Now that the Grand Final is behind us, we've had a chance here at AFANA to do some preliminary analysis of the survey results. Here's a capsule view of what we have learned:
Next time I will review some of the findings regarding the program content and organization and discuss some of the conclusions we can draw from the survey.
-Rob (who thanks all of you who participated!)
Another season has reached it's conclusion. Like most Grand Finals or Super Bowls, it ended in a lopsided affair. I can't say I'm surprised that happened though I have my doubts that many predicted Brisbane would win so easily. Easily by the scoreboard anyway.
The Lions came to play and almost from the opening minute took control and save for the first five minutes of the third quarter the result never looked in doubt. Brisbane were way too good. Their midfield and ruckmen are the best group (at those positions) who have played the game in this era and they owned control of the center of the field. Just a year ago, the experts were doubting Clark Keating could do the job in the ruck for Brisbane in the 2002 GF. So much for that analysis, then and now.
As for Collingwood, their game plan never got off the ground. It wasn't just Rocca mising; they probably didn't have 3 or 4 match winners at any position on the day. It was a comprehensive win by one of the great sides ever. Leigh Matthews has now been part of eight premierships, one in every four since he joined Hawthorn as a player in 1969. That's an astounding statistic.
As for the telecast, I have a few observations. Those "We Are 18" and "Girls Gone Wild" adverts are totally and completely inappropriate for family oriented programs. I intend to complain strongly to the AFL that their US broadcaster is not exercising good judgement by airing them during the programs here. Frankly, if I was one of the other advertisers (Attn: USFooty), I'd be embarrassed to be along side such adverts.
The sudden start of the feed at 11:23 PM US EDT was a bit of a surprise. It was not reflected in anything provided to AFANA by either the AFL or FOX Sports World. Not that I am complaining mind you. I was pleased to see it. I had a hunch something was up by how fast they were moving through the "A-Z" program.
The "running sheet" provided to us by the AFL as late as Wednesday last week did not reflect the international TV feed being available at the start of the entertainment around 11:24 PM EDT. That's why AFANA's listing of the time line for the Grand Final didn't reflect that either. Inquiries to Network Ten about the international feed prior to the GF were ignored. (OK Ten, we know your PR people are busy before the GF, but you could have at least responded!). The lack of the usual intro for international viewers at 11:30 PM was also odd so that surely means that Ten decided to change the timing for the feed. It would sure have been nice if they told someone! I continue to be amazed that TV networks think that informing the audience of programming changes is too much trouble for them. Get a clue!
Aside from the aforementioned issue, to the credit of FOX Sports World and indirectly Network Ten, the telecast came off very smoothly this year. No inappropriate commercial breaks. No missed goals or post match presentations. From here it seems FOX Sports World did a good job with the live telecast. So far, AFANA has not received a single complaint about the telecast.
Unrelated to the Grand Final, but significant nonetheless for the future of AFL coverage in the US, is that The Football Network (TFN) is finally on the air after over five years in the planning. TFN has previously indicated an interest in full match coverage of the AFL for US viewers. Friday night just hours before the GF, they went live on Telstar 7, transponder 5. According to Tele-Satellite news: "TFN weekend programming includes a total of seven high school, college and CFL games. TFN will provide live coverage of a number of Division 1-AA conferences, including the Big South, the Southern Conference, the Atlantic-10 and the Big Sky, and will produce the first ever I-AA All-Star Classic on December 30, as well as the TFN Awards which will recognize standout performances from all levels of the game. In addition, TFN has agreements with the National Women's Football Association, Pop Warner Football, and the U.S. Flag & Touch Football League." Just what cable systems TFN is on and how soon TFN will be widely available, I can't say. The fact they want to add AFL coverage to their programming can only help us down the line. Readers: anyone who can monitor TFN please get in touch with me.
I don't know yet where the AFL coverage will be in 2004 though it now appears that at least one other network besides TFN will be interested. So, no reason for doom or gloom if FOX Sports World choose not to resign for another season. You can count on AFANA keeping you informed.
-Rob (who is enjoying a calm and empty e-mail inbox!)
While those of us in North America will be treated to the Grand Final live this year (and I like to think of the work of AFANA has made a difference in that), many fans around the world this year will not. Coverage is live in the US, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and much of east Asia and the western Pacific. The latter two are only happening courtesy of the ABC Asia Pacific service and even the AFL was unaware they were doing it until AFANA told them.
For fans in continental Europe, western Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South America, they will be lucky to see anything at all. It's a shame. Fans from many countries wrote AFANA in desperation but we couldn't offer much comfort. The blame rests squarely on the AFL and their "strategic partners" FOX Sports International (FSI).
The phrase "strategic partners" isn't mine. No, that was used by the AFL in response to complaints from some of us about the problems in the coverage after last season, particularly when it wasn't clear that FOX Sports World would carry the sport this year.
I'm sorry but if FSI cannot get their own affiliated networks to air the most important event on the footy calendar, even on tape delay, then you have to wonder just how important that relationship is to FSI. Furthermore, given the declining state of international TV coverage this season, just what is the AFL getting for their multi-year commitment to FOX?
I suppose, as I have stated elsewhere in this blog, it reduced the annual headache that international coverage was for the AFL. But if popularizing the sport internationally isn't at least a little work then it wouldn't be worth doing, now would it? Furthermore, since it seems more and more likely footy will not be back on FOX Sports World in the US next year, this will raise further doubts as to just what FSI can do for the AFL. FSI is the parent of FOX Sports World US, FOX Sports Latin America (no coverage for the past several seasons). It is affiliated with FOX Sports Middle East & FOX Sports Israel (no live GF).
Sadly, I suspect we are stuck with FSI until the current contract ends after the 2006 season. I doubt the AFL would break the contract so our only hope is that FSI voluntarily pulls out. Otherwise, it is once again up to the fans in the various countries around the world to hound networks in their own countries to pick up the sport and bother the AFL to support that effort. It will be an uphill battle.
