Fox Sports primed to pull pin on A-League, claims broadcast rights guru


Fox Sports primed to pull pin on A-League, claims broadcast rights...

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paladisious - 31 Mar 2020 5:48 PM
Of course, tomorrow is April 1st lol

Gonna take some big ones to drop a fake news joke about sport in this climate.
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scott20won - 31 Mar 2020 5:58 PM
paladisious - 31 Mar 2020 5:48 PM

Gonna take some big ones to drop a fake news joke about sport in this climate.

It would end them.
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paladisious - 31 Mar 2020 5:47 PM
Optus Sports announcement tomorrow morning...

https://twitter.com/OptusSport/status/1244871881787707392?s=19

Set to broadcast AFL
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More likely Optus would announce signing Rugby ,who they have been in nogotiations with.But April first  has to be a joke.
So who knows what's  going on.
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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/couldn-t-pick-a-worse-time-a-league-faces-huge-challenge-to-find-tv-partner-if-fox-walks-20200331-p54fpd.html

'Couldn't pick a worse time': A-League could be left in lurch amid tough market conditions

Broadcast rights experts have warned now is the worst imaginable time for any sport to search for a new TV partner as the A-League braces for the increasing possibility of life without Fox Sports.

But the financial crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has also impacted media companies, dramatically reducing an already declining capacity to spend big on rights fees and creating uncertain investment conditions, according to Global Media & Sports director Colin Smith.

As revealed by the Herald, football's powerbrokers are preparing back-up plans in the event Fox pulls out of its $57 million a year deal to cover the A-League, which still has three seasons to run.

"You couldn't pick a worse time," Smith told the Herald. "The world has been turned on its head and the business of sport is going to be affected, probably more than any other. This will be a reset."


Fox Sports has not yet revealed its intentions regarding the A-League but could use the COVID-19 outbreak as an opportunity to renegotiate the current contract at a much lower price, or to pull out of the agreement entirely."The last deal was done on the basis of how much the league needed, not what the league was worth to Foxtel," Smith said.
"In other words, Foxtel did the deal accepting there was going to be a loss, but with the growth of what they foresaw and what was promised to them, that it would deliver.
"In fact the reverse has happened - they've gone further backwards in attendances and television audiences, therefore the value of the A-League as a driver of subscribers is minimal ... they are in dire trouble.
"A-League clubs and Football Federation Australia are preparing for a future without Fox and have accelerated contingency planning that would have otherwise occurred over the next 12 months.
One company that had emerged as a potential saviour is already tightening its belt in the new environment. Despite showing early interest in the A-League rights, London-based streaming platform DAZN has largely shelved plans to enter the Australian market, according to multiple sources, with the mass stoppage of sports around the world directly affecting its subscription base.Sources close to Optus Sport would not engage on "speculation" regarding the A-League, but the telco has never previously shown interest in broadcasting domestic football. The Optus chief executive officer is Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, a former board member of FFA who resigned in protest late last year.



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bettega - 31 Mar 2020 11:50 PM
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/couldn-t-pick-a-worse-time-a-league-faces-huge-challenge-to-find-tv-partner-if-fox-walks-20200331-p54fpd.html

'Couldn't pick a worse time': A-League could be left in lurch amid tough market conditions

Broadcast rights experts have warned now is the worst imaginable time for any sport to search for a new TV partner as the A-League braces for the increasing possibility of life without Fox Sports.

But the financial crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has also impacted media companies, dramatically reducing an already declining capacity to spend big on rights fees and creating uncertain investment conditions, according to Global Media & Sports director Colin Smith.

As revealed by the Herald, football's powerbrokers are preparing back-up plans in the event Fox pulls out of its $57 million a year deal to cover the A-League, which still has three seasons to run.

"You couldn't pick a worse time," Smith told the Herald. "The world has been turned on its head and the business of sport is going to be affected, probably more than any other. This will be a reset."


