AFANA Footy BBS

Is there simply no way we can watch footy in the states except by Fox Sports World?? I'm really disheartened to see all of the hard work by AFANA, the USAFL and the like really taking a hit simply because FSW thinks they need to play hardball with the 'NET affiliates. Why is it that Rugby can be seen on the 'net affiliates but not footy?? That to me is a double standard. I'm trying to get started putting together a junior program here in my neighborhood but it sure is hard to talk to adults about it when they can't even check it out on the TV.. What about the USAFL?? Is there any way a few of their matches could be taped and replayed overnight somewhere so people could be educated about the sport. If the annual lumberjack competition can be seen on ESPN surely something could be worked out!!! (I know I'm dreaming here but it's a desperate situation!).. tion!)..

Scott and all,

> Is there simply no way we can watch footy in the states except by Fox
> Sports World??

Whether we like it or not, the fact is that FOX Sports World have the rights for 2000. Unless they breach their contract is some completely egregious way, the AFL is not going to pull those rights. We must work with them thru this season. After this season, other options for 2001 may be considered.

> I'm really disheartened to see all of the hard work by
> AFANA, the USAFL and the like really taking a hit simply because FSW
> thinks they need to play hardball with the 'NET affiliates. Why is it that
> Rugby can be seen on the 'net affiliates but not footy?? That to me is a
> double standard.

Rugby can be seen because that is the direction of FOX management (Rupert Murdoch is a rugby fan) and because rugby has a deal for this coverage just as we did in 1998. The situation is a bit more complex than simply FOX Sports World playing hardball. FOX Sports Net, unlike World, is completely FOX owned and with different ownership has different goals. They've asked for a substantial amount of money to show Aussie Rules -- far beyond anything the AFL or any of its sponsors is likely to pay. Whether this can be negotiated downward is hard to say. As for taking a hit, the fact is that no one hurts more than AFANA - we lose considerable membership every time the TV situation goes backward because fans blame us. No one need tell me how unfair that is.

> I'm trying to get started putting together a junior
> program here in my neighborhood but it sure is hard to talk to adults
> about it when they can't even check it out on the TV.. What about the
> USAFL?? Is there any way a few of their matches could be taped and
> replayed overnight somewhere so people could be educated about the sport.
> If the annual lumberjack competition can be seen on ESPN surely something
> could be worked out!!! (I know I'm dreaming here but it's a desperate
> situation!)..

Showing USAFL matches might help expose potential players to the sport on a local level but the overwhelming number of fans out there no more want to see USAFL matches than they do semi-pro US football (gridiron) ... they want to see the top notch thing -- AFL.

I know the situation is frustrating and discouraging. The reality is that sports coverage is big business and we are playing in the top leagues here. There are literally dozens of sports which would kill for the coverage we have now let alone 1 hour a week on FOX Sports Net. We so easily forget the problems we had on Prime in the early 90's or on ESPN2 in 1996 and 1997.

The top officers of AFANA spend more time on TV issues than any other single thing we do. We're in the trenches working and everyone must understand that it's not going to be easy to raise our profile -- we need to work together to make progress.

Hang in there. There is much going on behind the scenes that you might imagine. Things will get better in the future. Time is on our side.

Regards,

-Rob de Santos
-AFANA CEO

Footy coverage will be wide open for next season. It will be interesting to see who wins the rights. The people want to see a change in coverage. A lot of people are tired of seeing Channel 7. That will have a tremendous effect on the coverage here. I think that Murdoch being Australian should show a little pride by showing footy coverage on the Nets. But he is also showing his business side because Rugby is a worldwide game, while Aussie Rules just has a cult following. It will be hard to guess where Aussie Rules will go if FSW gives up the contract. I hope not to ESPN. i remember seeing some of the coverage back in '97 and it was terrible. They covered up the original logos with their own and had the program on a huge tape delay. And after the '97 Grand Final snow job, I think that's the last place we want to see the footy coverage go. Well, all I can say is, if FOX drops footy then the options are limited.

Pat McCurry
Host, Footy Plus One 2000

Thanks Pat for your thoughts.

At this early stage, I cannot even say if FOX Sports World will want to air footy next season. I would hope they would be interested and willing to discuss ways we can improve the coverage including ways to include the Net affiliates.

Beyond FSWorld, there are other options out there, not just ESPN. I'm not ready to discuss what those are, but I think we do have choices for US coverage. Whether those choices would offer an improvement over FSWorld is a matter to be evaluated.

At the moment, our focus is on restoring the unexpected loss of coverage in Canada. I'm hopeful we can do that before the season progresses too far along.
Regards,

-Rob de Santos
-AFANA CEO

I think that Murdoch being Australian should
> show a little pride by showing footy coverage on the Nets.
Murdoch is not an Australian he's an American now and you're welcome to him. Actually citizenship for him is a thing of convenience he's a capitalist he doesn't give a stuff what his passport says it's his bank balance he's worried about

Not to be a Pessimist - but if CTV SportsNet doesn't carry AFL, I don't see who else will!? TSN had the chance for years to carry it and decided not to and I can't see any of the non-sport networks carrying it.