The AFL spends A$400,000 per annum on the various international leagues. It is money well spent. So where is the commitment to improved TV coverage? Fan development? That's missing. I have it on good authority that AFL Films lived with a reduced budget this past season. Instead of improving the lot of the international fan, the AFL is making it worse.
It's a shame that AFANA is now the principal source for information on international TV coverage of the AFL. We do it for free. We do it because it needs done for the future of the sport and someone should care about the fans. Isn't it time the AFL either makes FSI deliver or gets someone who will?
-Rob (who is counting the hours until the big match)
Notes from headquarters...
Has anyone else noticed that since my blog where I mentioned the subject, that Foster's has suddenly started advertising on the FOX Sports World coverage again? Coincidence or not?
This week is incredibly busy at AFANA. Our reporters file almost daily stories. Late Grand Final party announcements arrive. Lots of newsletters go out. The telephone rings more than any other week all year. The web site gets more traffic this week than the entire November to January period. And the e-mail. It pours in. What is remarkable now is that we get so much from outside North America. Aussie ex-pats around the world seem to be the new source. Poland, China, Sweden, Argentina, Mexico, Japan, India, Israel, Germany, South Africa, and the list goes on. We help everyone we can but our resources are stretched just dealing with the fans in the US and Canada who need help.
One thing that you can also count on is that many fans will wait until Wednesday or Thursday to try to figure out where and how to watch the Grand Final. Happens every year. No matter how much information we put on the web site or in newsletters, we'll still get the questions from those who have waited until the panic has set in or who don't read what we post. When we (necessarily) point them to our web site or explain how to get back issues of our newsletter by autoresponder e-mail, some take offense. The e-mail volume reaches into the hundreds per day this week and no matter how we sort it, our volunteers just can't keep up so we have no other alternative. And no, the AFL doesn't pay us to do this. And no, most of these fans will never join AFANA and support what we do financially. We do it because we love the sport and want to see it grow.
In order to at least recognize some of those who help, I want to mention them by name. Ann Solomon, my ever faithful friend and all around aide. Lisa Albergo, Johnson Leung, Oren Flamm, and Derrick den Hollander, our staff here in the US and down in Australia who write the articles and provide the photos that appear on the web site. Lisa Harris, our Melbourne based liaison to the AFL and media who keeps our affairs in order down under. Ben Seacrist, our webmaster, who keeps the reports and scores posted and helps me keep the web site running. My thanks also to Emma Howse and Patrick Keane at the AFL for their cooperation and to Nancy Sherwood at MHz and Lori Hessner-Unsworth at FOX Sports World Canada for their help with schedules. Thanks to my friends and the special ones in my life (you know who you are) for their patience during this time of the year when you don't get as much of my time as you deserve. And finally thanks to all of my fellow fans. I love hearing from you and getting to talk footy.
-Rob (who must now get back to work on editing the next newsletters to go out!)
OK, warning: if you don't know the results and don't want to, stop reading now...
Repeat x3 or Revenge. That's the setup for the rematch in the coming Grand Final. Collingwood reduced the Power to the wrong kind of historical trivia question. Consider that Port have been minor premiers two straight years and won 42 of the their last 66 home and away matches. And they still have yet to play in the Grand Final.
Sydney's run this year is nothing short of amazing. They are, by anyone's measure one to two years ahead of what was expected. I knew Paul Roos could coach. I saw that during his tour of the US several seasons ago. The way he handled players and dealt with what passes for the officialdom of footy in the US made it obvious he knew what he was doing. He had a shot at the Richmond job and decided he wasn't quite ready and the situation wasn't quite right. Sydney was the right job for him and he's arrived now. The Swans probably over-achieved this year and they are the club to be watched in the next couple of seasons.
On the other hand, no matter what happens in the last game of this season, the run of Brisbane is likely to end after this season. It's hard to imagine that age and injuries will allow them to be back again in 2004. Modern sport is cruel. The age of the multi-year dynasty is not what it once was. Salary caps, lack of loyalty by clubs and players, etc. No doubt however that the Lions have made the right kind of history. Merely making the Grand Final three consecutive years is remarkable and if they win another premiership they will deservedly be ranked among the great clubs of the last several decades. Up there with West Coast in 91-94 and just short of Hawthorn in the 70's.
For Collingwood, history seems to be on their side. In almost every case where there has been a Grand Final rematch, the loser the first time is the winner the second time. Revenge and failure, whether coaches will acknowledge it, are powerful motivators. And if Leigh Matthews has an equal in the current game it's Mick Malthouse. Both men know they may not be back here again in their careers. I'll be cheering the Lions on, but I know that it's Collingwood that might just be the hungrier side.
Whatever happens, it's been a great season. Full of the things that make this sport such an exciting one and worth following from 14 time zones away.
-Rob (who is looking forward to seeing footy live the one time a year it's on TV)
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)
As many sports fans have heard, the Women's professional soccer league, based in the US and known as the WUSA, has closed up shop just days before the Women's World Cup get's underway. So what does that have to do with footy?
Everything.
The lessons to be learned in this reinforce everything AFANA has been trying to communicate to the AFL and those working to popularize footy both inside and outside North America since 1996. The youth and young adult development programs in the US have brought millions of kids into playing a sport (soccer) which was unknown to most of my generation. When I played soccer in high school, we weren't even recognized as an official sport. All that's changed. So why didn't sponsors, TV viewers, and live bodies in seats keep the Women's league going? No, it is not as they will tell you, that they didn't get enough multi-million dollar sponsors, though that's true. (When you lose $90 million of an initial $100 million investment you were more than a few sponsors short.)
