Channel 7 will not bring back Talking Footy or Game Day for 2023 season
The AFL’s official free-to-air broadcaster has delivered an underwhelming excuse as it backtracks on its 2023 AFL coverage plans.
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The AFL’s official free-to-air broadcaster will cover the 2023 season without any dedicated talk shows covering the game in a move that’s been described as a “slap in the face” for the league.
The Herald Sun is reporting Channel 7 has opted against returning either Game Day of Talking Footy to the screens of AFL fans this year due to ‘budget issues’.
Both programs were axed in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Channel 7’s head of network sport Lewis Martin declaring it would only be a “temporary hiatus” for both programs at the time.
The TV network then faced blowback from the AFL over the lack of dedicated AFL programming as the two partners butted heads during TV rights negotiations in 2022.
Amid those negotiations there was fresh optimism that Channel 7 would at least revive Game Day on Sundays in 2023, however those plans have now been dashed.
That leaves Channel 9 with a monopoly on free-to-air AFL talk shows, with both the Sunday Footy Show and Footy Classified going from strength to strength in recent seasons.
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Meanwhile Channel 7 has had to rely on its highly popular Front Bar to feature its AFL content.
However given Front Bar is an entertainment show, that leaves AFL fans completely starved of analysis and in-depth discussion during the week.
The Herald Sun reports there is a “theory” that Seven’s plan is to revive its dedicated AFL programming when the new $4.5 billion broadcast rights deal, signed between Seven West Media and Foxtel, kicks in in 2025.
Channel 7 is cutting costs across the board amid an uncertain economic and advertising climate with the network also recently pulling out of negotiations to retain rights to the Olympic Games.
Earlier this week, Nine Entertainment pulled off a $305m coup to nab the next five events, including the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Nine made the official announcement after the stock market closed on Wednesday after the network struck a deal with the International Olympic Committee.
Nine’s bid of $305m will end Seven’s run of four Games since winning the rights from Nine in 2014 for a reported $200m deal.
Nine will broadcast the next five events, including summer Games in Paris 2024, LA in 2028, and Brisbane 2032, as well as winter Games in Milan 2026 and the as-yet unannounced 2030 event.
Originally published as Channel 7 will not bring back Talking Footy or Game Day for 2023 season
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