What is happening to Rugby and Australian Football TV coverage in the US?

No worries, mate.

Already being discussed on this thread in the Business & Media forum, where the following info was dislcosed by NYR Metros:

"The soccer channel will devote about 80 percent of its programming to first-run soccer games and programs, dropping motorsports coverage from its current lineup but retaining limited coverage of sports like rugby."

Sounds like the problem has been solved. And in turn, it seems that the change at FSW is purely cosmetic, and in name only, for the most part.

 

It would make sense that AFL coverage continue on Fox Soccer Channel, since Fox (FoxTel, Fox Footy Channel, etc...) produces most of the coverage.

 

Not to mention that any match that originally airs on Nine or Ten immediately or eventually gets re-aired on Fox Footy here, so there's the full range of matches and highlights for the Fox Footy people to pick and choose from, for world-wide distribution.

At this juncture, I don't think the volume of AFL coverage on the "new and improved" FSW is going to differ much from years past.

 

Keep watching the AFANA site for future developments. AFANA keep pressure on the AFL all the time to keep footy on the TV in the US and Canada.

The AFL are tightening the purse strings all the time and are not happy with the return on sending the tapes overseas. (Fox Sports International in London currently have all TV rights to International Footy to expire in 2006.)

However about 15% of "ALL" traffic through the official AFL website is now International. (Probably via their free radio match calls and delayed video of the games)
The AFL is currently looking at new blocking technology to enable them to telecast "live video" all matches through their website on a user pay service as per normal.

Is this the way they will go. Will they want everbody internationally eventually to watch footy on the small screen.

 

i read a press release a few days ago and it said that they were keeping it. i think its the same quote babytiger used from the other thread.

each year its an issue as to if we will get AFL and it seems each it isn't decided until the last minute. no knock on stlouis (from the quoted link above this post), but he's an anchor, not the one who decides the programming- anways, i thought the reason we get AFL is b/c murdoch's sons live in the US, and they put it on FSW to watch it? sounds zany but that was the rumor last year.

 

Even still, you have to consider Jeremy St. Louis as a trusted and worthy source, because he's a lot more on the inside than any of us are.

I would hope he's wrong, for the sake of you guys back home, but I might be more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

william,

i am not calling him a liar or anything like that. i am just saying that as an anchor, i don't think he is privy (sp.?) to all the info regarding the programming. hey, i trust him but i just don't think he know's exactly what will happen with AFL/Union.

his last sentence shows he really doesn't know-
"To my knowledge, FSWC is not rebranding itself at this time so some of their Rugby and Aussie Rules programming may remain in place. For how long though I do not know..."

 

I trust your judgement on this-- however, seeing that Jeremy is an employee of Fox Sports International, I think he's got a bit more knowledge on what is happening on the inside than you or I do.

Which is why I'm surprised of this apparent double-speak in the quote you're providing. (Mind you, he's speaking only of his involvement at FSW's Canadian network, which doesn't directly affect U.S. viewers.)

Or maybe, just maybe, the rebranded FSW hasn't made any final decision regarding their AFL coverage for the coming season.

 

Ref to the Aussie Rules matches on Fox USA in 2005.

One line of thinking is that Fox will do their usual last minute deal with the AFL.
However the other side say that Fox USA is not going to renew the current deal when it expires

It appears that the AFL are trying to resolve the issue behind the scenes and have asked 3rd parties for alternatives

On the USAFL forum they say that ESPN recently acknowledged that Aussie Rules telecasts helped them get established in the 1980`s. Apparently it was fairly popular back then.

Re my previous posting about the AFL and Telstra who run their web site only handling the game on the web internationally
The Aust Govt (Anti Competition Commission) has warned Telstra it will prosecute if it tries to exclude other Web hosts from this setup on all sports.
Interesting times are ahead

 

Apparently the AFL has recently cancelled all "domestic" subscriptions to its web site for watching the games. It has redirected them to Telstra Broadband Australia direct.
The ACC comments were directed to Telstra domestic only

The "international" service is still up and running on the AFL website. However the quality of this service is suspect according to some reports.
Does this mean that actual live video of the games on the website that was planned has been dropped.

The other question is will the AFL really "TRY" to get footy on US TV in 2005

 

I have to admit, I don't give a crap whether rugby is on Fox Sports World or not.

They make a mockery of the game. Long Live Setanta!

 

The latest is no AFL footy on Fox Soccer.

However there is something else developing.
The USAFL has done a 3 yr deal with the new ASTN network to telecast selected USAFL fixtures starting in 2005.
ASTN has affiliate deals being arranged with various networks apparently which gives them access to about 50 million homes.
The USAFL games will be replayed later on those networks -That is the plan.
Recruiting and sponsors the main focus.
The AFL has looked at the ASTN setup and for now will not use them, however the Australian Football League season is now close so anything could happen if they do not find another network to replace Fox.
All of this stuff posted on various forums.

 

This is from the United States Australian Football League website------

ASTN Announces Agreement with USAFL

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 2004--The All Sports Television Network (ASTN), a wholly owned subsidiary of OBN Holdings, Incorporated (OTCBB:OBNH - News), has announced the signing of an exclusive agreement to broadcast Australian Rules Football games held by the U.S. Australian Rules Football League. Under the three-year pact, OBN Holdings' subsidiary Eclectic Entertainment will produce the games that will be aired on ASTN. "Australian Rules Football is the most watched winter sport in Australia, and we believe that it will become extremely popular in the U.S. as well," stated Donald Wilson, acting ASTN General Manager. "We believe that the game will garner a great deal of interest in America and attract a new audience to the network. It has the physical elements of American football, the continual action of soccer and the higher scoring of basketball. We are planning to develop an aggressive marketing campaign to show the public what Aussie Football is and make it into a more widely viewed sport in America."

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The first game to be telecast will be on April 30 in Dallas Texas
Teams are East v West (Mississippi River is the divider) All players striving for US National selection (Team is called "The Revolution") to go to Melbourne in August for the 12 team comp- 2nd International Cup.
USAFL web site www.usfooty.com
ASTN web site www.astnetwork.com
OBN web site www. obn_tv.com

 

hardly a subsititute for afl footy, though i will get a kick out of seeing myself on TV (i'm playing in dallas for that east/west game)....for those who are interested however, the afl's international service is excellent -- every match digitized and available 24 hours after the final siren. obviously, the quality isn't as good as TV, but it's better than you would expect.

 

Just curious, in American dollars, how much do you have to shell out to Telstra for the international service?

I reference Telstra, since they're the ones maintaining the content on the AFL's official site.

Hope something along the lines of U.S. cable TV is resolved soon -- the Wizard Cup starts next weekend, and the regular home-and-away season starts in about six weeks from now.

 

If the AFL do not find another US TV network for 2005 the USAFL games will be better than nothing.
On the other hand if AFL games are shown by whoever and references to the USAFL games are made during the breaks, more fans will be exposed to the sport.
If the AFL is able to show live games internationally on their website as they have stated they are/were working on- what happens then to the TV games replays.

 

Here is an update for Aussie Rules.
We are only 23 days away from the regular AFL season bouncedown on March 24.
Still no news on US/Can TV cover, despite the efforts going on behind the scenes.
This happens every year -last minute deals

Ref USAFL and ASTN deal
Apparently 3 club groups have submitted formal bids to ASTN to host USAFL matches. These games will not schedule before mid April at least.
Talks are continuing