Fox Sports has not yet revealed its intentions regarding the A-League but could use the COVID-19 outbreak as an opportunity to renegotiate the current contract at a much lower price, or to pull out of the agreement entirely."The last deal was done on the basis of how much the league needed, not what the league was worth to Foxtel," Smith said.
"In other words, Foxtel did the deal accepting there was going to be a loss, but with the growth of what they foresaw and what was promised to them, that it would deliver.
"In fact the reverse has happened - they've gone further backwards in attendances and television audiences, therefore the value of the A-League as a driver of subscribers is minimal ... they are in dire trouble.
"A-League clubs and Football Federation Australia are preparing for a future without Fox and have accelerated contingency planning that would have otherwise occurred over the next 12 months.
One company that had emerged as a potential saviour is already tightening its belt in the new environment. Despite showing early interest in the A-League rights, London-based streaming platform DAZN has largely shelved plans to enter the Australian market, according to multiple sources, with the mass stoppage of sports around the world directly affecting its subscription base.Sources close to Optus Sport would not engage on "speculation" regarding the A-League, but the telco has never previously shown interest in broadcasting domestic football. The Optus chief executive officer is Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, a former board member of FFA who resigned in protest late last year.



“Broadcast rights experts”

no shit Sherlock. 

Blind Freddie could have told us that and he knows jack about broadcast rights. 

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Well, I guess if we can survive this, they can survive anything?
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"The Optus chief executive officer is Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, a former board member of FFA who resigned in protest late last year."

Good luck getting Optus to broadcast the iHAL.










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AJF - 1 Apr 2020 8:50 AM
"The Optus chief executive officer is Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, a former board member of FFA who resigned in protest late last year."

Good luck getting Optus to broadcast the iHAL.


It's an interesting one.  If Optus wanted it for sound strategic reasons, she might have to put her own personal concerns aside.

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bettega - 1 Apr 2020 8:53 AM
AJF - 1 Apr 2020 8:50 AM

It's an interesting one.  If Optus wanted it for sound strategic reasons, she might have to put her own personal concerns aside.

She would. Otherwise they’ll go the same way as Fox Sports playing favourites and personal vendettas. 

Optus Sport will lose Fox Sports as a competitor shortly but Telstra will step up to replace them and others will join the market in time. 

If she can’t evaluate why it makes sense to be the home of football in Australia and not allow someone else to own a key asset then she’s as bad as all the rest. 

Edited
5 Years Ago by Waz
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Waz - 1 Apr 2020 8:56 AM
bettega - 1 Apr 2020 8:53 AM

She would. Otherwise they’ll go the same way as Fox Sports playing favourites and personal vendettas. 

Optus Sport will lose Fox Sports as a competitor shortly but Telstra will step up to replace them and others will join the market in time. 

If she can’t evaluate why it makes sense to be the home of football in Australia and not allow someone else to own a key asset then she’s as bad as all the rest. 

Hate to break it to you but if iHAL was valuable then Foxtel would want to keep them. The current ratings are a disaster so unless they were free, why would anyone want them.

Optus has already shown some of its intentions by doing the specials on ethnic football, my guess is they will want the NSD and it will be played in winter so they have football all year. That makes sense.









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AJF - 1 Apr 2020 9:05 AM
Waz - 1 Apr 2020 8:56 AM

Hate to break it to you but if iHAL was valuable then Foxtel would want to keep them. The current ratings are a disaster so unless they were free, why would anyone want them.

Optus has already shown some of its intentions by doing the specials on ethnic football, my guess is they will want the NSD and it will be played in winter so they have football all year. That makes sense.

foxtel have struggled to sell quality content and blame everyone but themselves.  it would be delusional to say that australians didnt have an appetite for sport and and that they wouldnt pay for it.  it's really the failure of foxtel to promote the sports and make them accessible, not the sports. the foxtel model is out of date.

the sooner a league steps away from the dated fox model of content delivery the better.  because it is holding the a league a decade behind. now is a good time to move because it would be a painful transition financially, at first, and that is already on the cards.

 




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A-League is not a valuable asset and will depreciate in value the more time goes on. Why would Optus want to jump in now? Not to mention the fact that Optus as a business, like every other business, is currently reeling. This is not the time to make big moves.