The failure is that since the late 1970's soccer in the US has concentrated on building the grass roots youth programs of the sport and done little to build a fan base. They are not the same. Depending on whose number you use and whether you include those above grade 9, there are between 7.5 and 11 million children in the US playing soccer this year. This makes it second only to basketball in participation in the country. So where do they go?
Create all the youth programs and all the leagues you want. Found all the teams you want. It's important to the future of footy in the US and Canada. But if the AFL and footy lovers stop there, we'll fail. Just like soccer has failed. The soccer youth give up the sport when they reach a certain age. After that they don't remain serious fans. They don't buy merchandise from sponsors. They don't watch it on TV. They don't buy tickets.
Central to the future success of Australian football on this continent is that we have to build a fan base. Television coverage of the AFL is key to accomplishing that. So are well organized exhibitions (not scheduled with no discussion and just a few months warning... are you listening AFL House?). Marketing of merchandise to fans here is important and the building of a sponsor base that is interested in more than simply attaching their name to the coverage, putting patches on jerseys, or providing free beer. (We do like beer though...)
The AFL's international strategy, whatever it is (see earlier blog), must include a plan to develop and feed the interests of fans already here and to get more to follow the game every year. That way, when the day comes that Aussie rules is played even semi-professionally by Americans (born in the US or Canada), that tickets to matches will sell, sponsors will line up, and TV ratings will justify proper coverage.
The AFL ignores the fans at their peril.
-Rob (who wouldn't be doing this if he didn't believe in the sport)
If you don't want to know the results of the weekend, stop reading now.
There is a certain predictability to the AFL's current finals format. It makes it very likely that the clubs in the 5th thru 8th positions will have to play very exceptional football two straight weeks to make it to the Preliminary finals. I suppose that's reasonable. Things seem to be going to form in that respect.
The Power seemed to wake up again and played a solid match against Essendon. The Essendon list, despite the magic of it's legendary coach, is getting long in the tooth and is most likely due for an overhaul. Port took advantage of their greater youth and home ground advantage and played good footy. Be sure to check out the photo essay on that match from AFANA's photographer.
Meanwhile, up in Brisbane, the home advantage of the Gabba is very real. That the Lions outrated Rugby on the telly there says much about how far footy has come. That and motivation to make a real go at three in a row were more than enough for Brisbane to end the Crows season. When their midfield is dominant, they remain formidable.
Next weekend we see the four clubs that would have, on the basis of the 22 home and away matches, expected to be here but not matched up the way we might have originally predicted. In my mind that has played into the hands of Collingwood to some degree. On the other hand, if Port was to somehow regain it's form of July and August, it will be some battle at the MCG come Saturday. I like Collingwood to win but only on the basis that Malthouse is the experienced coaching hand.
In the other match, you have all the makings of history. For one, Sydney is playing in the expanse of an Olympic stadium in front of what may well be the largest crowd of this season, and will try to repeat it's 1996 glory. On the other you have Brisbane, which is trying to make it's own history by winning 3 premierships in a row. What I wouldn't give to be in Sydney this Saturday. I like Sydney to win but I won't be surprised if they don't. Sydney has not been a dominant home side in recent seasons.
I will never forget listening to the 1996 Preliminary final on the shortwave radio while laying in bed in the early hours of the morning. When the winning goal was kicked, I cheered so loudly I awoke my sleeping partner. (She was not amused!). I hope this coming weekend is every bit as exciting.
All this means that the Grand Final is almost here.
-Rob (who is ready for the excitement to start)
Picking up the story from where I left off in Part II...
Once the footy was back on TV again, everyone wondered just what we should do with the "campaign". One thing I continued to do was issue notices of the TV schedules, any changes, etc. These e-mail bulletins became AFANA's TV & Media newsletter, now in volume 8. I estimate that AFANA and my predecessor e-mails have resulted in over 250 announcements since late 1995.
By early August, Wade and I had recruited a group of about 8 people who met by conference call in late August, 1996. In that meeting it was agreed to form a permanent organization which Wade and I would lead, and it would be called the "Australian Football Association of North America". The name was chosen for several reasons: the initials AFANA had "fan" in the middle and we were a fan organization, it did not connote a league which we weren't and didn't want to be, and lastly it included Canada since from the earliest days of the campaign we had assisted Canadians in trying to get coverage restored in Canada.
Wade and I then set about getting the organization established. One of the first decisions we made was how to fund the launch and first couple of years of AFANA. We soon realized that it would take even more money that we had envisioned. While myself, Wade, and the other founders did poney up what was needed, the only way that happened was that AFANA became a privately owned stock corporation and was not non-profit as some had originally hoped. We also recruited Ann Solomon as our media and public relations manager. She eventually became my primarily advisor and continues to be that to this day.
A few days before the Grand Final in September, 1996, AFANA was officially registered as a corporation in the state of Delaware and came into existence. This was fortuitous as AFANA had already launched it's first venture in the TV arena as the co-organizer of the 1996 Grand Final telecast in North America. But that's a story for another time.
-Rob (who wonders why he is still doing it after all these years!)
Being a keen observer of things Australian, I have some interest in music emanating from down under. In the past year, there are two Australian musical groups I've discovered that I like.
The first is Coco's Lunch. Their most recent album, "A Whole New Way of Getting Dressed" is good stuff. The all girl quintet mostly sings a-capella and does it beautifully. Great original music and the harmonies and percussion are better than anything similar I've heard in a long while. The title track and one titled "Nature's Vanishing Points" are by far the best on the album. I also recommend their earlier CD: "Invisible Rythym". Here are a few lines from the title track:
i'm double what you'll ever be
chin and heart and memory
use it all thick and thin
i've still got double your chin
i can curl my ears beneath my chest
a whole new way of getting dressed
it makes you laugh every time
the smile is yours the pleasure's mine
The other CD that caught my ear is from a group called Sweet Elixir. Some of the most soaring vocals you'll hear anywhere are on their album titled "Elixir". There is a stunning cover of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and it's the highlight of the CD in my opinion. Great music to relax to but don't make the mistake I did of putting this one on in the car during a long road trip. You'll want to stop and sleep. It's that relaxing and distracting.
