The arrangement is believed to be worth about $32 million to FFA, which is a reduction on the old contract but in line with other renegotiated broadcast deals accepted by other sports in recent weeks.
Crucially, according to sources, it stipulates the 2020-21 season will begin in December and finish in July, putting the A-League on course for a gradual switch from a summer to a winter sport.
Maybe a reduction in marquees/overseas players too? A reduction to the 3 + 1 model to align with ACL?
BREAKING: A-League set for winter switch after securing new Fox Sports deal https://t.co/kWd7l9tS7G via @smh
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) June 19, 2020
Pitch quality at shared venues (e.g. sky stadium) is going to be interesting - I imagine it's not easy to provide a flat surface shortly after a waterlogged July Rugby game.
What does a reduced salary cap mean when players have been signed for next season already.
What does a reduced salary cap mean when players have been signed for next season already.
Honestly, it would be the perfect time to scrap the cap.
BREAKING: A-League set for winter switch after securing new Fox Sports deal https://t.co/kWd7l9tS7G via @smh
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) June 19, 2020
True Independent Australasian League #GoOurTeam
Supporter For Ever - Keep The Faith - Foundation Member - Never Lets FAX Get In The Way Of A Good Yarn
Wouldnt consider it a big win,we struggle with crowds in the summer cant see June/July being any help at all. Also wonder what the state of some pitches will be like with other codes using them. Could also have an affect on the quality of football played due to conditions. Guess not much could have been done but think its going to be areal test of players and supporters
Can see why start delayed until December for season 2020/2021, to create semblance of an off season this year.
But beyond that only see more cons, than pros switching to a winter comp. Esp for the Nix
Don't really understand why Fox (or any future broadcaster) would be keen.
Apart from cricket, basketball and a month of tennis, summer in Australia is a bit short of sporting 'product' to broadcast. But in the winter you have the other 3 big football codes, all competing for eyeballs.
Seems like the ambition is almost a back to the future semi-pro NSL setup.
OFFICIAL
— Football Federation Australia (@FFA) June 19, 2020
Football to continue on Fox Sports through to July 2021.
The new agreement will no longer see the #FFACup broadcast on Fox Sports.
— FFA Cup (@FFACup) June 19, 2020
FFA will consider innovative new broadcast arrangements for the only truly national Cup competition in Australian sport. https://t.co/vwSR6RzGrf
How would such a move affect the Nix at Sky Stadium with the Hurricanes & the Lions also wanting to use it?
How would such a move affect the Nix at Sky Stadium with the Hurricanes & the Lions also wanting to use it?
Maybe the time has finally come for us to find/fund our own boutique stadium. How many seats would it need?
Covered would be nice, but probably too expensive. But something we didn't have to share with other winter codes would make a lot of sense.
How would such a move affect the Nix at Sky Stadium with the Hurricanes & the Lions also wanting to use it?
Maybe the time has finally come for us to find/fund our own boutique stadium. How many seats would it need?
Covered would be nice, but probably too expensive. But something we didn't have to share with other winter codes would make a lot of sense.
Hutt Wreck!!
Seems like people quickly forget the bush fire smoke and heat in Aus from earlier this year. Which is only going to get worse with climate change. Lots of talk then about how crazy it is to play football in Aus summer. admittedly its very different in wgtn. But it still is the Australian league.
BREAKING: A-League set for winter switch after securing new Fox Sports deal https://t.co/kWd7l9tS7G via @smh
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) June 19, 2020
Pitch quality at shared venues (e.g. sky stadium) is going to be interesting - I imagine it's not easy to provide a flat surface shortly after a waterlogged July Rugby game.
Yeah, picturing Suncorp, which has been pretty dodgy at the best of times
Dont buy the smoke and heat argument for summer. Yes it is extremely hot a 3-5pm, but at 8pm it does drop and you're not in direct sun.