The A-League will be gone in 6-8 months unless there is a big cash injection from somewhere to keep it afloat. I can't see it happening.

At least the Nix made it to the end of the league!
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A.Haak - 1 Apr 2020 10:39 AM
A-League is not a valuable asset and will depreciate in value the more time goes on. Why would Optus want to jump in now? Not to mention the fact that Optus as a business, like every other business, is currently reeling. This is not the time to make big moves.

The A-League will be gone in 6-8 months unless there is a big cash injection from somewhere to keep it afloat. I can't see it happening.

At least the Nix made it to the end of the league!

Interesting discussion is if the league goes belly up, what will the primary cause be listed as?

IMO the writing on the wall for the league was a long time ago and COVID19 is simply euthenasia




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A.Haak - 1 Apr 2020 10:39 AM
A-League is not a valuable asset and will depreciate in value the more time goes on. Why would Optus want to jump in now? Not to mention the fact that Optus as a business, like every other business, is currently reeling. This is not the time to make big moves.

The A-League will be gone in 6-8 months unless there is a big cash injection from somewhere to keep it afloat. I can't see it happening.

At least the Nix made it to the end of the league!

That statement is just blatantly wrong and used to justify somewhat of an extreme point. 

Business that aren't “reeling” at the moment include abettors, butchers, bakers, logistics companies struggling to cope with a huge surge in demand from food retailers and home delivery requirements, any company involved in medical supplies, medical testing  particularly related to temperature and virus detection (of all kinds), engineering firms involved in the sale, service, upgrade of equipment used in the food industry who have more work than they can shake a stick at, heavy engineering suppliers as owners of mechanical assets (diggers, excavators etc) put them in to much needed service/repair/upgrade in anticipation of a mini-boom in construction activity before Christmas. Telcos aren’t reeling as people have clearly decided home and mobile broadband are essential services and they’re even struggling to keep up with demand for alternate services for businesses wanting voice and video conferencing, data services, disaster recovery services and remote working. Accountants aren’t “reeling” as they guide clients through the necessary steps to claim nearly $200 billion in government assistance. And finally Private Equity is active, monitoring current portfolios and looking for acquisition of struggling assets. 

It’s a longer list of business that are struggling admittedly, but not all businesses are in the same boat. And those that are, this will pass despite the obvious pain. 


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bluebird - 1 Apr 2020 11:00 AM
A.Haak - 1 Apr 2020 10:39 AM

Interesting discussion is if the league goes belly up, what will the primary cause be listed as?

IMO the writing on the wall for the league was a long time ago and COVID19 is simply euthenasia

It's not going to die.
The first ever season of the A-League, with 8 clubs, survived on a TV deal of $1 million.
Yes, you read that right, $1 million.
The worst case scenario, is that we go back to 8 clubs and a stingy broadcast deal (similar to that of the NBL), and we build again from there.
It just means we have a no frills, semi-pro league for a few seasons, but that's the worst case scenario.
It might mean we become an East coast league for a while, similar to how it was for many seasons under the NSL.
It probably means we don't have shysters waiting in the shadows willing to pay $20 million for an A-League license, but that's actually a good thing, because it helps bring us one step closer to open P&R.

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So Optus announced they would start broadcasting marble racing on April Fools.

Shame because the videos on Youtube of marble racing are actually pretty fun.
Edited
5 Years Ago by RedshirtWilly
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RedshirtWilly - 1 Apr 2020 11:46 AM
So Optus announced they would start broadcasting marble racing on April Fools.

Shame because the videos on Youtube of marble racing are actually pretty fun.


personally, it seemed pretty poor taste on the part of Optus

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No doubt the league started as low cost but right now there is no way they can survive on anything less that what they are getting, the whole purpose of their war of independence was they needed more money and wanted a greater share of Foxtel money.

Whilst people are looking at selling t-shirts to increase revenue, the most obvious answer to their money issues has been ignored for a long time, develop youth and sell them for transfer fees OS. If anything positive comes out of this crisis I hope it is a real focus on developing youth.








