Soceroos on FTA from 2014 ...

[povman_2009]

This article from the Telegraph this morning ...

SOCCEROOS World Cup qualifying matches will return to free-to-air television after the Rudd Government vowed to add them to the anti-siphoning list.

But the move will not come into effect until 2014, after Communications Minister Stephen Conroy accepted Football Federation Australia's pleas that to do so now would cost them millions of dollars in penalties over their existing deal.

FFA signed a seven-year contract in 2006 worth $120 million which ensured all Socceroos home qualifying matches - plus the A-League - would be exclusive on Fox Sports.

Conroy investigated implementing the laws before 2014, but understood the significance of the Fox deal, which would be jeopardised if qualifiers were added to the list now.

"We will be placing the Socceroos matches on the anti-siphoning list in the near future, however, there is a significant financial penalty for FFA if this overlaps with the terms of its contract with Fox Sports," Conroy said yesterday.

"The listing will only come into effect at the end of the existing contract. Socceroos World Cup qualifiers are of national importance to Australians. Like the Wallabies, Kangaroos, Ashes cricket Tests and Australian Open tennis, these matches should be available to all Australians.

"These matches are of national importance and should be protected by the anti-siphoning list."

[BIG RED]

I wonder what the new TV rights $s will be and/or could have been when 2014 comes round?

[Real Football]

Hi all this is my first post....be gentle.

I think this is a good idea for obvious reasons. I just hope that whoever gets the rights will treat football with respect and not bastardize it Channel 7 did so all those years ago with the rights to the old NSL.

I am sure that FFA will be in a good bargaining position by that stage to have a big say at how the content will be presented etc.

[the_gun]

why cant the government just pay out the ffa the money they would loose by taking it of foxtel and putting it onto free to air tv?

[Fork Sake]

Being a national side it should be on FTA.
But Fox does it better.
How did Channel 7 bastardise NSL?
I thought it was great when they picked it up.
But I reiterate - Fox does it better!

[the_gun]

back then soccer was nowhere near as popular as it is now, lets face it.