The AFL announced today that it had reached a three year deal (2012-2014) with Fox Sports for weekly AFL coverage on FOX Soccer Plus (FSP). FSP is the subscription channel counterpart to Fox Soccer (formerly Fox Soccer Channel and before that Fox Sports World). The cost will be $14.99 a month and FSP is available to customers of DirecTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, most Time-Warner and Brighthouse cable systems, Cablevision, Cox, BlueRidge, Bendbroadband, SureWest, FullChannel, Frontier, and RCN cable. The AFL was unable to come to a deal with ESPN for continued coverage on their outlets. Coverage will be two live matches per week typically (will vary occasionally) plus all finals live. The AFL Winners weekly highlight show will be available on FSP also. AFANA will post more detailed schedules in the next few days and update all of our TV pages to reflect this change in coverage. (TV pages have been updated) Canadian TV coverage will remain on TSN2 with one live match per week. (Addendum: 03/23/12: MHz has confirmed they will continue coverage this season with games on Monday nights at 10:00 PM EDT, repeated on Saturdays at 4:00 AM EDT. Matches will be edited to 2 hrs and they will not carry the highlights programs ("AFL Winners") this season on Saturdays. Also, FSP on some Time Warner systems which offer the Sports Pass package of channels, FSP will be just $5.99 -- price may vary slightly in some areas.)
The press release from Fox Sports (in part) reads as follows:
"FOX Soccer Plus, America’s premium television network dedicated to delivering the world’s best soccer and international sports, is the new U.S. television home of the Australian Football League. With origins dating back to 1858, the AFL is Australia’s most-attended domestic sporting competition and the highest level of Australian Rules Football in the world.
This exclusive media rights agreement brings coverage of live matches to FOX Soccer Plus beginning March 24, lasting through the 2014 season. Additionally, the network is carrying the AFL’s showcase event, the Grand Final, in September live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“The Australian Football League is one of the world’s unique sporting spectacles, and Australia’s most popular domestic competition,” said David Nathanson, General Manager of FOX Soccer.
“We are proud to bring fans across the United States access to this exciting game, with rivalries and traditions that match the passion of other elite leagues on our family of networks.”
AFL Chief Operating Officer, Gillon McLachlan echoes Nathanson’s sentiment regarding this landmark partnership, “The AFL is thrilled to announce a three-year partnership with FOX Soccer Plus in the United States that will see unprecedented live coverage of our game across the Premiership Season, Finals Series and Grand Final."
Combined with FOX Soccer Plus’ recent acquisition of Australia’s National Rugby League, the AFL agreement gives fans access to the most exciting sporting properties of the Southern Hemisphere. FOX Soccer Plus’ first AFL contest takes place on Saturday, March 24 when GWS Giants host Sydney Swans (4:00 a.m. ET). Coverage continues on Friday, March 30 as Hawthorn plays Collingwood (4:30 a.m. ET).
FOX Soccer Plus is carrying two AFL matches per week throughout the season, along with weekly hour-long highlight shows to recap each round of play."
We did want to point out that there is nothing "unprecedented" about this coverage despite what is stated in the press release. More extensive live coverage was available on Setanta Sports US before it failed. AFANA recognizes that not all fans will be pleased with the coverage on FSP as it is isn't available on many cable systems. We also realize that the return to a subscription service will not please everyone. However, it was this or nothing in 2012. Coverage will continue to be available on LiveSport.tv (which has the LiveAFL.tv service). The fate of coverage on MHz Networks is unclear.
Article last changed on Sunday, April 22, 2012 - 12:44 PM EDT
Comments
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
It's been a very interesting ride over the past 10 years as to how AFL has been made available to the US. 10 years ago, it was Fox Sports World, which later changed its name to the Fox Soccer Channel. At the time, we were able to get this channel via our local cable TV provider. Then, when AFL went to Setanta, we initially tried the ill-fated ITVN. The streaming quality was average at best, but often problematic. When ITVN's looming bankruptcy became evident less than a year later, we dropped our local cable TV provider and went to DirecTV to continue getting Setanta. Within 2 years (if I recall correctly), Setanta dropped AFL coverage just before finals started in 2009 due to their own financial troubles. ESPN then picked up coverage and (thankfully) because of who our internet service provider is and my Xbox Live Gold membership, we were able to watch the games on ESPN3 in HD via our Xbox 360. When Setanta went bust, I recall being concerned with how well ESPN would provide AFL content; but as it turned out, the coverage on ESPN3 was the best that we ever had since it was the first time that we had been able to watch the games in HD.
