosts and guests who can talk footy for two hours.

On the Couch - expands to 90min on Tuesdays and guaranteed 5min analysis of every game. The extra day helps them to get the footage they need. That's an hour of content right there, the last half hour can be a combo of their other regular segments (jon ralph, long form interview etc).

Live and Kicking - bring it back, do it properly and make it fun. Needs to be live and uncensored. Should be Triple M (from the 2000s) but on TV.

Bounce - moves to 10am Sundays as the fun kid friendly morning show. Keep the same format just needs a more appropriate time.

Crunchtime - film the SEN show in the studio or at the ground (it uses all fox people anyway) and put it on TV Saturday morning before the footy.

First Crack - no need to change this beaut of a show (except to keep Huddo on as the permanent host). The Sunday twilight game gets a proper post-game that finishes at about 8pm, First crack starts straight after.

Monday
5pm: Fox Footy Live
7pm: AFL360
8.30pm: Fox Footy Live (repeat)

Tuesday
5pm: Fox Footy Live
7pm: On the Couch
8.30pm: Fox Footy Live (repeat)

Wednesday
5pm: Fox Footy Live
7pm: AFL360
8.30pm: Live and Kicking
10pm/10.30pm: Fox Footy Live (repeat)

Thursday/Friday
5pm: Fox Footy Live
6.30pm: 7.30pm Match Pre-Game
7.30: AFL
10pm: 7.30pm Match Post-Game

Saturday (Pre&Post for all Games also on 503)
10am: Crunchtime (SEN Simulcast)
11.30am: 12pm Match Pre-Game
12pm: AFL
2.30pm: AFL
5pm: AFL
7.30pm: AFL
10pm: Saturday Stretch (includes 7.30pm Match Post-Game)

Sunday (Pre&Post for all Games also on 503)
10am: Bounce
11.30am: 12pm Match Pre-Game
12pm: AFL
2.30pm: AFL
5pm: AFL
7.30pm: 5pm Match Post-Game
8pm: First Crack

 

[marcus1232]

I love late night with Matty Johns which is what I assume they were trying to copy with best on ground.

I would love to see a decent variety adults show like that I know we have the bounce and its great but that is more family orientated

 

[calculon559]

Bring back White Line Fever.

 

[Cleavy]

Bring back White Line Fever.

the kids call it 'X' now.

 

[Dogs Rule]

Fox Footy was at its peak in 2002-2006 when it launched. Absolutely awesome. Full match replays, White Line Fever, Headliners docos, Grumpy Old Men, Club shows, kids shows. Now it's just lazy and boring so I'll be finally getting rid of it for good before summer.

 

[Lensen]

AFL charging, what, 10+ times for the footy now compared to 2002 probably an impact on why the channel sucks now. all the money is in the live games, everything else on the cheap

 

[brutus76]

Why aren't they showing old classic games like they do on the NRL channel?

 

[Randall Stevens]

Fox Footy was at its peak in 2002-2006 when it launched. Absolutely awesome. Full match replays, White Line Fever, Headliners docos, Grumpy Old Men, Club shows, kids shows. Now it's just lazy and boring so I'll be finally getting rid of it for good before summer.

It's quite pathetic how little content there is other than live matches now. Some nights AFL 360 is shown three times in a row - back to back replays.
Re-runs of some of those old shows you mentioned would be far more interesting, especially Headliners which was outstanding.
At the very least they could re-run Open Mike episodes - a lot of them were great.
Another thing which annoys me with Fox Footy is the cross-promotion segments on Fox Footy where they have guests talking about whatever other sport or event Foxtel has on that week. There is a 24 hour general sports news channel which could run those promos. When there is so little program content the clue is probably in the name as to what Fox Footy should stick to.

 

[peternorth]

is kingy at the ground?

 

[wagstaff]

Fox Footy was at its peak in 2002-2006 when it launched. Absolutely awesome. Full match replays, White Line Fever, Headliners docos, Grumpy Old Men, Club shows, kids shows. Now it's just lazy and boring so I'll be finally getting rid of it for good before summer.

Last time they seemed to put any effort in was during the COVID 2020 lockdown when they did things like countdown of 100 greatest games and doing modern calls of classic games.

Now it's like they put in so little effort in that they might as well go back to the 2007-11 setup of having no Fox Footy channel at all.

But yeah, the 02-06 version was miles better than the current version.

 

[wagstaff]

AFL charging, what, 10+ times for the footy now compared to 2002 probably an impact on why the channel sucks now. all the money is in the live games, everything else on the cheap

This is why it's so amusing when sporting fans get so invested in hiw much TV networks are prepared to pay for rights. Be careful what you wish for.

There was a plethora of innovation in coverage when Fox (along with 9 & 10) took over from Channel 7 in the 2000s; can't honestly think of any improvements to coverage in the past 10-15 years.

 

[calculon559]

AFL charging, what, 10+ times for the footy now compared to 2002 probably an impact on why the channel sucks now. all the money is in the live games, everything else on the cheap

The other factor most people seems to forget is, for the first two years, Fox Footy Channel was an extra $7/month, equivalent to ~$11.50/mo in 2022 dollars, and that's if you paid for a year upfront.
So they could afford to throw shows at the wall and see if anything sticks.

 

[jefffff34]

I could be wrong… but have commentators been at every ground for the Big Bash so far?

 

[calculon559]

I could be wrong… but have commentators been at every ground for the Big Bash so far?

I believe there's been one or two they've called from the studio, but that means they've done at least eight out of ten at the ground so far (incl. the wash out last week).

 

[Mr north man]

Get rid of the 20 BS replays of 30mins of each clubs game each week have a Tuesday night Under 18 game on live each week have 1 hour highlight show of the under 18 show on a Wednesday night then do the same for VFL,WASFL,SANFL put on the White line fever show with Gerald Whaitly and a few more Docos .
Keep The Bounce maybe consider bringing back Grumpy old men and the winner showing old game like Drew Morphett used to do