AusLeisure

Football Federation Australia has agreed a new six-year, $346 million deal with foundation broadcaster Fox Sports to screen the A-League until 2023.

Highlighting that the deal is worth “more than double the current arrangements”, FFA have described the new broadcast arrangements as “a quantum leap for football in Australia ... that will accelerate growth of the game across the country.”

The new six year agreement will see Fox Sports show all A-League games live, and maintain rights to Socceroos, Matildas, W-League and FFA Cup matches.

Worth the $57.6 million-a-year, the deal covers multiple platforms, including subscription TV, internet and digital devices.

However, the overall broadcast deal won’t be confirmed until next year, with FFA holding off selling one Saturday night match to a free-to-air television partner.

FFA Chairman Steven Lowy said the deal showed football was “now entrenched as a mainstream Australian sport, with deep connections to Asia, the fastest-growing region in the world.

“Our game has never seen a deal of this magnitude before. This six-year agreement gives us the certainty to continue to implement our strategy to grow the Hyundai A-League and the Westfield W-League and invest more in grassroots football development and the women’s game.”

FFA Chief Executive David Gallop immediately advised that an extra $3 million would be allocated to the A-League marquee fund, used to attract marquee players like Tim Cahill to the A-League.

Explaining this move, Gallop stated “we have seen the enormous impact that our current marketing and marquee player strategies are having.

“This year TV audiences, crowds and club memberships are all up and it is our intention to re-double our efforts in these areas under the new deal.

“The new arrangements will benefit all areas of football in Australia, but in particular the A-League clubs and players who will receive additional funding as a result of today’s announcement.”

Fox Sports also celebrated the announcement, with Chief Executive Patrick Delany delighting in the deal, which sees the broadcaster lock in every major Australian football code until 2020.

Delany stated “this doubling of our investment provides the long term support to further grow the game at both an elite and grassroots level.

“We strongly believe in football and know our customers share the passion and love for the game as we do.”

The free-to-air deal taking in Saturday night’s match of the round is unlikely to be done until cricket’s Big Bash League rights are purchased early next year.

Channels Seven, Nine and Ten are prioritising the highly popular Twenty20 competition but all are believed to be keen on broadcasting the A-League should they miss out.

The new deal will end unpopular free-to-air channel SBS’s time as a partner of the league. Fox Sports has broadcast the A-League since its creation in 2005.

Image shows 2016/17 season A-League action between Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers.

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