Since we retained DirecTV after the demise of Setanta, we're already prepared to subscribe to Fox Soccer Plus, even though it means an additional $14.99/month subscription fee. My only concern about Fox Soccer Plus is whether they'll broadcast the games in HD or not. Since we have a DVR, even if the some of the games are in the wee hours of the morning, we'll just watch them off of the DVR the next day. That's what we used to do with Setanta and could also do that with ESPN3 (at least via the Xbox 360) since they retained all of the 2011 season games for streaming well past the Grand Final (including the Grand Final).
Though AFL coverage has changed hands multiple times over the years, through all of it, our main source of knowing where AFL is going to be available has been AFANA. I want to personally thank Rob here at AFANA for being so diligent in keeping all of us footy fans throughout North America notified about AFL coverage.
Go Cats!
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Thanks Jamster for the kind words.
My understanding is that where FSP-HD is available, the games will be in HD provided the source is in HD. Unfortunately, although all the games are in widescreen 16x9, only the matches done by Foxtel are in HD. Seven is doing almost every match in SD. You can find great blog and web posts about how most Aussies feel about that. I recommend you Google "Ed Wyatt". His comments are dead on. (Side note: Ed worked at Fox Sports World back in the day.)
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Hi Mont,
As far as we know, Comcast systems don't offer Fox Soccer Plus. We have heard rumors on Facebook that one or two might but that is unconfirmed.
Fox Soccer Plus is not the same as Fox Soccer. FSP is the subscription 2nd channel and many systems that offer Fox Soccer do not offer FSP as it is a one off subscription channel. AFL games will be on FSP almost entirely from what we are told. We have no indication that any will be on Fox Soccer but we can't rule that out.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
I don't think the late announcement was ever the AFL's intention. Unfortunately, it unfolded that way.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Note to the anonymous commenter who posted a comment implying his only option was to illegally download the matches using a well known downloading method:
AFANA knows this goes on and we know some fans do it now and will continue to do it. We understand why some fans do it. We could even tell people how to do it and where. But we won't. Nor will we publish comments and forum posts advocating it. It's not a moral question for us. Simply put: if we endorse that in any way the AFL and the TV networks will stop working with us and our ability to help fans will be damaged. Further, given that sites that promote such activity are now being seized by the government, we have even more legal reasons not to be part of it in any way. As a result, your comment will not be published.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
The message in question referred to a very specific downloading method not to LiveAFL.tv.
I am not aware of a public e-mail address for the AFL Commission. There is a contact form at the AFL web site that lets you indicated where to send your message. My guess is that the commission is not one of the options In any case, I doubt they care much about the issues here except from a public relations standpoint and that is limited to being able to say they broadcast the sport outside Australia.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
See the addendum added to the main article above. Some Time Warner systems offer a package of sports channels that includes FSP for only $5.99 a month and if you get HD through TW you also get FSP-HD.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
The games will be sourced from both Seven Network and Foxtel and will vary from week to week. See comments elsewhere in this thread on the HD v SD issues.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Thanks, Thom, for the correction. That said, this is getting pretty far off-topic. Any further discussion of soccer or soccer programming in this vein, I will either move it to the forums or delete it. (See our terms and conditions). It's not that I have an issue with soccer it's simply that there are mucho places on the web to talk about that. We're an Aussie rules site so let's all stay closer to home.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
As noted previously, some outlets offer both FSP and FSP-HD and some do not. Apparently Verizon FiOS does not offer FSP-HD in your area. That's unfortunate. Count yourself lucky that you get FSP and at a lower price. Such is life. What the NRL matches are produced in and how they are handled we don't know. We are drifting off-topic, too.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Any MHZ coverage coming??
