Seven tipped for VFL, WAFL next year.
The AFL unable to confirm grass-roots footy on Seven next year, but it looks promising.
- Published by David Knox
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Speculation that VFL and WAFL will air on Seven next year is yet to be confirmed, but the outlook for grass-roots footy fans looks promising.
AFL.com.au is now reporting on the rumours, despite oddly noting “Channel 7 and the AFL declined to comment” on its own website.
The move to commercial TV would bring an end to ABC local coverage after 25 years.
An ABC spokesman told AFL.com.au “The ABC has always indicated that it was unable to commit to new seasons until the current budget situation was resolved and indicated it would not stand in the way of those respective leagues looking elsewhere.”
Earlier this year Seven began broadcasting South Australia’s SANFL produced by McGuire Media, featuring veteran commentator John Casey and former SANFL stars Mark Soderstrom and Tim Ginever, almost doubling audience numbers from ABC.
In August there were reports Nine was also looking closely at WAFL.
AFL.com.au reports no contracts have yet been signed.
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14 Responses
7 will not do this! It would be crazy stupid.
No doubt, Seven would use this coverage, as a way of enhancing their “grass roots”/”community”, values in both Melbourne & Perth.
@Nate – because games are mainly shown on 7mate here in WA for Saturday afternoon matches.
@amanda_20 – view results online. I see the future of sports being aired exclusively on Pay TV with limited amount on FTA
That’s good news if it happens, would miss not seeing the VFL action if the ABC drop it as part of the budget cuts, hopefully Seven will pick up the ABC commentary team for it as well.
I would love it if Seven also decided to show the Women’s Aussie rules as they are very good, even the City v Country and State v State games gave been of a high quality. At the very least I hope they start showing the AFL Women’s Exhibition game that has on in June for the past 2 years. Whitten Oval is being upgraded by the AFl and Western Bulldogs to accommodate the VWFL, so hopefully this flows on to TV eventfully (like how now GEM show some of the Women’s Cricket each season).
Good Move- good to see grass roots being broadcast.
@ William- what about those who cannot afford foxtel?
@ Ilovetv- Then don’t watch it.
It’s a good idea. I do hope they update their cameras. I have been told by an ex-cameraman that the cameras have not been updated for a while for outside broadcasting.
Shot in HD as usual and play back on YouTube to save bandwidth for more shopping channels!!
How about no more sport on TV?
it will be shot on Video 8 and broadcast on the hd channel.
If the SANFL is able to have a season tv average rating of 30,000 then the VFL and WAFL should be able to achieve that as a minimum.
Also as the these games are played in the early evening they will provide a great curtain raiser to the coverage of the evening AFL coverage.
There has been a resurgence in support for the VFL in the past few years. This year had the higest attendence at the VFL GF in 25 years and 198,000 watched on TV.
129,000 (peak 212,000) watched the SANFL GF making it the second highest rating show that day (beaten by Sunday night) in Adelaide.
@William – The matches won’t have to accommodate the AFL, they’ll air on 7mate like the SANFL matches did.
So the AFL will be on Seven,which isn’t HD,yet the VFL/WAFL will be on 7Mate,which has HD.
How odd
I thought Nine would have been all over the VFL rights, given how AFL-obsessed they are.
The sports should be on Foxtel as Seven will fail to attract any sponsorship as the sports are not worthy enough. And oh boy the matches will have to accommodate the AFL which the most stupidest thing I have ever heard