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Why is no one complaining about Grand Final on FSP???? Shouldn't it be on Fox Sports 1 or 2???

I have DirecTV and I used to have Fox Sports Plus but cancelled it because paying $15 a month for one channel and receive most of the programming is SD not HD seemed ridiculous to me. 

So not only should pre-game and post-game be telecast, it should be on FS1 or FS2! Who's with me on this????

Thanks

Hi,

Thanks for posting.

The answers are pretty easy. It's about expectations. A bit of history first.

As an American who has fought and fought for AFL coverage here for 19 years I don't expect a free lunch. I know it's going to be hard and it won't be cheap. That doesn't mean I don't want coverage on Fox Sports 1 or 2, it's simply not something I think I can realistically expect. AFANA pushes for it but are expectations are tempered by reality.

For over half of the past 20 years, we had to fight to get any AFL coverage at all. Often the only live game we had all year was the Grand Final and getting it anywhere on US TV was a win. Being picky that it wasn't where we ideally wanted it wasn't a point we could argue.

In 2014, the AFL and Fox contract does not guarantee coverage on anything other than Fox Soccer Plus. Fox can opt for Fox Sports 2 but it's up to them. Given that we can't even get full coverage of pre- and post-game, it seems that fighting for FS2 is banging our heads against the wall. Further, that without sponsors and better ratings for the existing coverage on FS2, we're asking for the impossible. What FOX is doing giving us coverage now on FS2 is a gift horse. It's meant the most extensive coverage in total hours and numbers of matches that we've ever seen in the US. 

Do we want more? Yes. Let's get full Grand Final coverage first then worry about that it's not on the "best" network.

Addendums: For example, lot's of folks wish ESPN had the coverage. Again, lack of ratings and sponsors is the problem AND Fox has the contract until the end of the 2016 season. As for the cost of FSP, it comes down to how important the footy is to you. Like anything else in life, each of us places a value on it. If the cost exceeds the value to you, you do without. Footy has never been free here. DirecTV is a special problem. They simply refuse to air "upconverted" video. If the source is not in HD, then it won't air on the HD channel, only on the SD channel. Since Seven won't do the AFL in true HD, then any Seven match aired here goes only on the SD versions of Fox channels. Blame DirecTV and Seven.

-Rob
AFANA Chairman and Site Admin

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