Foxtel, Seven in AFLW TV deal

THE AFL has secured a four-year TV deal believed to be worth $2.5 million for its women’s competition, with all games to be broadcast during that period.

Foxtel will show every AFLW game live from 2019 to 2022 while Channel 7 will show two games on a Saturday each round in 2019, as well as all non-Victorian club matches into local markets.

Head of AFLW Nicole Livingstone said the cost of broadcasting the games, believed to be between $60,000 and $100,000, will be covered by Foxtel and Channel 7 and the league will also be paid a fee.

“There is a fee … but importantly for us as well, production costs are covered,” she said.

“A four-year deal obviously offers the ability for us to guarantee broadcast, which is brilliant, but it’s also from a network point of view, they see the value in AFLW, they see the value in women’s sport.

“It’s not costing the AFL anything to broadcast AFLW.

“I think it’s exciting. It’s exciting for AFLW, it’s also exciting for women’s sport to continue to grow.”

Both networks will broadcast all finals throughout the four-year deal.

The season was kept at seven home and away games in 2019 despite the inclusion of new sides North Melbourne and Geelong, but semi-finals have been added ahead of the grand final.

The season begins on Saturday, February 2 when Geelong host Collingwood at GMHBA Stadium from 6.40pm.