This would have stunned the upper echelons of TV sports programming, because nobody watches women’s sport, right? MS UNDERSTOOD
Everyone knows that there are sports, as in proper sports, and then there are women’s sports.
Since nobody is apparently interested in watching women play footy, the Seven Network and Foxtel generously decided to help boost the profile of the fledgling AFL women’s league by agreeing to televise the eightgame season for 2017 and 2018.
Networks pay big dollars for events they think will rate well. The NRL scored a $ 1.8 billion broadcast deal over five years, and the AFL leapt at a $ 2.5 billion deal over six years.
So how much did they pay for this two year agreement? $ 0 billion — which is another way of saying “bugger- all” — which turned out to be the bargain of the century, as the opening game rated higher than that night’s MKR, and has continued to attract large audiences.
This stunned the upper echelons of TV sports programming, because nobody watches women’s sport, right?
The “goodwill” deal — as a favour to the AFL — has now taken on a whole new dimension, with advertisers clamouring to get on board. This was a problem, because all the advertising slots had sold out. No one could foresee women’s sport being that popular or, perhaps more accurately, sports programmers who don’t rate women’s sport still didn’t think women’s sport would rate.
It isn’t the only cashless deal going around. The new- look Fast Five netball comp started last week, rebranded and reworked for television audiences, with the Nine Network and Telstra partnering to broadcast games in what appears to be another deal valued at zero dollars.
The nettie girls aren’t complaining, yet, because here’s an opportunity to gain priceless publicity and a greater audience.
The same thing has happened with the Women’s Big Bash League, who will have their 47 matches streamed live over summer on Cricket Australia’s website and app. Network Ten also has come on board and will televise 12 matches, up from 10 the previous season, which Cricket Australia’s media guy Ben Amarfio said would allow girls playing the game a “visible pathway into the game of cricket”.
So what about our female basketballers?
The WNBL has lost momentum and, with women’s cricket, Aussie Rules and netball grabbing opportunities to grow their brands, these codes are setting themselves up for future cash deals which will ultimately mean bigger audiences and bigger paydays. Meanwhile, basketball falls further behind.
The ABC telecast WNBL games for 35 years, but budget cuts saw the 2015- 16 and 2016- 17 seasons tip- off without a broadcast deal or naming rights sponsor. But why can’t the WNBL find a network keen to grow their sporting content?
Our Fire girls are the reigning premiers who should be gaining maximum possible exposure for their hard- fought consecutive titles. Instead, it’s up to fans to search for score updates on Twitter when they play away.
We are a nation of both active and armchair sports lovers. TV programmers have had it wrong thinking audiences won’t watch elite level female sport. The question they should be asking themselves is, why wouldn’t we?