So, since this is a footy blog there has to be a tie-in. How did I hear both of these groups the first time? Via Oz Sounds on Radio Australia, when I wanted to listen to footy but those frequencies weren't propagating and the regular RA ones were. Credit Roger Broadbent at RA when he was hosting that program. A good chap who also interviewed me for his Feedback program during my last trip down under.
-Rob (now back to our regularly scheduled programming... )
Our survey of footy fans in North America is wrapping up and I have a few more comments from the surveys I'd like to respond to. As before, this is intended to be have a bit of humor in it and all comments are paraphrased. If you haven't yet completed the survey and reside in the US or Canada, please do so right away as the survey will be closing in the next few days.
"We need it on TV in the US."
"Please don't take it off the air."
"Please show all the games."
The reason why AFANA exists is to provide a voice for the fans of the sport and to help insure footy stays on TV. We can only do this with your support. That includes memberships, so join up if you haven't already! I should also note, in case someone out there doesn't understand this, AFANA has no direct control over what the AFL or FOX Sports choose to do. We are your lobbying organization and can influence their decisions but if we lose coverage at some point, it won't be because AFANA and it's members didn't make a maximum effort. We want as much coverage as we can get.
"The merchandise could be cheaper. 80 bucks for a tank top?"
When AFANA sold the merchandise itself, we priced clothing as low as we could and still make enough money to be worth the effort. Unfortunately, the jumpers aren't cheap, even at wholesale. Retail prices must include the royalties to the AFL, shipping from Australia, some margin for varying exchange rates, allowance for customs duties, etc. If you think the prices are high, you haven't been to one of the stores in the malls that sell NFL, NBA, or NHL jerseys in a while. AFANA eventually found that even at the prices we were charging, profits were very marginal and that's why we now sell on a commission basis only and let Australian companies fill the orders and ship directly to you.
"I didn't sign up for the coverage because of the uncertainty surrounding it."
I can't understand that. This year, despite the uncertainty between the seasons, everything was nailed down by March and we had schedules available by early April. If you want a season without uncertainty in coverage, and I want as many of those as I can get, you're in for a rough ride. That's only happened perhaps 3 times in the 8 years I've been following this.
"Anyone who chooses more than one team is a fraud."
I soooo love objectivity. Geez. That comment came from an Australian living in Australia who completed the survey anyway. Let me explain North Americans and footy to you. Those of us born on this side of the pond didn't grow up with a family or neighborhood allegiance to a particular footy club. We love the sport. So in studying the surveys, we note that probably more than half of the respondents selected more than one club. Deal with it.
"I can't understand the marketing strategy for the sport."
No, neither can I. See earlier blog.
"What about getting footy back on the local FOX Sports Net channels."
From all indications, FOX Sports World won't share it with other FOX Sports channels in order to maintain exclusivity. Or at least that's what we've been told by sources in the past. The FOX Sports Nets also want sponsorship money or they won't air it for financial reasons. AFANA encouraged fans to lobby FOX Sports Net to pick up the Grand Final on tape delay last year and fan interest wasn't there so we've dropped any effort to push this.
"I wish Fox Sports World would promote the shows more during the week not just during the shows!"
Well, gee, that would make waaaay too much sense now wouldn't it? I have no clue to why they do what they do. And oh yea, that commercial they have which calls Brisbane "Bris-bane" is offensive to the ears. (Yea, AFANA told them they had the pronunciation wrong and they haven't fixed it.)
"The shows need segments to explain the sport to new fans."
"There should be an introduction to footy show run prior to or during the season."
One of the goals of the survey is to find out how fans feel about this issue but I will say I agree personally that running the outdated "A-Z" program only during Grand Final week doesn't cut it.
"Please air the games quickly after the actual game, It takes too long."
Please feature several games per week and give advance notice who is playing."
OK, pay attention: AFANA is not in charge of the telecasts. What we can say is there are tradeoffs. You want the games sooner? Then fans must accept the risk that a few matches are lost here and there since the AFL insists on shipping old fashioned video tapes around the world by air. I'd love more games per week and I've addressed that in an earlier blog as well. Advance notice of who is playing? You mean you don't get our newsletters or check our TV page? We list the clubs to be featured every friggin' week.
Well, that's all for now. My next blog on the survey will, in all probability, be a review of the results. Thanks to all of you who have completed the survey.
-Rob (who is stoked that the Grand Final is almost here!)
One of the issues that faces anyone who promotes footy in the US or Canada is the question of a marketing strategy. Given what a great product it is, it's my experience that if you can expose people to the sport and give them a bit of information about the sport, it sells itself. So formulating a strategy shouldn't be rocket science. What is the AFL's strategy then?
Beats me.
AFANA has asked questions about the AFL strategy since our inception. We've never received really good answers. So far as we can tell it is limited to the following two things:
Not much of a strategy. First, it leaves organizations such as USFooty, who do a great job, trying to both form a working competition and youth programs or divert money to pay for broad based marketing. Second, it raises the question of what the purpose of the TV programs really are. Third, it leaves the fans and AFANA out of the picture entirely.
On the second item, you can again ask yourself these questions about the TV programs:
Whichever choice(s) you make would result in much different Highlights program (for example) and fit very differently into a marketing strategy for the sport. Another place this comes into play is how you portray the sport. If you want to recruit youth, you probably need to de-emphasize the physicality of the sport. If you want to draw audiences, then (maybe) you do the reverse and go head to head with sports such as rugby and professional wrestling.
One of the correspondents in our survey asked why there isn't more advertising for the sport, (both elsewhere in the US media and on FOX Sports World), outside of when the two programs are actually on the air. As for FOX Sports World that is just their myopic view of footy, in my opinion. On the former, we are back again to the marketing strategy issue.
