By Scott Spits and Jon Pierik
Both Seven and Foxtel opted for flashy new looks to start their head-to-head battle of the broadcasters for the AFL season’s opening night, but both came in for plenty of criticism from fans and even one high-profile coach.
Giant graphic overlays and interruptions to live play were ridiculed on social media, including by ex-Richmond triple premiership-winning coach Damien Hardwick, now in his second season at the Gold Coast and under real pressure to deliver their maiden finals appearance – the Suns having joined the AFL in 2011.
Damien Hardwick made his thoughts clear on the Fox Footy presentation for the AFL season’s opening night.Credit: The Age
But even he took the time out to touch on the lighter side of the apparent game of one-upmanship between Seven and Fox, posting on X (formerly Twitter) of the new Fox Footy graphics: “Sorry couldn’t see the highlight as it was under the Giant Scoreboard and Commentators photos.”
Seven and Foxtel took opposing views later on how they performed for the Swans’ blockbuster with the Hawks, through stories on their respective websites.
Yet the more things changed for the coverage of the opening game of the new season, the more they stayed the same.
Channel Seven’s coverage attracted a total audience of more than two million viewers, according to figures compiled by Virtual Australia (VOZ). Seven’s audience of 2,036,000 viewers had the free-to-air footy only narrowly behind the main Nine and Seven news bulletins as the most-watched programs on Friday’s slate.
This was a remarkably similar result to last year’s AFL season-opener – also played in Sydney – which also attracted an audience beyond the two million mark (2,075,000).
The coverage across both Seven and Foxtel delivered plenty of talking points throughout the night, and neither broadcaster shied away from the scrutiny.
“AFL fans rip to shreds major issue with Fox Footy’s massive scoreboard graphic: ‘Worst in history’,” read a story on the 7News website, while over on News.com.au, a story was posted with the headline “Footy fans react to ‘unbelievable’ new AFL commentary line-up” – referring to Gerard Whateley and Anthony Hudson commentating for that website’s News Corp stablemate Fox Footy.
Alongside Whateley and Hudson, Fox rolled out the star-studded line-up of Garry Lyon, Jason Dunstall, Sarah Jones and David King, while on Seven, James Brayshaw and Alister Nicholson called the action alongside Dale Thomas, Matthew Richardson, Abbey Holmes and big-name recruit Kane Cornes (a former Age columnist).
Hardwick wasn’t alone in his criticism of the Fox coverage, and in particular its supersized on-screen scoreboard featuring an FNF acronym for Friday Night Footy. Former Collingwood coach and 1990 premiership skipper Tony Shaw made a similar observation.
“If you get anymore graphics you aren’t going to see the game,” Shaw said on 3AW Football. Nine, the owner of this masthead, also owns 3AW.
Meanwhile, Seven’s coverage also copped plenty of feedback. At one stage, the free-to-air network cut to an ad break during play to promote their cyclone news coverage on Sunrise.
Some viewers favoured Foxtel’s approach when they went to an ad break – the scores tucked away in the top corner of the screen. On Seven, along the bottom of viewers’ screens their new scoreboard showed the goals and behinds tally, with the total points for both clubs appearing in a larger size.
Channel Seven’s new scoreboard format early in the first game of the new AFL season.Credit: Channel Seven
While Foxtel did not disclose viewership or subscription numbers, Fox Footy boss Steve Crawley said on Saturday the pay television and streaming operator had enjoyed a strong start to the season.
“I have been in the media a long time, so people like James Brayshaw (at Seven) – they are my mates. I have worked with them over the years at different places. So, it’s not about them. It’s about my team,” Crawley said.
“I will say listening to Gerard Whateley and Huddo, with Jason Dunstall and Garry Lyon and David King, and Sarah Jones on the boundary, I have been doing footy for a long time … that was a good feeling. I felt like I am blessed to have such a great side.
“When people are paying for a service, it’s different from free to air. You have got to have the best or else why would they pay? You want to make a statement. I think my team made a statement first up, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying every night. Every night we go out, we are going to strive to be the best.”
Crawley said Foxtel bosses with knowledge of subscription numbers “were happy”. He also added that he’d seen the social media criticism of the opening night coverage, including the barb from Hardwick.
“I think that is wonderful. I really regard Hardwick. Everyone has an opinion on those things,” Crawley said.
“Most of the changes are my changes. I work in a team, but they are my changes. And I consult our team. I am not saying our graphics are perfect, but I thought, for a first showing, I was really happy. I am happy that you can actually read the graphic.
“I know it’s never going to be universal when you disrupt and change things. At the same time, I am happy with that for the first night out. We’ll make some adjustments and, hopefully, not too major.”
An industry source with direct knowledge of the television landscape said Seven had enjoyed a slight increase in year-on-year ratings compared to last year’s opening round Friday night clash between Brisbane and Carlton at the Gabba. This was, in part, attributable to Seven now having live streaming rights on 7Plus.
However, it was also pointed out that ratings had been impacted by a power outage in Queensland due to the impact of Cyclone Alfred. That many viewers had also preferred live rolling coverage of the weather event had also impacted ratings.
The same source said Seven was delighted with Cornes’ debut as an expert commentator, and network chiefs backed the new graphics.
But it wasn’t just the broadcasters of Friday night’s match that came in for plenty of scrutiny over their aesthetics.
Hawthorn sported a contentious away guernsey that had its share of high-profile detractors, such as broadcaster Neil Mitchell.
“Why are Hawks wearing that jumper? No clash with Swans,” said the long-time 3AW identity of the predominantly brown colour scheme.
This is how Hawthorn described their jumper for opening round: “In nod to the past, Hawthorn will be wearing its heritage clash guernsey to kick off the 2025 season. The predominantly brown garment features the traditional ‘V’ on the front, in addition to the club’s 100-year commemorative logo. The Hawks will be wearing a different one-off 100-year commemorative guernsey in their centenary match in round 8 later this year.”
Seven was contacted for comment.