Smoke, while yes, absolutely terrible, it didnt affect everyday, depends on the wind direction. Lets hope its not frequent.
Moving to winter would self sabotage. Aleague has zero coverage as is in Aus. Moving it to middle of winter we wouldn't even get a mention in the paper with AFL and NRL
Dont buy the smoke and heat argument for summer. Yes it is extremely hot a 3-5pm, but at 8pm it does drop and you're not in direct sun.
Smoke, while yes, absolutely terrible, it didnt affect everyday, depends on the wind direction. Lets hope its not frequent.
Moving to winter would self sabotage. Aleague has zero coverage as is in Aus. Moving it to middle of winter we wouldn't even get a mention in the paper with AFL and NRL
Sure you have a good point about viewership. but do AFL and NRL supporters even watch A league in summer ? Will it make that much difference?
Counter argument here is that grass roots football is played in winter, so that support base is football focused at that time of the year and more likely to tune into A league games, than summer when the kids are either playing cricket or at the beach.
I think there are pro's and con's to both options. But things like alignment with the rest of football in winter. Being able to introduce Pro / Rel more easily in Aus and getting more grass roots support at that time of year are good things.
Think you are over estimating the interest 'grass root football fans' have in the A league. It's been pretty obvious with some of the recent happenings there isnt much love. Just like in NZ you couldnt say grass roots football has shown much interest in supporting the Phoenix. Not convinced at all that having games in June/July will do any thing for attendances. I for one am hoping it's only for one season.
Alot of the talk on Australia forums is about trying to re connect with grass roots football and Aus football culture over there. The Gallop experiment of trying to lure NRL and AFL (big bash style) fans to watch A league in summer has been a failure. I can relate to that.
Worried about winter games in Welly for sure. Can understand the climate change and fire season. Always enjoyed the summer nature of the league tho.
Despite the weather today winter is pretty settled in Wellington, certainly compared to spring. I actually think its our best season.
Despite the weather today winter is pretty settled in Wellington, certainly compared to spring. I actually think its our best season.
Mr Positive
I prefer the A League in summer.
But I guess the necessary (due to Covid) later start and finish to season 2020/2021 gives the FFA/NLWG a chance to experiment. Reset.
Both live crowds and TV audiences have been dropping. Main reason why Fox weren't happy, and wanted to hugely decrease (nearly a 50% drop??) the TV rights deal. This issue started well before Covid.
So something had to happen to try address the decline in crowds & TV eyeballs. I see next season as a semi experiment. Something had to give.
With the season to finish in July 2021 there will be a good 3-4 months when grassroots football and the A League overlap. If there is a noticeable increase in crowds from March-April onwards, then yes a switch to a proper winter league could be warranted.
Maybe a better connect to grass roots clubs could work. After a full day of football at Altona Magic FC, free busloads of kids and adults going to a Western United evening game. Same with Redlands United and the Roar. Tawa AFC and the Nix. etc etc
I guess it's worth a try. After all "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."
If it's in winter at least we won't lose crowds to the Christmas season or Bathurst. We might miss the pre-Christmas game but we could always have a midyear Christmas one anyway - or celebrate the Winter Solstice like it is today - June 21st. Happy Shortest Day of the year everyone.
Is there a saying "nothing's beats Wellington on a good day"?
I'm guessing there will be less of those
Difficult place to sell at the best of times to the ausi and foreign players
Don't think this helps us
Other than the colder weather I think the other major downer of playing games in the winter is that they'll always be played in the dark (the sun sets at 5 here, 4:50 in Sydney, and 5:20 in Perth) so the games would be a lot less likely to attract a family wanting to go out somewhere for the afternoon.
Other than the colder weather I think the other major downer of playing games in the winter is that they'll always be played in the dark (the sun sets at 5 here, 4:50 in Sydney, and 5:20 in Perth) so the games would be a lot less likely to attract a family wanting to go out somewhere for the afternoon.
Sunday 3pm kick offs?