It's also critical to recognize that marketing nationally in the US is very different than marketing in Australia. And Canada is different than the USA. Population distributions are different. Competing sports are different. Demographics are different. The TV business and media regulatory environments are different.
Anyone who wants to formulate a strategy for growing Australian football as a sport in either the US or Canada should ask themselves this question: If I was going to try to sell Widgets in Japan whom would I seek out for advice? An Australian or a Japanese businessperson? I'm betting 90% of you said the latter. So, it would make sense for the AFL to seek out US and Canadian natives with marketing and TV knowledge to advise them over here.
AFANA gets no AFL funding for what we do. (Read that again in case you don't understand!) All of our funds are raised from memberships, web site advertising, and sales commissions on merchandise. After seven plus years though, we have individuals in AFANA with lots of experience about what works and what doesn't when it comes to selling footy in the US and Canada. We also have loads of knowledge about the TV business.
On several occasions, most recently between the 2001 and 2002 seasons, we made offers to the AFL that we would help them formulate and execute a marketing strategy. What we asked, in financial terms, was frankly a pittance. We never so much as received a polite letter turning down our offer.
So, if you are frustrated about what is not occurring to promote footy on this side of the Pacific, the answer (or lack thereof) to that is located on the other side.
-Rob (who rues the wasted opportunities in pushing the sport!)
Sorry for the lack of any blog the past couple of days. At this time of year things get incredibly busy for everyone in AFANA. Add to that the need to go be "Dad" yesterday on short notice and it prevented me from sitting here in front of the glowing monitor. Picking up the history of AFANA, I wanted to correct and clarify a couple of points I've made already and provide more background on the fan efforts.
We'll never know for sure why the AFL and ESPN failed to close the handshake deal they made in Monaco in late 1995. Speculation for many years has been that ESPN did not view such a gentleman's agreement as binding whereas the AFL did. Thus ESPN felt free to pick and choose which of these "handshake" deals they honored. That is the ethical question.
When it became clear in mid-February 1996 that no TV was a possibility, the campaign to save the coverage really began to take shape. Thousands of fans took part in a coordinated effort to insure that some coverage of AFL continued in the US and Canada. It was only the intense pressure of fans that forced ESPN into talking again with the AFL.
As the season start approached in late March 1996, my telephone rang. It was Grant Burgess, then marketing manager for the AFL. Grant had finally decided he was tired of the pressure and decided to give fans his side of the story. It was a major break and let us intensify the pressure on ESPN. And it worked.
It is a tribute to the fans of the sport that we kept up the pressure from February right thru to April and beyond. On Monday evening, 8 April 1996 the AFL confirmed a deal had been reached. ESPN confirmed the deal on 12 April 1996. From early April, it was a waiting game for fans and an ongoing effort to get a firm start date and schedule from ESPN and the AFL.
ESPN's web site folks stated from early on that "A highlight show on ESPN2 is scheduled for Saturday mornings at 6:30 am ET, beginning July 6." This appears to have been the wording of the ESPN web site response to any inquiry on the subject. The 6 July date appears to have been either a public relations idea to deflect pressure on this issue or the real date all along, we'll never know. Even though this date was issued by the web site within a week of the deal we were repeatedly told by ESPN management that it was in error and coverage would start "as soon as possible".
From mid-May there were a series of messages from ESPN indicating that the time slot "has been available" and is 6:30 am EDT on Saturday. ESPN said they were "ready to air the programs once the problem is resolved". This did not happen. While ESPN continued to say it was the AFL's fault, the AFL was frustrated with ESPN's endless concerns and issues such as theme music licensing and program format.
In early June, I received a call one morning about 9:00 AM from ESPN's then programming manager, a Mr. Krigsman, who was irate that his e-mail was clogged with fan complaints about the fact footy was not yet on the air. After his 10 minute tirade, I calmly explained that if we got straight answers from ESPN and consistent ones that might help. I also let him know that he couldn't expect to have us relay his version of events if he never provided it.
Finally, the highlights program finally did begin on ESPN2 on 6 July '96 with coverage of Round 5. By the time of the Grand Final, ESPN had shown the highlights thru Round 22. The finals highlights were shown through 12 October.
Now, back to AFANA. Beginning in March, I received a series of e-mails from Richard Lipp and Wade Hinkle, along with a few others, about turning the "campaign" into a permanent organization. Initially I was quite skeptical not seeing the way that would really work. By June the discussions had become serious and the circle of people involved was growing.
Wade pushed hard for me to head the organization, something that initially I did not want to do. Only when he agreed to come along as the 2nd in command and help me recruit the other officers, did I began to think seriously about accepting.
I'll continue this weekend with Part III, the birth of AFANA.
-Rob (wondering just why he is still at it all these years later...)
I thought it would be interesting to talk a bit about how AFANA came to be since the number of us who remember and we're around in 1995-96 are getting fewer and memories shorter. I welcome any additions or corrections anyone wants to submit.
As the 1995 AFL season concluded there were major changes afoot in the sports television industy in the United States. Since 1989 the AFL Highlights had been distributed in the US by PrimeSports to various regional sports networks around the US. However, those networks were being sold and changing ownership at a rapid pace and one of the major buyers was FOX Sports and what was to become FOX Sports Net was being created.
As things deteriorated, the scheduling and distribution of the Highlights was getting worse and the AFL was hearing complaints. The AFL decided to try to return to ESPN where the sport had been until 1987 and met with the ESPN management at the Sportel TV conference in Monaco in November, 1995. A handshake deal was done. Unfortunately, it would be apparent later that ESPN had done more than one such deal and went back to Bristol to sort it out. The AFL was to fall out in that sorting process since no contract was in writing. The ethics of the ESPN management in all of this would become a matter of debate over the next two years.
