Throughout the establishment of the AFLW on the Australian sporting landscape, a phrase has been used so regularly it has become cliched – you can’t be what you can’t see, or similar versions. When assessing the long-term ramifications of the AFL’s extraordinary broadcast deal this week, it is an adage to consider given a slight shift towards pay TV.
Between 2025 and 2031, the first eight rounds of the men’s AFL season will be screened or streamed exclusively by Foxtel on Saturday, the most traditional day of the football calendar, and the seven-season, $4.5bn deal with incumbent broadcasters Foxtel, Telstra and the Seven Network requires some mental gymnastics when assessing the significant positives and potential pitfalls.
The women’s league will benefit from having at least 30 matches broadcast free on the Seven Network each year. This comes as the AFLW is moving closer to becoming fully professional and the additional income will assist this. A fully professional competition shapes as a genuine competitor to cricket and netball, along with individual sports, given the AFL’s national popularity.
It enhances the ability of young girls to watch the stars of today while dreaming of becoming champions of tomorrow. But they like watching men’s footy too. Thursday and Friday nights, along with Sundays, are popular viewing slots, but by deleting Saturday free-to-air games in the infancy of each season, and removing three free live games from the northern markets, there are barriers to entry.
The windfall enhances the ability of the AFL to bankroll the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, both of which took an attendance hit this year. But it risks disenfranchising viewers in Queensland and New South Wales, along with some fans in South and Western Australia as well.
Australian rules football has always championed itself as egalitarian. But not everyone can afford to pay to watch matches. And if you can’t see it regularly, do you still want to support it?
A gamble has been made on the economy being strong enough to entice people to pursue luxury add-ons such as TV subscriptions. It is also worth considering viewing habits. Young adults and teens are turning to streaming services, and YouTube TV and other offerings are becoming more entrenched in North America, which Australia tends to follow. The pace of technological advancements in this area makes it is impossible to predict viewing habits in five years’ time, which could mean the deal is outdated before new negotiations begin.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, who has delivered another major accomplishment in the twilight of his reign, stressed there will be benefits for grassroots footy.
The relocation of the AFL to south-east Queensland for the latter stages of the Covid-ravaged 2020 season highlighted benefits broadcast funding can offer communities. In what is a fledgling region for footy, there has been massive growth in ovals, facilities and junior programs.
But some traditional heartlands are hurting. The struggles in Tasmania are well-documented. So, too, the loss of teams and the merging of leagues in other states. Last month the ABC reported on the death of the 120-year-old Quambatook Football and Netball Club in the Mallee region of Victoria. This is not a rarity.
But is a lack of AFL investment or interest to blame for these losses? Or is it more a symptom of societal change and other economic forces? McLachlan promised 10% of the new broadcast deal will be reinvested into grassroots footy – $450m through to 2031 – and, as the Queensland experience demonstrates, where that funding is invested will be critical.
What appears certain is the deal, combined with enhanced offerings from the Tasmanian and federal governments, will lead to a team on the Apple Isle. It is hoped a trickle-down effect from the introduction of a Tasmanian team, which will make the AFL truly national, will have a positive impact on struggling leagues along with a broader benefits for all Tasmanians.
With Foxtel committing to offer its own commentary team for every game, opportunities arise elsewhere as well. New voices will call games. The next Daisy Pearce, Jess Webster or Tony Armstrong should be unearthed. It is hoped that will prove the case, for there are far more opportunities in footy than simply playing and watching the game.
Everyone will get more from this deal. Players will reap benefits in wages, but they and coaches should also have upgrades in the welfare offerings available. This extends to investment in concussion research and restitution and other areas of concern. The AFL is the custodian of the sport and has a duty to all. More than the 18 – and likely 19 – clubs in the national league must benefit from this deal.