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
Hi Spencer,
We are hoping MHz continues, too. We don't have any word yet and as soon as we do we will update the article and post a note here.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
See the addendum in the main article. MHz will be continuing this season.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
MHz Worldview
Two good reasons for Australian rules football seen on MHz Worldview:
1.) It's on during prime time.
2.) You don't even have to be a cable subscriber to see it.
Both of these reasons create the opportunity for casual viewers to see the game for the first time and possibly become new fans.
The other two viewing options for the U. S. this year, Fox Soccer Plus and afl.livesport.tv require a monthly fee. That right there sharply limits the opportunity to bring in new fans. I am very happy there continues to be a free viewing option for casual viewers. Free, yes, but support for local public TV stations, especially those that carry MHz Worldview, is a good idea. I donate to our local affiliate annually.
MHz Worldview now has updated information and graphics on their website and Facebook page.
They report their AFL games will also be streamed on their website. MHz Worldview started streaming their channel on their website early this year. They also say their games will continue to be available on Roku.
I have signed up for afl.livesport.tv. I would prefer watching the games here on my TV rather than my computer, so I got a 50ft. HDMI cable (brand name BlueRigger purchased from Amazon) which I plug in between my computer and TV. Looks and sounds fine but I have yet to figure out how to go to full screen mode on the TV and I probably need a new wireless router to clear up problems with occasional freeze-ups. See how much trouble we go to? Really, if I had my way the Fox Footy channel would be available here in the U. S.
Re: MHz Worldview
The strategy behind having coverage on MHz Networks is precisely to expose the game to new fans and provide a broadcast outlet for the sport. We will have a full report on MHz plans for 2012 early next week.
No one needs explain how much trouble fans go to in order to see the sport. AFANA is the shining example of that. The fans who volunteer to produce this web site, post the schedules, run the tipping comps, do our public relations and media work, etc. almost all do it behind the scenes. You hear from me and not them. They are the quiet soldiers here and I couldn't make AFANA work without them.
You won't get the Fox Footy channel here anytime soon due to rights issues. Fans have been asking about that for more years than I remember. It's just not going to happen. If it did, it wouldn't be free. If fans complain about paying now, that would be worse. Be careful what you wish for.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: MHz Worldview
Re: MHz Worldview
Thom, that is not entirely correct. For the past several seasons, MHz has carried the matches on a 8 to 10 day delay. This was the result of the contract that precluded them from airing the matches until at least 7 days after the round concluded to protect the rights of ESPN and other rights holders who had exclusive live rights. The Winners is produced after the round and thus is "one week" late to start with. Add the 7 day window, and you get the 2 weeks you refer to.
This season, it appears that, based on the initial schedules, the matches will be on only a 1 to 3 day delay but we haven't confirmed that with MHz yet. MHz will not have the highlights this season.
As with any other network and with the AFL, if you write to them and do not get a response or a satisfactory response, forward your complete set of communications to AFANA and we will intercede on your behalf. We are often able to reach people that the normal "consumer" channels cannot or provide information not available to the public via their web sites. It's part of what we do for fans. You do not need to be a member of AFANA for us to help you but we need the support of fans to continue.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: MHz Worldview
Re: MHz Worldview
Yes. That is shown on the schedule on our TV page and on our Google TV/Events Calendar. It should be a regularly scheduled time all season on MHz.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
"AFL Winners" returns to MHz Worldview" April 13 11:00pm Eastern, thereafter weekly on Saturdays at 2:00pm Eastern, according to their Facebook. Very happy!
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
We've also noted this change. Previously MHz had said they would not have the highlights this season so this is a welcome development. We will be updating our TV schedules page once we confirm the details directly with their programming staff.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
MHz Worldview did indeed air the highlight program on April 13 at 11:00pm Eastern (this week only according to their Facebook post) and again on April 14 at 2:00pm Eastern (make those times Central for me!). The program covered Round 2. It was not "AFL Winners" as seen last year but entitled "AFL Toyota Australian Football International". No clear indication if it was produced by the Seven Network, Fox Sports, or the AFL. The one hour program showed highlights and stats with an off-screen announcer (which was like the highlight program two years ago), whose voice was practically drowned-out by not-so-background music mixed up too high for my tastes. Very happy to see the highlights show still on this channel. The weekly Saturday afternoon time slot is fine with me. Prime time would be great but this will be OK, seeing as how they seem to have had to make a last-minute schedule change to make room for it. Maybe next year plans can be made months ahead of time to allow the weekly game in a three hour time slot again so we can see the pre-game, half-time, and post-game segments and return the highlight program to prime time. Seems like the new TV deal between the AFL and Australian broadcasters had a ripple effect worldwide.