As the 1996 season approached, fans began to ask when and where the highlights would be on the air. Rumors among fans began to spread on the newsgroups on the internet and by e-mail. No hard answers were forthcoming from anyone who might have known such as the AFL and Prime. Sometime in mid January, I decided to do some serious digging. My first big break came when an advertiser on the programs the previous year told me that ESPN was the tentative broadcaster.
In addition to myself a number of others were also involved. Those included Wade Hinkle, the late John Harrell of Louisville, Richard Lipp, and others. Collectively all of the fans in touch on the newsgroups began to exchange information. I volunteered to become the "information clearinghouse" and to distribute the info by rec.sports.football.australian and e-mail.
As the season approached and fans began to contact the AFL and ESPN to try to find out if the programs would be there when Round 1 got underway. Answers were hard to come by. The AFL simply didn't tell anyone anything of consequence. ESPN would only acknowledge that negotiations were underway.
Chapter II tomorrow.
-Rob (digging up old files just now...)
Today I've got mostly random comments on a variety of subjects. First the smaller items...
AFANA was thrilled to be listed in the LangaList newsletter this past weekend. It also gave the web site a nice bump in traffic.
On the other hand, a BBS I won't mention (which caters to a less than savory crowd), linked to one of our pages recommending us a source for footy videos which just happen to show footy players less than fully dressed. Yea, there are a couple videos on offer by the Australian manufacturer which feature scenes intended to be humorous, taken from locker rooms or streakers, etc. If they want to buy thru us, we'll take their money but it's not the kind of promotion we're looking for (pun intended).
Thanks to all those who've given this blog a plug. It's getting growing traffic and I appreciate that. If you write a blog then tell me about it please.
For everyone in the USA or Canada who has completed our survey so far, thanks. We're going to have great data for our future efforts.
A correspondent inquired recently what my background was, undoubtedly assuming it must be in sports management or television. None of the above. I was born in Columbus, Ohio but moved so many times as child I really don't consider it "home". I've lived on both coasts and lots of places in between, most recently California and West Virginia. I got my college education at MIT and Ohio State. I majored in mathematics. I then pursued an aerospace engineering career working on a number of military and commercial aircraft projects and on the Space Shuttle program in the aftermath of the Challenger accident. I still consider myself a "rocket scientist". My interests include book collecting, amateur astronomy, reading, wine appreciation, travel, the women in my life, and this sport played down under. I am divorced and my daughter is 4 1/2 years old. Now you know.
-Rob (wondering where the time goes... )
Since my last blog on comments by fans recorded in our on-going survey of attitudes toward North American TV coverage we've got even more for me to respond to. Keep in mind some humor is intended in these comments and the comments are paraphrased. If you live in North America and haven't completed the survey yet... do it now!
"We should see the most competitive match every week."
"The programs focus too much on equal time for each club."
In a perfect world, competitive matches would be exactly what any true fan would want but there are trade-offs. If we want the most competitive match we have to choose the matches to be aired after the fact. With the current AFL Films production and delivery system we would likely be seeing them even later than 6 3/4 days after they occur.
If fans of all sixteen clubs want to see their favorite club then we can never have competitive matches all the time. Should fans of those clubs be disenfranchised? If we got live coverage, we would get the best match that could be selected in advance since the satellite time and broadcast time would have to be reserved. So that wouldn't necessarily be it either. Finally, if you want to see the "blockbusters" such as Collingwood's Anzac Day match every year, scratch that, too.
We're surveying how fans feel about competitive matches vs equal time vs delay in viewing matches. While AFANA feels that all fans deserve to see their side a couple of times a season compromises are necessary.
"Don't repeat the same game several times each week, show us different matches."
The repeats perform a very important function. They insure that if you miss the first telecast or your VCR/DVR malfunctions or is programmed wrong, you can still see it. AFANA hears from fans every time there is a week with only one airing and someone misses that for whatever reason.
The larger problem is that AFL Films doesn't produce more than one version of each of the two programs for the US / Can market each week. To get more we need not only network interest and time but to convince the AFL or a sponsor to underwrite the production costs.
"It's shortsighted for the AFL and FOX Sports to force fans to lobby for coverage every year."
Umm, yeah. Not much to disagree with there. We've only been doing it here at AFANA for eight years in a row now. Sigh.
"We need updates on SANFL and WAFL on the (choose one or both): TV shows or AFANA web site."
It's hard to see the AFL giving up time on it's own programs to do that without the SANFL or WAFL contributing money to the production effort. More likely we may be able to get live or full match coverage of SANFL or WAFL programs in the future.
For AFANA, all we need is someone to write reports on those leagues. Anyone who wants to help there, contact us.
"Eleven PM is too late on the east coast of the US and Canada for the programs."
Probably is. It's better or nearing perfect for western North America at that time. A balance would be to have it on an hour or two earlier but prime time slots are hard to come by. A different network might see things differently. Note: they air in Canada only at or after when they air in the US so the key up there is to fix it down here.
"AFANA should lobby to make better internet coverage available."
AFANA is actively working to get the internet coverage improved. As I stated in an earlier blog there are some problems with getting live video coverage over the 'net but there is no reason why the quality and reliability of the intenet service can't be improved. However, we are still a long way from internet coverage providing a replacement for broadcast TV.
"The long delay between the when the matches are played and the telecasts in the US / Canada makes watching them pointless."
So you never watch taped sports programming?? Sure, as I stated in an earlier blog, I think the delay is too long but until we get live coverage or the AFL decides to get the video here in a more efficient way than air courier we're not likely to get the delay down to a day or two.
"I never know when the footy is on."
Hmm. Go to our home page or TV page once a week and you'll know. Even better, get our TV & media newsletter by e-mail (it's free) and we'll send you the schedules and the changes every week during the AFL season plus lots of other news about the coverage.
"The AFL should have aired an educational program about footy during the bye week."