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RedshirtWilly - 1 Apr 2020 11:46 AM
So Optus announced they would start broadcasting marble racing on April Fools.

Same because the videos on Youtube of marble racing are actually pretty fun.

Glad Snowball finally won a race last weekend
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bettega - 1 Apr 2020 11:47 AM
RedshirtWilly - 1 Apr 2020 11:46 AM


personally, it seemed pretty poor taste on the part of Optus

What have they done wrong? 

Have Optus themselves ever actually publicly shown interest in the AL, and can they be considered leading us on?

Because all I see is a big company either:
- making our lives better by giving live anything (if not a joke)
- having some light hearted fun (if a joke)
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I wonder if foxtel had a channel similar channel to fox league for the a-league, would it generate new viewers to the game and keep the rusted on fans. Being in Perth rugby league is nothing over here, however watching the matty johns show has got me into league and now enjoy watching the games on the weekend. 
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Waz - 1 Apr 2020 11:16 AM
A.Haak - 1 Apr 2020 10:39 AM

That statement is just blatantly wrong and used to justify somewhat of an extreme point. 

Business that aren't “reeling” at the moment include abettors, butchers, bakers, logistics companies struggling to cope with a huge surge in demand from food retailers and home delivery requirements, any company involved in medical supplies, medical testing  particularly related to temperature and virus detection (of all kinds), engineering firms involved in the sale, service, upgrade of equipment used in the food industry who have more work than they can shake a stick at, heavy engineering suppliers as owners of mechanical assets (diggers, excavators etc) put them in to much needed service/repair/upgrade in anticipation of a mini-boom in construction activity before Christmas. Telcos aren’t reeling as people have clearly decided home and mobile broadband are essential services and they’re even struggling to keep up with demand for alternate services for businesses wanting voice and video conferencing, data services, disaster recovery services and remote working. Accountants aren’t “reeling” as they guide clients through the necessary steps to claim nearly $200 billion in government assistance. And finally Private Equity is active, monitoring current portfolios and looking for acquisition of struggling assets. 

It’s a longer list of business that are struggling admittedly, but not all businesses are in the same boat. And those that are, this will pass despite the obvious pain. 


Agree that not all businesses are "reeling", but significant economic declines tend to impact everyone to some extent, some more or less than others. But Singtel's share price has dropped c.25% since mid-February. This would have a clear impact on Optus' decision to go for the HAL rights, and if so, the price they would offer. 
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bettega - 1 Apr 2020 11:28 AM
bluebird - 1 Apr 2020 11:00 AM

It's not going to die.
The first ever season of the A-League, with 8 clubs, survived on a TV deal of $1 million.
Yes, you read that right, $1 million.
The worst case scenario, is that we go back to 8 clubs and a stingy broadcast deal (similar to that of the NBL), and we build again from there.
It just means we have a no frills, semi-pro league for a few seasons, but that's the worst case scenario.
It might mean we become an East coast league for a while, similar to how it was for many seasons under the NSL.
It probably means we don't have shysters waiting in the shadows willing to pay $20 million for an A-League license, but that's actually a good thing, because it helps bring us one step closer to open P&R.

The first A League season was a step up from the NSL so the football community united behind it (at least those who supported the Australian game anyway)

If the same model was introduced tomorrow you wouldn't see the same uptake. In fact one of the reasons why the game has gone backwards is because it delivered the same tired model time and time again. Everything they introduced fans had already seen before

You are right. Football will never die in this country because of the global interest. There will always be somebody asking why Australia doesn't have an elite league. But it wouldn't be the A League




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bluebird - 1 Apr 2020 11:00 AM
A.Haak - 1 Apr 2020 10:39 AM

Interesting discussion is if the league goes belly up, what will the primary cause be listed as?

IMO the writing on the wall for the league was a long time ago and COVID19 is simply euthenasia

Unfortunately, I agree with this, though I would use the term coup de grace.  The decline has been long, painful and, recently, very fast.  Not unlike a person finally succombing to a disease fought over a long time. The end in those cases is always thus.