Re: Any MHZ coverage coming??
It is the AFL Winners program repackaged for an international audience based on the information provided to us by the networks and the AFL. It is produced by Foxtel so far as we know. MHz scheduling issues were probably due to the late contract resolution but this had more to do with the late resolution of the primary US coverage than anything else. MHz has secondary rights. The reason we reported on the Australian rights deal last year (as we have with AFL rights deal in Australia since 1996) is precisely because it can indirectly impact viewers outside Australia. However, in this case, those impacts had little to do with the MHz coverage and far more to do with internet rights and the impact on ESPN.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Our sources and other information I cannot disclose (but which was verified) suggested ESPN was still a possibility. When the TSN schedule was released that seemed to corroborate that possibility. Throughout, ESPN denied they were going to carry it. When we first publicized ESPN's denial in January, the AFL was upset and told us they were still negotiating. Where in the process ESPN fell off the chart, we may never be sure. In the end, a deal was done with FOX, which seemed a very unlikely partner in mid-January. Call it a case of 2 minus 2 equals 0.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
You are welcome.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Hi,
Let's make sure no one is confused. There are two networks producing the matches in Australia: Foxtel and Seven. Foxtel in Australia and Fox Soccer in the US have the same parent (NewsCorp) but are different companies in different countries with different contracts.
In Australia, Seven is producing virtually all of its matches in SD but 16x9 format. Foxtel is producing 100% in HD. Therefore, when and if you see a Seven match on Fox Soccer Plus HD here it will be upconverted and thus not genuine HD. A Seven match on FSP SD will be reformatted to 4x3. When you see a Foxtel match on FSP HD it will be true HD. A Foxtel match on FSP SD will downcoverted and reformatted.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Hi Jason,
Your comment and the following refers to Australian not US coverage. I don't want anyone confused by this side discussion. The Foxtel in this comment refers to the Australian network not Fox Soccer Plus in the US.
In Australia, Foxtel is airing every match. Some are produced by Foxtel and some by Seven but Foxtel has the rights to air each. Exactly how they split this I haven't paid any attention to since it isn't relevant to viewers in the US or Canada. It may be well be that some are upconverted for Australian audiences, too. I do know which match is which for audiences here because I have information on that from other sources.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Hi Gregg,
Thanks for the kind words. They have been in short supply the past 48 hours. You are correct about the economics of the situation. $14.99 for 8 matches. As we said back when Setanta had the coverage: that's about $1.87 a match. If footy isn't worth that to you then it's not very important. Still, everyone has to set their own value for footy and everything else in their life. If money is tight, it's understandable that this isn't welcome news.
There is an article on our front page about the AFL draw for 2012. The Saturday 2 PM match in Melbourne is becoming a distant memory. With barely one match per week in the afternoon, if that isn't a good match, then Fox has little option. The opening matches of the season are all evening or night games. Bad timing for North America. Part of the commitment is to show the sport live. That means use the DVR in my case, IF I can get FSP which doesn't look promising.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Hi Gregg,
We will certainly encourage the choice of the matches by FOX that best fit US time zones when we can. Your point is a good one.
The only proviso to that is that we also want to make sure traditional blockbusters, derby matches, critical late season matches affecting the top 8, etc. are aired and that every AFL club gets coverage. Unlike in Melbourne, US fans follow every club in varying degrees so that each club has at least some support. We also have to deal with the fact that due to the quirks in AFL scheduling, some clubs (e.g. Collingwood) get an abundance of night games and others (e.g. the Perth clubs) seem to get lots of Sunday matches. So to get a balance is tricky.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Thanks for the comment. See my comment below on the HD vs SD situation.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Re: AFL Coverage on Fox Soccer Plus for Next 3 Years
Thanks Nigel. Chalk up at least one happy camper.
-Rob
AFANA Chairman Emeritus and Site Admin