"There should be more emphasis on explaining the game during the matches."
"The AFL should air an introductory program prior to the start of the season. "
To the first item, AFANA agrees they missed an opportunity. Regarding the second, it's something we pushed a few years ago. The results of the AFL's efforts to comply were mixed. Something needs to be done and hopefully the survey will tell us how important fans view the issue. To the third, AFANA agree's with that, too. "A-Z of Aussie rules" is dated and airs only during GF week which isn't good enough.
"Why don't the shows feature US footy scores any more?"
That's mostly an issue between USFooty and the AFL. However, I'll bet that it is due to the AFL cutting AFL Films budget and eliminating a unique version of the programs for the US market. Let's also remember that other factors are involved: many fans are interested only in the Australian results and don't want time given to other stuff, footy players in Canada probably want their scores included (and Japan and Denmark and New Zealand, etc.), and whether anyone outside the US has an interest.
"Will my favorite club ever play a match in US | Canada?"
As I mentioned before, exhibition matches are something AFANA has sought for it's entire existence. At this point, it isn't on the AFL's agenda. Their usual objection is lack of a suitable venue in North America. AFANA thinks that with the right sort of advance planning and nine months to a year lead time, that problem can be worked around and the match would be huge success.
That's all folks. 'Till next time.
-Rob (who hopes all of this is helping someone out there!)
I'm getting caught up after more than a week with my daughter and heck of a weekend of footy. (Note: if you don't know the weekend's results and don't want to know them... stop reading here.)
First off, I want to congratulate my reporting team in Australia and America. Our photographer, Derrick den Hollander, covered both matches in Adelaide this weekend. If you haven't seen his photos, we have two photo essays linked from our home page. More will follow over the next few weeks. Great stuff. Our reporters on the scene in Melbourne, Oren Flamm and Lisa Harris, will have reports for us from the MCG to be posted soon. And of course, our general news reporters, Lisa Albergo (Chicago) and Johnson Leung (Melbourne) will have complete wrap-ups of the footy news from the past week plus scores posted on the web site. Again, just check the links in the news column on the right side of the page. All of it should be there within the next 24 hours.
Finals always produce surprises. It was my thinking that now that finals had arrived, Brisbane would rise a level and try to give the "three-peat" a go. But when the pressure was on late, it was Collingwood that continued it's recent form and got the win. Something about going to the well too many times, I guess, for the Lions.
Congrats to my friend, Paul Roos, and the Swans. After watching and meeting Paul during his tour of the states a few years ago, I had the hunch that if the situation was right he would succeed at the AFL level. It's just happening sooner than even the Swans expected. For the Power, some clubs develop a mentality about championships and have trouble getting over the hump. Convenient, too, for the folks at Telstra Stadium in Sydney. Their poor planning proves not to be a problem (see earlier blog!)
Now, my beloved Eagles. Another season ended in a late fade. Since about Round 14 or 15, it has been pretty much downhill. We got to 2nd on the ladder then a few injuries and that mental thing I referred to above kicked in. I really think it's mental not physical. What Worsha and the club are going to do about it I'd love to know.
Finally, pun intended, there were the Dockers. What a great step forward they made this year. But lack of experience and a Sheedy coached opponent were too much.
I like the Lions next week to regroup at home against the Crows and go to another Preliminary final. I think Port will finally get a finals win in a close one with Essendon. That would set up Collingwood and Port in one prelim and Sydney and Brisbane in the other I believe.
I've got more to say on the survey comments to come later on. We've had a terriffic response so far. All of you fans living in the USA or Canada keep it up.
-Rob (relaxing now)
As with the earlier blog on this subject, I have paraphrased some comments that we have received as part of our survey of US and Canadian based footy fans. Some humor is intended in these answers. k? To my readers: if you live in the US or Canada and haven't completed the survey do it right now!
Show more Aussie sports [footy, rugby, cricket, etc.] and less soccer!
Sorry, folks but AFANA doesn't do the programming for FOX Sports World or FOX Sports World Canada. Wish we had more say in that but we don't. AFANA has no business relationship with FOX Sports whatsoever. We offer our criticism, compliments, and feedback but there is no guarantee they take them to heart. Fundamentally FOX Sports World is a soccer network. Footy and other sports are fill-ins.
If the Grand Final is live, how come we can't get more live programs or at least get the programs sooner than six days late?
Give me a Fistful of Dollars and you can have live coverage tomorow. Live coverage of a 2h 30m match runs about US$4000 bare bones. If we had a $100k per season sponsorship or pay per view revenue or combination thereof we can get it for you very soon. Even at US$200 per household per season, we would need about 500 subscribers to make pay per view even a concept. All that said live coverage will happen. Time is on our side.
The problem with the 6 3/4 day delay in the coverage has more to do with production and shipping time than anything else. Then there is the fear factor. The fear that the tapes won't arrive on time. In past seasons when the schedule was tighter, FOX found itself without programs too many times. That's why it was pushed back. Maybe too far.
I'd like to see Talking Footy or the Footy Show here.
We get that request a lot and I concur. It's also something on our "agenda". More later.
There's nothing in the survey asking about the internet coverage. I think that's important.
I agree that it's important. We just couldn't cover everything properly and keep the survey a reasonable length. We will cover that in a future survey. Count on it.
I want to see the Australia vs Ireland series this year.
So do I. The first thing is we have to convince the AFL to produce programs on the series and second convince FOX Sports World to air them. Believe it or not, the former might be harder. It adds production costs to AFL Films that the AFL doesn't want to underwrite. I suggest you let the AFL know you want to see them. If they get enough demand, minds might change.
There is too much violence on the programs, particularly in the "Weekly Wrap" and "Top 10".
The issue of whether the TV coverage portrays the sport as too violent has been a running issue for longer than AFANA has been in existence. I even discussed it with the AFL on my first visit to AFL House in 1996. We've included a question on that subject in the survey. I won't say more until the survey is done.