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bluebird - 1 Apr 2020 1:03 PM
bettega - 1 Apr 2020 11:28 AM

The first A League season was a step up from the NSL so the football community united behind it (at least those who supported the Australian game anyway)

If the same model was introduced tomorrow you wouldn't see the same uptake. In fact one of the reasons why the game has gone backwards is because it delivered the same tired model time and time again. Everything they introduced fans had already seen before

You are right. Football will never die in this country because of the global interest. There will always be somebody asking why Australia doesn't have an elite league. But it wouldn't be the A League

It was obvious in the early days people were prepared to get behind the new league. And even many who opposed/disliked Frank Lowy were prepared to give it a go. 

Hard to say exactly when it occurred but sometime in the last 5-10 years the crack that old soccer/new football started became a chasm and Gallop seemed to not care. 

The point at which they lost the fans, or the point at least a vast majority had taken enough, was the fan boycotts which the competition has never recovered from. 

Couple that with the EPL shifting to Optus and it was a recipe for disaster which Coronatime has just brought forward. 

The NSL was a disaster and never managed to unify the game as THE premier competition. The HAL had that chance in the early days but after 5 years or so it became clear we were following the Australian sporting franchise model and the rest could go to hell. 

The saving of the (professional) game today is simple - a unifying competition that sits at the top of the pyramid, a national second division underneath it, and state competitions below that. With clear criteria for movement between each tier and a sole focus on the football and nothing but the football - do that and we will go okay. 

Edited
5 Years Ago by Waz
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Yes, I agree with all of that, but another element is that we might have to accept a stripped down version for a few years, it will probably be semi-pro, it might even be located completely on the East Coast.
To me, being semi-pro for a short period is actually a blessing, there will be no more massive license fees, and that gets us one step closer to open P&R across a full pyramid.

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bettega - 1 Apr 2020 4:36 PM
Yes, I agree with all of that, but another element is that we might have to accept a stripped down version for a few years, it will probably be semi-pro, it might even be located completely on the East Coast.
To me, being semi-pro for a short period is actually a blessing, there will be no more massive license fees, and that gets us one step closer to open P&R across a full pyramid.

It could be a mix.  Some clubs could find a way or afford to stay professional - I can see Victory, City, Wanderers and SFC staying professional, with a smaller group of full time pros backed by a wider squad of youth and part timers.
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Waz - 1 Apr 2020 3:59 PM
bluebird - 1 Apr 2020 1:03 PM

It was obvious in the early days people were prepared to get behind the new league. And even many who opposed/disliked Frank Lowy were prepared to give it a go. 

Hard to say exactly when it occurred but sometime in the last 5-10 years the crack that old soccer/new football started became a chasm and Gallop seemed to not care. 

The point at which they lost the fans, or the point at least a vast majority had taken enough, was the fan boycotts which the competition has never recovered from. 

Couple that with the EPL shifting to Optus and it was a recipe for disaster which Coronatime has just brought forward. 

The NSL was a disaster and never managed to unify the game as THE premier competition. The HAL had that chance in the early days but after 5 years or so it became clear we were following the Australian sporting franchise model and the rest could go to hell. 

The saving of the (professional) game today is simple - a unifying competition that sits at the top of the pyramid, a national second division underneath it, and state competitions below that. With clear criteria for movement between each tier and a sole focus on the football and nothing but the football - do that and we will go okay. 

This is a good summation.  I would add to this the failure to market the League at it's peak, and the failure to expand, also in that period, and the utter debacle of the WC bid.  

Between them, both Lowy's have a lot to answer for, but the main villain for me was Gallop.  I cannot bring to mind a more overt display of managerial incompetence in Australian public life.
Edited
5 Years Ago by CS
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CS - 1 Apr 2020 4:54 PM
Waz - 1 Apr 2020 3:59 PM

This is a good summation.  I would add to this the failure to market the League at it's peak, and the failure to expand, also in that period, and the utter debacle of the QC bid.

Between both Lowy's have a lot to answer for, but the main villain for me was Gallop.  I cannot bring to mind a more overt display of managerial incompetence in Australian public life.

Agree with all of that 👍
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