[westcoast929406]

In very good news for our international expansion US media giant ESPN will up to 2011 cover AFL as well for the UK and Ireland. Currently ESPN are showing Aussie Rules into Sub-Sahara Africa.
At long last the AFL has recognised the reality of international coverage, and they have again added the comment that there is a large base of fans in the UK.
What about the US and Canada?
Link---
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/defa...x?newsid=81754

[RichardL]

ESPN look to be snapping up most of what Setanta were showing, and extra in some cases.
Three AFL games a week is good news, but it drops down to 2 and 1 a week in the finals for some reason (it's 1 for the last two weeks).

I'll just have to wait now and see what times the games are on. My nightmare scenario is them showing the NRL as well, with the AFL live games being the afternoon games, showing at times only suitable for shift workers.

Viewing figures for AFL on Setanta weren't great though, it has to be said. It did suffer from be shunted to Setanta 2, which did well to get more than 15000 viewers for its top rated show each week, but this season only 7 AFL broadcasts made it into the Setanta 2 top 10 in any week - and two of those were highlights shows.

It does have to be said, in mitigation, that Setanta did show very few games at decent times this year.


ESPN are really going for it with the football though. 46 premier league games. 30 Scottish League. Up to 5 a week from the Bundesliga. 2 a week from Holland. 2 a week from Russia, and also MLS and the Portuguese league. Quite a lot to squeeze onto one channel.

[westcoast929406]

Originally Posted by RichardL

ESPN look to be snapping up most of what Setanta were showing, and extra in some cases.
Three AFL games a week is good news, but it drops down to 2 and 1 a week in the finals for some reason (it's 1 for the last two weeks).

I'll just have to wait now and see what times the games are on. My nightmare scenario is them showing the NRL as well, with the AFL live games being the afternoon games, showing at times only suitable for shift workers.

Viewing figures for AFL on Setanta weren't great though, it has to be said. It did suffer from be shunted to Setanta 2, which did well to get more than 15000 viewers for its top rated show each week, but this season only 7 AFL broadcasts made it into the Setanta 2 top 10 in any week - and two of those were highlights shows.

It does have to be said, in mitigation, that Setanta did show very few games at decent times this year.


ESPN are really going for it with the football though. 46 premier league games. 30 Scottish League. Up to 5 a week from the Bundesliga. 2 a week from Holland. 2 a week from Russia, and also MLS and the Portuguese league. Quite a lot to squeeze onto one channel.

Thanx for the viewing figures for Setanta in the UK. We are very sus about AFL House saying things that are bending the truth.
We would be delighted if they had a large UK base but anecdotally we dont think so. Most UK Sports viewers do not know much about the game from our observations.
A campaign is going on to get the Beeb to publish the weekly AFL scores and summary on its web site. So far to no avail although they have opened a Aussie Rules blog on their 606 section, which is attracting some interest. But then again the AFL do not push it either internationally with the media.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/Article...loaded&show=20

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by westcoast929406

Thanx for the viewing figures for Setanta in the UK. We are very sus about AFL House saying things that are bending the truth.
We would be delighted if they had a large UK base but anecdotally we dont think so. Most UK Sports viewers do not know much about the game from our observations.
A campaign is going on to get the Beeb to publish the weekly AFL scores and summary on its web site. So far to no avail although they have opened a Aussie Rules blog on their 606 section, which is attracting some interest. But then again the AFL do not push it either internationally with the media.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/Article...loaded&show=20

The impression I tend to get is that people here think rugby league is the bigger sport in Australia.

People know of Aussie Rules, just as they know sports such as hurling exist in Ireland, but the general knowledge about the sport is limited to the absolute basics.

If ESPN do show games live at a reasonable time on their new channel, then it should get better viewing figures, just because of being on their main channel - it'll get more exposure. Setanta 2 viewing figures were typically poor across the board. A lot of papers didn't even cover the channel in their tv listings.

[westcoast929406]

Originally Posted by RichardL

The impression I tend to get is that people here think rugby league is the bigger sport in Australia.

People know of Aussie Rules, just as they know sports such as hurling exist in Ireland, but the general knowledge about the sport is limited to the absolute basics.

If ESPN do show games live at a reasonable time on their new channel, then it should get better viewing figures, just because of being on their main channel - it'll get more exposure. Setanta 2 viewing figures were typically poor across the board. A lot of papers didn't even cover the channel in their tv listings.

Will ESPN now pick the game up for the US and Canada. ESPN has heaps more cred than Setanta who it must be said took it up when no one else wanted it.
The original article mentioned that ESPN USA did show the game many years ago.
It is encouraging now ESPN have spread their cover internationally.

[westcoast929406]

While this is not strictly US type material we could not help ourselves to post it-
It is not often our game is highlighted internationally by a Heavyweight Media Group.
We like the "promo" for our game in their release.
This is the official ESPN UK Press Release---
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ESPN ADDS A BROAD RANGE OF LIVE AND EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO NEW CHANNEL
ESPN to broadcast the Ultimate Fighting Championship, TOP 14 ORANGE - French Rugby Championship, Australian Football League, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and FIBA European Basketball Championships

Following the recent acquisition of Barclays Premier League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League live matches and other international football rights, ESPN today announced that it has secured multiyear UK and Ireland rights to air the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), TOP 14 ORANGE (French Rugby Championship) and the Australian Football League (AFL). ESPN has also agreed a deal to broadcast the FIBA European Basketball Championship (“EuroBasket”) in September 2009, which features the Great Britain team after they qualified for the tournament for the first time since 1981, and a multiyear deal for the DTM - German Touring Car series.

These latest acquisitions will be broadcast on the new ESPN channel which is set to launch on Monday 3rd August on Sky Channel 417 and in High Definition on Sky Channel 443.

Announcing the latest rights acquisitions for ESPN, Jeroen Oerlemans, Vice President, TV Channels Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “ESPN’s aim is to serve UK and Ireland sports fans by bringing the very best of both domestic and international live sport to their living rooms. We are delighted to add UFC, TOP 14 ORANGE, the leading French Rugby Championship, the Australia Football League, EuroBasket and DTM to our growing portfolio of live sport. In addition to our Barclays Premier League and Clydesdale Bank Premier League coverage from this season we will continue to seek out and deliver the best sporting events from Europe and around the globe.”

Australian Football League (AFL)
The AFL is Australia’s most popular sport and its competition the second most attended sporting competition in the world. We will join the 2009 season at a critical point, with 4 rounds remaining and 12 teams battling for a place in the final 8. An action packed finals series will follow through to the AFL’s showpiece on the last Saturday of September – the AFL Grand Final.* ESPN will air weekly live games with the first match on Friday 7 August when Finals contender Carlton takes on 2007 Premiers Geelong in a blockbuster at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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