Two free-to-air A-League men’s matches to be shown each weekend following switch to 10 Bold
Poor ratings are seemingly a factor in the A-League being removed from Network 10’s main channel.
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Network 10 has bumped the A-League off its main channel after last season’s disappointing ratings for the competition’s free-to-air Saturday night matches.
However, in a compromise, the network will air two live free-to-air games each weekend on its secondary 10 Bold channel when the new A-League season starts next month.
The move comes after Network 10 and its streaming arm Paramount+ failed to snatch the AFL TV broadcast rights off Foxtel and the Seven Network.
On Tuesday, the AFL sold its TV rights to Foxtel and Seven for a record Australian broadcast deal of $4.5bn over seven years.
Network 10 and Paramount+ last year signed a five-year, $200m deal with the Australian Professional Leagues, which runs the A-League men’s and women’s competitions.
As part of the deal, there was one free-to-air men’s match each Saturday night last season.
However, a reported average of just 86,000 viewers for the timeslot has contributed to the changes for the new season.
The Saturday 7.45pm and Sunday 3pm games will be broadcast live and free to air on 10 Bold. The games will also be free of ad breaks.
Paramount+ will also stream all of the A-League men’s and women’s games live. The women’s matches will be live and free on 10 Play.
“This season’s broadcast schedule is designed to deliver more football to more Australian
homes,” Australian Professional Leagues chief executive Danny Townsend said.
“Football fans will know exactly where and when they will be able to watch A-Leagues football week in and week out.”
Townsend said Network 10’s main channel would broadcast May’s A-League men’s grand final.
Originally published as Two free-to-air A-League men’s matches to be shown each weekend following switch to 10 Bold
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