AFANA should become a subcommittee of USFooty.
Based on the feelings of our current and past board of directors I don't see that happening soon. Nevertheless AFANA and USFooty do communicate at the highest levels and AFANA wants to work closer with USFooty wherever our interests coincide (and they often do). Keep in mind the organizations have two very different purposes and have very different demographics and memberships.
Keep those survey responses coming! Great stuff folks!
-Rob (who is reading every response personally).
Let me see if I get this straight... the AFL says that they will have a Swans final at Telstra Stadium, if necessary, and the NRL says they will have a Canterbury final there, if necessary, in a weeks time....
AFL web site
SMH web site
OK, boys and gals, I don't find it surprising that the heads of the two leagues see this differently. What I want to know is who is the bloomin' onion at Telstra Stadium that ever let such a conflict become a possibility? That airlines routinely overbook seats we've come to accept, but how in the name of footy do you overbook an 80,000 seat stadium??
Another issue bugging me today is the AFL's triumphant announcement of Ten's live coverage on Saturday night in Sydney and Brisbane. Their version of the press release by Ten is here.
Now I happen to have in my dirty grubby hands the Ten press release right here. What part do they conveniently leave out? It's that the Friday night Elimination final will be delayed in both cities. And not 30 minutes... it will be a replay starting at 10:50 PM. Oh yea, correct me if I'm wrong but that graphic on the AFL web page is a very bad version of Quartermain's mug. Depending on what you think of his mug, well...
Last but not least, there is this matter of an Aussie challenge to the America's Cup. Details here. Great I say, bring it on. It's about darn time the Aussies got back into the America's Cup game. After all, it was the Australian victory that first took the cup off American shores and finally made the sailing contest interesting. Just one minor recommendation: please, please tell me you'll keep the likes of Alan Bond and similar types far, far away this time.
-Rob (in a contrary mood just now...)
Another thing I get asked a lot is how I became a fan of Australian football. I was born and raised in the USA (though about 10 different places in the USA!) but I didn't make my first trip to Australia until 1986, when I was 27 years young.
Way back in 1980, I was going to "uni" during the day and working during the evening to pay for it. Ditto with my roommate, George. He was a bit of an electronics wiz and had come upon an abandoned color TV. Which he promptly fixed up and we got it hooked up to this new thing called "cable TV". Not long after that we both came home one fine evening about 11 or so and turned on the TV. We figured we'd watch some sports while we drank a few brews.
We had this new 24 hour sports channel called ESPN. That particular night what did we find on the telly? Yep, this strange sport where the players ran up and down the field, kicked the ball, and sometimes passed underhanded. They didn't wear pads and they still tackled each other. And those guys in white coats and hats. Well, this seemed just perfect to watch while we got a bit toasted. And no, we had no idea what the rules were or what the heck it was.
I was hooked and soon so were all of our drinking buddies. I have no idea if George still watches footy, but I know that many of the rest of the crew from those days are still fans. Twenty three years on, I spend my time trying to help other fans and sell the sport to the masses.
So that's the story of how an aerospace engineer and mathematics major became a footy fan.
-Rob (who wishes it would just stop raining here in Ohio... geez, if I wanted to live in the tropics, I'd move there!)
OK, I'm back. My daughter is having lunch with my ex's parents (her grandparents in other words) so I have time to blog.
The VFL became the AFL over 15 years ago now. It's still fighting for recognition in places like Queensland as a "national" sport. From all reports I've seen and my experience (on holiday a year ago in places like Cairns and Sydney), the TV coverage there draws maggots (and not the umpiring kind).
Quite apparently the AFL did not get commitments in writing and in the contract from the Aussie networks to guarantee live coverage in the traditional rugby states. Verbal promises and marketing pitches to help win the contract are meaningless unless they are in the contract and there is some penalty or loss to the other party if they fail to do it. Apparently though all the AFL really got from Nine, Ten, and Foxtel was the song and dance. Bad negotiating AFL House.
So I guess since the AFL did such a poor job improving coverage in NSW and QLD in the last TV contract we shouldn't be surprised that international TV coverage is where it is today. Part of the contract with the Aus networks was a clause giving international distribution rights outside Australia exclusively to FOX Sports International (FSI) (London, UK and Los Angeles). Nominally there was a million pics of Aussie heros included for international rights. Of course, it unless it was broke out in a separate line item, that price is meaningless. AFAIK, it wasn't. (Side note: AFANA broke the story that international coverage was in the contract despite Jacko's public denials.)
For years, negotiating the international distribution of footy highlights shows and live Grand Final distribution has been a huge headache at the AFL. So, throwing all that "over the transom" to FSI probably seemed like a great idea to Jacko and his boys. And the Foster's naming rights payments help to make it a neutral cost to FSI. However, what incentive does FSI have to get footy on the right networks right around the world? Not much I reckon.
So if the local FOX/Sky outlet in Upper Slobovia doesn't want it, just how hard is FSI going to work to market it to say an ESPN branded network or local sports network in Upper Slobovia? Not that hard I'll wager but I always want to be fair and let the results speak for themselves.
This season it has been harder than ever to find out where and when footy is on on countries around the world. Thanks to lots of fans who tell us what they see in their countries our international TV page is probably the best source on the web for that info. The AFL no longer seems to have a page on it's site with such info and they surely aren't sharing what they know with AFANA. So we do our own research, verify the schedules directly with the networks, follow up on fan tips, etc.
Addendum: Wonder of wonders. AFANA received information from the AFL today on the international TV coverage. We've incorporated it into our Intl TV page. -Rob 9/1/03
Over the past quarter of a century, television has done more than any other single factor to publicize footy around the globe. Pity the AFL doesn't understand that or even worse, seem to care.
-Rob (Head of Research and Housekeeping)
Keep those survey responses coming!