Rob's Thoughts

Various Items

Just catching up on some notes that don't deserve an entire blog.  

On the subject of the internationalization of footy, it's been plainly obvious this season that providing information for international TV viewers isn't a concern at the AFL any longer.  They never did much, but this year the only page listing places to catch the game 'round the world is the AFANA international tv page.   (There isn't anything at the AFL web site!)  In the last week alone, AFANA has had inquiries from half a dozen countries not in North America.   We help where we can.

FOX Sports World's contract to cover footy ends with this season.  That means another period of uncertainty between the seasons as to where the footy will air next year.  And uncertainty in the US means uncertainty in Canada, too.  The good news is that there are some promising possibilities out there.  I can't talk about that much yet but I will later on.  

We always face a dilemma at AFANA during this time of year.  If we list the clubs featured in the matches to be aired this week and next that means fans who don't want to know who won last weekend might unintentionally be alerted to the outcome.  It's a no win for AFANA.  The number of readers of this site who want to know far exceed those who don't.  In today's world, interconnected as we are by the internet, there are so many other places that you could find out accidentally that it would do us little good to withhold the info.  (For example, the DirecTV web site, the FOX Sports World downloadable schedules, some on-screen TV guides, etc.)  I sympathize with those who want to live in "suspended footy land" as one correspondent called it.  We deliberately keep the info limited on the home page and you can get the basic TV schedules from the home page.  I and the staff at AFANA don't even get choices in matters such as this, so imagine how we feel?  Bottom line: until we get live TV, someone has to be inconvenienced.

Our viewer survey is closed and we will be digesting the results over the next couple of weeks.  Thanks to everyone who completed the survey.  It was a bigger success than we hoped and gave us some excellent insight into the fans out there.   Some of the answers proved surprising, as they always do.   Everyone who submitted a comment with their survey and provided an e-mail address for a reply, should have received one by now.

Finally, just reading other blogs around the net (for example here and here and comments to the blog here) have reminded me of how many fans and potential fans are out there and just don't seem to know that the coverage is on FOX Sports World, that AFANA exists and provides schedules, and that we provide things such as information on internet coverage, shortwave coverage, party listings, newsletters, etc.   This even extends to players for USFooty clubs from our survey.  Collectively, the leadership of footy in the US has to do a better job.  For my part, I will be looking for ways to do that.   What about YOU?

-Rob (off to watch the preliminary final match of the week and stay out of the rain of Isabel)