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No HD for AFL Grand Final

Update: TEN advises it can't air the AFL Grand Final on ONE due to a scheduling clash with the Moto GP.

AFL fans may be in for a rude shock with confirmation that this year’s Grand Final will not be screened in High Definition.

A TEN spokesperson has confirmed to TV Tonight the network will only screen the live game on its primary channel.

In glorious Standard Definition of course.

While ONE is an HD channel, it won’t be used for the match on Saturday October 1st.

Last year Seven broadcast the game on both Seven and 7mate, as part of a launch for their new HD channel. It was lucky enough to land a tied match and get the bumper audience back a week later. It even broadcast the game in 3D for those with 3D televisions.

After 10 years TEN is walking away from its AFL deal at the end of the season, which may have influenced its decision not to reward fans with the HD broadcast.

TV Tonight readers have consistently urged networks to play sports live and in HD.

10.00am: Grand Final Day at the MCG
2.30pm: AFL Grand Final Day – pre-match entertainment
2.30pm: AFL Grand Final (teams TBC)
5.30pm: AFL Grand Final Presentations

UPDATE: TEN responds:

The inference that Network Ten is “walking away” from its AFL deal is incorrect. Network Ten has fulfilled all broadcast obligations of the AFL over the last ten years and has implemented a number of inaugural groundbreaking production values, including goal post cameras, coaches box cameras and changing room cameras. It is also incorrect to suggest that the reason we are not broadcasting the AFL Grand Final in HD is in some way connected to our decision not to pursue AFL broadcast rights in 2012 and beyond

The AFL Grand Final is on the Government’s anti-syphoning list and therefore must air on the primary channel (TEN) first. While we have previously simulcast the AFL Grand Final on both TEN and ONE, this year, due to the timing of the Grand Final, we find ourselves with a schedule conflict. Network Ten is contractually required to broadcast live the qualifying round of the Moto GP (Japan) on ONE on Saturday, October 1 at 2.55pm. Our decision to air the AFL on TEN and the Moto GP on ONE fulfils our obligations to both sporting codes. On 1 October, Network Ten will provide sport fans with two viewing alternatives – the 2011 AFL Grand Final and Moto GP (Japan).

TEN is committed to delivering the highest quality production on the day. On air from 10am, the 2011 AFL Grand Final coverage will include all of TEN’s commentary team and will boast more cameras than ever before and an outside studio.

70 Responses

  1. With last year’s AFL Grand Final not broadcasted in HD, will Seven learn fro TEN’s mistakes and broadcast this year’s AFL Grand Final in HD on 7Mate. Or do we have to just put up with a full-length replay on Foxtel after the final siren to get it in HD?

  2. Put the Moto GP on 10 and show the AFL on ONE.
    7, 9, 10 are all taking us for a ride; they have no idea about what we want to see and that we want to see it in HD.
    I’ll watch the replay, in HD ( b/c its not as though they are recording in SD ), on FOXSports Ad free!

  3. Why channel 7 choose not to show the footy in HD this year is beyond me I feel I’m lucky to be watching it in colour, we have gone backwards not forwards last year I watched the GF in the cinema on 3D ,but they have chosen not to air it in 3D .

  4. Wags: Ten have done every AFL game in HD this year, they still have contracts with Global/Cutting Edge to provide HD equipment but are choosing not to provide One viewers with the HD feed. Ten will be using Global’s HD3 truck for the AFL GF.

  5. Channel 10 responce is just a bull. what was their excuse last week when they had Geelong v WCE on blurry 10 and at the same time “World Championship Wrestling” on the their HD One channel. bit stupid 10~!

    Channel 7 aint no saint either, all their games are on the 7 channel and stereo and nothing on 7mate (HD). will only get worst next year with no competition.

    Being in bed with 7 , FOX just making sure we get so fed up and Disalusioned with free to air we go over to the dark side.

    any body want to buy a 5.1 system and 50″ plasma hardly used since 2008

    interesting comment about Fox only showing low Def on the FOX HD

    ps somebody with web knowledge should start a petition, i know plenty would sign it~!

  6. Please don’t bid for AFL again channel 10 – sorry you can never match channel 7 and 9 for sport. But can you at least (for the last game) keep the MCG crowd sound higher (as channel 9 does with the NRL) so we can experience the atmosphere of the game. I don’t want to be watching ‘silent movie’ type Grand Final as happens with your channel.

  7. Absolute bollocks….AFL GF should be in HD without doubt. Every other channel does it. 10 should be dropped for such a poor decision…i will reduce my watching of 10 because of this.

  8. Anyone else feel shafted? We’re running out of landfill as a good system (analog) is turned off and replaced by irregular quality reception (either great or crap) just to watch standard quality broadcasts of the main commercial channels. Why are there so many black and white and crap old movies on an HD channel?

    Did the Labor party come up with this idea? HD is crap and all thiose people who bought new tellies with their ALP hand-outs must be disappointed.

    As for 3D? Surely it’s a matter for the Trade Practices Act to advertise a TV as 3D when there are no 3D shows to watch?

  9. Ten lose rights for AFL in 2012+ and then stop broadcasting in HD. Amazing how Felicity from Publicity spins it to include a programming conflict with motogp when in 2009 it was 10/ONE broadcasting the GF. At least Ten could confirm a HD replay that night or Monday rather than being the BS artist of the year award winner.

  10. Don, how do you know ten will do it in HD? They have done no AFL in HD since they lost the rights, its a bloody outrage. At this rate we’ll be watching sport in B&W and mono before long. Very disappointed 10

  11. The Grand Final coverage in past years has started at 8am with the Grand Final Breakfast. Surely Ten will continue with tradition and be broadcasting from 8am on October 1?

  12. @oztvheritage. I don’t have access to historical data but I think you might find Ten’s share price hit around the high $3 or possibly $4 mark in the early 2000s… around the time of the early seasons of Big Brother.

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