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AFL agrees to 7mate switch for ANZAC Eve clash

Updated: 7mate will switch on HD in Melbourne & Adelaide on Monday, so that MKR can screen on Seven.

The AFL has agreed to Monday night’s Richmond-Melbourne ANZAC Day eve clash screening on 7mate in Melbourne & Adelaide, so that My Kitchen Rules can screen on Seven’s primary channel.

Seven’s six-year broadcasting agreement with the AFL requires matches to be played in HD, but Seven has agreed to switch on its HD signal for 7Mate in order to show the game.

“We’re across it and we understand that this is a show that is very important to Seven,” said AFL spokesman Patrick Keane.

“This is part of working in partnership with a broadcaster and we’re supportive of them.”

AFL games were also shown in Victoria on 7mate last year during the Rio Olympic Games.

The Demons have no issue with the game being on 7Mate, with a spokesman indicating they will be satisfied “as long as our supporters can see the game on free-to-air TV”.

Updated: Seven advises Sydney and Brisbane primary channel has been in HD since the beginning of the year. 

14 Responses

  1. But it isn’t in HD. It’s upscaled SD.

    Also why does AFL need to authorise the switch to 7Mate? I understand the HD (SD really) thing but can’t Seven just decide to switch matches to 7Mate and change the “HD” feed to 7Mate in Melb and Adelaide as they please?

  2. Which channel is in HD today? This nonsense must stop. The Federal Govt should nominate a date when simulcasting the main channel in SD will cease. This will give retailers and marketers a chance to devise some HD STB box deals. Open a bank account and get a free STB…; for 1 week only, a free STB with every carton of premium beer…Tuesday is trade-in your SD day…use your fly-buys or reward points etc. Hey, every network gets another (shopping) channel!

  3. There’s no reason 7HD has to always be a simulcast of 7SD. Really, in the other states, 7HD should just switch to the 7mate feed when sport is being shown on 7mate. Back in the late 2000s, the HD channels used to flit in and out of being simulcast all the time.

    1. “Updated: Seven advises Sydney and Brisbane primary channel has been in HD since the beginning of the year.”
      This is correct. Just re-checked. Channel 70 is HD, Channel 71 is SD, Channel 73 (7mate) is SD, meaning they are showing the AFL in Brisbane in SD. My mistake came about because I only checked channel 7, the original one, which is SD. Apologies for mis-leading.
      Here on the Sunshine Coast though both channel 60 and 61 (7 Primary) are SD while 63 (7mate) is HD..
      So sleepnow, you are right, Brisbane AFL viewers are watching in glorious standard definition while a repeat of Better Homes and Gardens gets the HD treatment.

      1. seven are showing AFL for the first time in HD in Sydney tonite every other AFL game in Sydney is in SD on 7mate, that is the problem if they are reqiured to show AFL in HD they are breaking there agreement every round its only because its the Sydney Derby that its in HD

  4. I receive television from transmitters on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and I can’t help noticing that, when watching breakfast TV, I have a choice of ABC (HD), SBS (HD) Today on Nine (HD) or Sunrise on Seven (SD).
    I can’t comprehend the thinking of Channel 7s management to want their viewers to put up with this when the solution is available at the flick of a switch. Just show AFL only on 7mate in HD, then revert to SD for the rest of the programs and have Seven in HD. Its not rocket science.
    Or, why not have 7 and 7mate both HD all the time similar to SBS which now has two channels in HD? Yes, I know, I know, the bandwidth question. If SBS can do it, Seven should be able to,

  5. In Sydney, Seven main is in HD all week meaning we get our AFL games (expect for GWS VS SWANS) live and very blurry on 7mate. This weekend’s GWS vs Swans will be on the main channel in HD.

    Thing is, if they can switch for a day in Melbourne for an AFL game then they can do the same here in Sydney for other Sydney games rather leaving them look so bad in SD.

    To be honest, Seven especially make switching channels to HD and off again like its a big deal – like they have to move rooms around and wheel out equipment or something when I’m sure – seeing it all goes into the one digital signal that gets transmitted – it is nothing more than a few clicks on a screen changing the output of their multiplex.

    1. Its the reverse in Brisbane. Main channel 7 is SD for the most part with 7mate in HD. (I just switched over and checked). Who knows what agenda they are following.
      I suppose as long as they keep winning the ratings there is no incentive to change. But you’d think they would want to show their flagship programs like MKR in HD. Not so in Queensland.

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