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A-League game headed to ABC?

Rumours suggest that none of the commercial FTA networks bid for FFA rights.

The A-League could be headed to ABC if speculation in The Australian proves correct.

Rumours suggest that while FOX Sports will continue to broadcast all A-League, W-League, Socceroos and Matildas matches none of the commercial FTA networks bid for the rights with the Football Federation of Australia.

The Australian suggests a new deal with the ABC will see an A-League game broadcast on ABC at 5pm on Saturday while the W-League would return to the network at 4pm on Sundays under a possible two-year deal.

This would also put ABC in the running to pick up free-to-air rights for Socceroos qualifiers and the Matildas international friendlies.

7 Responses

  1. initially I was surprised when I read about this but more recently iam not. Network TEN most likely does not want to deal with FOX given that FOX controls the game, ie scheduling timing promotion etc. I think if TEN can get exclusivity than it would be different. I think the bigger issue is that Football is not as commercially attractive as other football codes that have more breaks in play. My guess the next rights post Fox will be entirely on Optus Sport.

  2. It also has two 45-50 minute halves where there are no breaks in play to put in ads and a 15 minute half-time to fill where viewers switch off and do something else. World-wide soccer coverage has succeeneeds. ded on public broadcasters, cable sports channels and now streaming services. Only Socceroo qualifiers and World and Asian Cup games generate the large audience commercial TV

    Ten obviously found it didn’t work, and they are desperate for sport. SBS has bought the rights to basketball, now that they have lost the elite European soccer games to Optus.

  3. With 7,9 & 10 not interested does this show there is no appeal for viewers so not worth the investment?

    On the main channel of ABC it could be winner for the A-League? I thought the Friday night fixture could work if promoted correctly on FTA.

  4. This sport is terribly run. It’s been hidden away on Foxtel for so long that nobody’s interested in it. One game a week is not enough to pull people out of the woodwork. At the very least you need the AFL model, local team on FTA every week.

      1. Sometimes you have to suffer a little short-term pain for long term gain. Look in the stands at an A-League match there close to empty. That’s not how a sport should be.

  5. Fingers Crossed if they do get the games, they don’t choose actually honour the coverage with some world class reporting and analysis. Not like that terrible embarrassing time where they just did deconstructive humour??? I think it was around the Liverpool friendlies?

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