Post by SFC on Nov 10, 2004 6:23:13 GMT 10
I have no sympathy what so ever!!...at least other fans of other sports can at least feel a bit of what us football fans have been feeling regarding tv coverage of our game!
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No more free TV rides
By GEOFF ROACH
10nov04
YESTERDAY'S revelation that coverage of Australia's 2005 Ashes Tour of England will almost certainly be confined to subscription television should not surprise anyone with any knowledge of TV trends and markets.
Indeed, it's both an indelible sign of the times and a clear harbinger that the days of a free TV ride for sports fans are irretrievably numbered.
So much so that afficionados intent on watching the world's great international contests in future should do themselves a favour and start committing now to a savings plan.
Because it's near enough to certain that, before too much longer, they will all be available only on pay-TV outlets like Fox Sports.
The Ashes example is likely to prove merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Although the series remains on the Government's anti-siphoning list of cultural and sporting events - which allows free-to-air networks first dibs at securing the rights - none of Australia's commercial outfits are even remotely likely to bid. While both the Nine and Seven networks claim they have not yet made a final decision, it is understood each considers - probably correctly - that it would be on a hiding to nothing by obtaining the cricket.
On Nine, early evening coverage would inevitably clash with some of the network's highest rating programs as well as with weekend committments to AFL, rugby league, Wimbledon and golf's majors.
And struggling Seven - which obtained the 2001 tour rights but was savaged nationally for failing to screen the first session of play each night - is apparently not prepared to mess with what will be a crucial prime-time programming schedule next year.
With coverage of cricket alien to both Network 10 and SBS's demographics - and the ABC unable to afford more than radio coverage - Fox Sports will have the field to itself.
Which means cricket lovers wanting to watch the series in their own homes will need to find at least $50 a month for a basic Foxtel subscription.
Such a prospect is likely to promote a similar outcry to that which followed SBS's decision to drop coverage of English Premier League soccer this year because of the cost.
But neither the government, nor anyone else can compel free-to-air TV to cover the series. All they could do - and it is highly unlikely - is provide sufficient finance to cover the cost.
Certainly Fox Sports - not to mention clubs and pubs with pay-TV subscriptions - will be delighted to maintain coverage of the all-conquering Australians overseas after obtaining record viewing numbers during the just-completed four-Test series in India.
Yesterday the company claimed an impressive 2.99 million different Australians saw the India series - overtaking the previous highest figures for the 2001 Australia-India series and the Tests in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Additionally, the station's 100 hours of live action achieved an average share of 13 percent of all subscription pay TV shown in October.
"The figure demonstrates the high level of interest in our exclusive programming," said Fox Sports chief executive David Malone. "The India series has been fantastic. I think public interest in history being created grew after the first Test and because people could watch it live."
Fox Sports will continue its live overseas coverage of Test cricket by showing the India-South Africa and South-Africa-England series throughout November and December.
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No more free TV rides
By GEOFF ROACH
10nov04
YESTERDAY'S revelation that coverage of Australia's 2005 Ashes Tour of England will almost certainly be confined to subscription television should not surprise anyone with any knowledge of TV trends and markets.
Indeed, it's both an indelible sign of the times and a clear harbinger that the days of a free TV ride for sports fans are irretrievably numbered.
So much so that afficionados intent on watching the world's great international contests in future should do themselves a favour and start committing now to a savings plan.
Because it's near enough to certain that, before too much longer, they will all be available only on pay-TV outlets like Fox Sports.
The Ashes example is likely to prove merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Although the series remains on the Government's anti-siphoning list of cultural and sporting events - which allows free-to-air networks first dibs at securing the rights - none of Australia's commercial outfits are even remotely likely to bid. While both the Nine and Seven networks claim they have not yet made a final decision, it is understood each considers - probably correctly - that it would be on a hiding to nothing by obtaining the cricket.
On Nine, early evening coverage would inevitably clash with some of the network's highest rating programs as well as with weekend committments to AFL, rugby league, Wimbledon and golf's majors.
And struggling Seven - which obtained the 2001 tour rights but was savaged nationally for failing to screen the first session of play each night - is apparently not prepared to mess with what will be a crucial prime-time programming schedule next year.
With coverage of cricket alien to both Network 10 and SBS's demographics - and the ABC unable to afford more than radio coverage - Fox Sports will have the field to itself.
Which means cricket lovers wanting to watch the series in their own homes will need to find at least $50 a month for a basic Foxtel subscription.
Such a prospect is likely to promote a similar outcry to that which followed SBS's decision to drop coverage of English Premier League soccer this year because of the cost.
But neither the government, nor anyone else can compel free-to-air TV to cover the series. All they could do - and it is highly unlikely - is provide sufficient finance to cover the cost.
Certainly Fox Sports - not to mention clubs and pubs with pay-TV subscriptions - will be delighted to maintain coverage of the all-conquering Australians overseas after obtaining record viewing numbers during the just-completed four-Test series in India.
Yesterday the company claimed an impressive 2.99 million different Australians saw the India series - overtaking the previous highest figures for the 2001 Australia-India series and the Tests in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Additionally, the station's 100 hours of live action achieved an average share of 13 percent of all subscription pay TV shown in October.
"The figure demonstrates the high level of interest in our exclusive programming," said Fox Sports chief executive David Malone. "The India series has been fantastic. I think public interest in history being created grew after the first Test and because people could watch it live."
Fox Sports will continue its live overseas coverage of Test cricket by showing the India-South Africa and South-Africa-England series throughout November and December.