That's 1pm AEDT, it's unlikely Fox will be keen on too many of those.
Despite the weather today winter is pretty settled in Wellington, certainly compared to spring. I actually think its our best season.
I'll remember that the next time someone compares the a-league to the Premier league
Not convinced grassroots people are going to support in any greater numbers than they do in a summer comp. If any thing would have thought it could have an adverse affect. Long time since i frequented a clubrooms so not sure how busy they are any longer,but wouldnt think many would want to leave after settling in after a game to venture out in a southerly to watch football at nite. As i said before as a one off due to Covid yeah fine but couldnt see it working long term.
Not convinced grassroots people are going to support in any greater numbers than they do in a summer comp. If any thing would have thought it could have an adverse affect. Long time since i frequented a clubrooms so not sure how busy they are any longer,but wouldnt think many would want to leave after settling in after a game to venture out in a southerly to watch football at nite. As i said before as a one off due to Covid yeah fine but couldnt see it working long term.
Supporter For Ever - Keep The Faith - Foundation Member - Never Lets FAX Get In The Way Of A Good Yarn
That's 1pm AEDT, it's unlikely Fox will be keen on too many of those.
Was talking in the context of next season. Whether anyone will be willing to pay serious money for broadcasting rights beyond that is anyone's guess right now.
If we're going back to winter, mid-afternoon kick offs is probably worth a shout, for at least one of the games. Think there is a lot potential to work in with the football clubs to get players along. Anyway nice to be back to talking about stuff that is far away and comparatively inconsequential...
If we're going back to winter, mid-afternoon kick offs is probably worth a shout, for at least one of the games. Think there is a lot potential to work in with the football clubs to get players along. Anyway nice to be back to talking about stuff that is far away and comparatively inconsequential...
When I lived in Wellington I loved summer football. Going to Westpac to watch the Nix on a warm summers day was the highlight of the weekend for our family. Nothing better than walking back along the water front after the match and getting a thumbs up from Nix fans after a good win.
The elephant in the room for winter football in NZ is egg ball. Rugby is like some giant Death Star that sucks the life out of every other sports code in NZ. Over summer there is a window where apart from some cricket there is not much else on for sports fans. The Nix pick up quite a lot of publicity and coverage in this period. Plus I am sure that there a plenty of rugby fans in Wellington who enjoy going to see the Nix play. Football going head to head in winter with egg ball would be a disaster for football. The Nix would be competing in those weekend time slots directly with egg ball for TV viewers and paying fans. Slam dunk for egg ball.
When I lived in Wellington I loved summer football. Going to Westpac to watch the Nix on a warm summers day was the highlight of the weekend for our family. Nothing better than walking back along the water front after the match and getting a thumbs up from Nix fans after a good win.
The elephant in the room for winter football in NZ is egg ball. Rugby is like some giant Death Star that sucks the life out of every other sports code in NZ. Over summer there is a window where apart from some cricket there is not much else on for sports fans. The Nix pick up quite a lot of publicity and coverage in this period. Plus I am sure that there a plenty of rugby fans in Wellington who enjoy going to see the Nix play. Football going head to head in winter with egg ball would be a disaster for football. The Nix would be competing in those weekend time slots directly with egg ball for TV viewers and paying fans. Slam dunk for egg ball.
That's true but rugby was already trying to encroach on the summer codes. Super rugby was moved forward to a January 31st start this year, about 3 weeks earlier than the previous norm. Realistically if COV-19 hadn't hit you were only going to have December and maybe the first week or two of January before all the rugby coverage started again in any non Rugby World Cup year given the end of year tour usually wraps up in late November.
not a fan at all of winter football (hate watching it here in the UK in the wind, rain and snow), summer is so much better as the Prem/Championship is showing...
BUT
We could use Welli’s terrible winter weather to our advantage, players from Australia, espWA and Queensland would die in those conditions.
I don't see any advantages in this at all for the nIx - only big negetives