BTW, was FSW's price for allowing CTVSN access to AFL more than last year? Is that why it was too much money for them to swallow?

> Not to be a Pessimist - but if CTV SportsNet doesn't carry AFL, I don't
> see who else will!? TSN had the chance for years to carry it and decided
> not to and I can't see any of the non-sport networks carrying it.

We've prepared a detailed list of options and forwarded those to the AFL. Whether any of those options can be realized won't be known until someone follows up on our report to the AFL. There are some alternative ways to getting into most Canadian homes although I'd agree that none of them are as good as CTV Sportsnet or TSN would be.

> BTW, was FSW's price for allowing CTVSN access to AFL more than last year?
> Is that why it was too much money for them to swallow?

No one is saying exactly but I would suspect that based on CTVSN's comments that it was very low. Since FOX owns 20% of CTVSN they had an agreement to provide their programming to CTVSN in preference over other outlets. I'd be guessing but the price for that programming probably escalates year by year.

Regards,

-Rob de Santos
-AFANA CEO

I can't see anything changing until this matter is important enough to the AFL and to its main sponsor, FOSTERS. If Fosters and some some other key businesses would pressure someone by pulling their ads, then I'm sure somebody would talk. It's not like other non-american sports aren't being shown. I for one am sick of ALL the soccer I'm seeing in my market. I could see a little and there is an established youth soccer league here in my town but we have MSL, the euro league and all the extras... I for one could care less how Manchester United is doing but I know those same American soccer fans would say similar things about my interest in Carlton. The market is never going to be established if we don't have access... I'm starting to put together our city's youth league proposal for footy and I sure would like to be able to point parents somewhere! Thanks for this forum Rob! rum Rob!

> I can't see anything changing until this matter is important enough to the
> AFL and to its main sponsor, FOSTERS. If Fosters and some some other key
> businesses would pressure someone by pulling their ads, then I'm sure
> somebody would talk. It's not like other non-american sports aren't being
> shown.

You'll get no disagreement from here that if Foster's stepped up to the table that would make a big difference. Even more so in Canada, where Foster's is represented by Molson's and Molson's owns 11% of CTV Sportsnet... Just the same, I think it would be very unlikely they would pull the adverts... not when their sales are soaring.

No question that there is an abundance of soccer coverage but take the time machine back to when soccer was fighting for recognition as we are now... say about 1970 -- and you'll find that they were in the same boat but without any choices like cable or satellite channels.

> The market is never going to be established if we don't have
> access... I'm starting to put together our city's youth league proposal
> for footy and I sure would like to be able to point parents somewhere!
> Thanks for this forum Rob!

You're welcome. That's what it's here for. I agree it would be nice if we could get things fixed up. We will, the only question is how long it will take.
Regards,

-Rob de Santos
-AFANA CEO

> Is there simply no way we can watch footy in the states except by Fox
> Sports World?? I'm really disheartened to see all of the hard work by
> AFANA, the USAFL and the like really taking a hit simply because FSW
> thinks they need to play hardball with the 'NET affiliates. Why is it that
> Rugby can be seen on the 'net affiliates but not footy?? That to me is a
> double standard. I'm trying to get started putting together a junior
> program here in my neighborhood but it sure is hard to talk to adults
> about it when they can't even check it out on the TV.. What about the
> USAFL?? Is there any way a few of their matches could be taped and
> replayed overnight somewhere so people could be educated about the sport.
> If the annual lumberjack competition can be seen on ESPN surely something
> could be worked out!!! (I know I'm dreaming here but it's a desperate
> situation!)..

Deae Scott - Re: Tapes of USAFL games: You might want to contact the various USAFL clubs through their websites to see if they would be willing to copy pver tapes of their games for you. I do know that some of the spectators videotape games. Also, for AFL match tapes, you can always order tapes through the AFANA catalog, which can be viewed on-line at the site here.

Lisa Albergo
AFANA AFANA

> BTW, was FSW's price for allowing CTVSN access to AFL more than last year?
> Is that why it was too much money for them to swallow?

let me get this correct. the AFL was paying FSW to cover aussie rules then FSW was charging CTVSN to access it???? the AFL needs to do something there if that is correct cos Ol Rupert is cashing in and we are the losers

> let me get this correct. the AFL was paying FSW to cover aussie rules then
> FSW was charging CTVSN to access it???? the AFL needs to do something
> there if that is correct cos Ol Rupert is cashing in and we are the losers

No, you've misinterpreted the comments here. As AFANA understands it, FOX Sports World's original contract required a fee for the coverage in 1999 and 2000. Whether they actually paid a fee I can't verify. That contract allowed them to "on-sell" the rights in Canada. The fees they were asking CTV Sportsnet for 2000 were deemed by CTVSN to be too high and they balked. At least that's the story we have.

The sports TV business is much different now than even 5 years ago. In the past, even most small sports received fees for coverage. Today, it is far more likely that niche products or their sponsors will *pay* to get them on the air. So, if the AFL is getting even $1 they are doing well. Why is this true? IMHO, the reason is that major sports now command such astronomical fees that networks lose money on them. Accordingly, they must make that up elsewhere and that means minor sports and infomercials, etc.

-Rob de Santos
-AFANA CEO