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Socceroos to be added to Anti-Siphoning List

Socceroos' World Cup qualifiers will be added to the Anti-Siphoning List when the Gillard government reveals its hand on TV sports.

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Socceroos’ World Cup qualifiers will be added to the Anti-Siphoning List when the Gillard government reveals its hand on TV sports, expected to be in the next two weeks.

The Age reports that the Free to Air commercial networks have been told that soccer will be added to new list.

It is also possible that Socceroos games will be on Free to Air television before 2014, despite the fact that Football Federation Australia has a contract with FOX Sports, giving it exclusive access until then.

Greens leader Bob Brown, who opposes more AFL going to Pay TV, also wants the list expanded to include Twenty20 cricket.

Cabinet will decide on Senator Conroy’s proposal within three weeks.

Source: The Age, smh.com.au

19 Responses

  1. lets see. just like network 7 did with the old NSL by putting the games on after midnight . 9, 7, 10 will buy the rights cheap as they can so they can still get the AFL and then to keep the AFL happy and on side will turn around to the AFL and say oh dont worry ur game is safe with us , this game thing called soccor , the world game we are just going to dump it in the after midnight time slot .

  2. @JeZZa: If Fox Sports didn’t get the Socceroos matches then the A-League would not have happend. It was a package deal by Fox and the FFA.

    Lets hope if Fox Sports lose the coverage of Socceroos matches that the A-League does not suffer.

  3. Terrible news for the A-League. Tthe value of the tv rights will plummet, thereby resulting in less finance available for the A-League, resulting in lower salary cap, lower standard players, meaning lower crowds

  4. it’s about time, putting all things soccer on FOX was a very bad move. Ther build-up to the 2010 WC was just about non existent. There is no way you can build a sport if only a small percentage of the population are able to watch it. I think ONE should be the home of all everything related soccer in australia. ONE needs more local content & Australian soccer in general needs to be open to a broader audience than is available with FOX. Good move.

  5. Not a huge surprise to see that confirmed. I recall seeing Conroy on the ABC’s Insiders a few weeks back, and switching the Socceroos World Cup qualifiers back to FTA was about the only remotely clear indication that he gave regarding the possible outcome of the anti-siphoning review. You have to wonder though if there’s going to be significant trade-off across other sport(s) in pay-TVs favour as a result.

  6. Nooooooooooooo….there better be a stipulation that it must not be on delay in Perth (fingers crossed for SBS, or ABC2 which is shown via foxtel satellite based on eastern states time)

  8. I highly doubt SBS will be able to gain these right with their budget, I’m betting on Ten/One to go for these rights the most, they at least show some interest in covering soccer with European football, a talk show and news coverage. That’s not to say Nine or Seven won’t go for them without a fight thought.

  9. Ah soccer games chock full of ads every 5 minutes, on at 3am from downtown Bahrain.

    Will be a ratings bonanza for whichever network is unfortunate enough to have to show it.

  10. Finally! I can’t believe Conroy has done something right for a change…

    It’s always been ridiculous that the FA Cup Final was considered of “national interest” but the Socceroos’ WC qualifiers weren’t. I just hope they’re shown on SBS.

  12. Cmon SBS or ONE!

    ONE dont seem to play ad breaks in the Bundislega I’ve managed to watch so could be good. But affording them…..and with Packer and Murdoch, don’t think they’d be too happy….

  17. Awesome, so Channel 9 will get the rights to the Socceroos games and then put them on delay and chuck hundreds of ads in during the game……

    Please make sure the games go to SBS!!!!

  18. The inclusion of Socceroos’ World Cup qualifiers in the list is certainly overdue but very welcome. Next should be the Asian Cup if Australia qualifies and/or hosts the tournament.

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