Gold 104.3 is bidding to get the rights to three AFL matches from next season. Triple M are reluctant to pay the AFL’s rumoured price of $1.5 million over three years. Both want the FM A package. 3AW is bidding for the AM A package but think the price is too high. SEN and EON Sports Radio are also bidding.
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The radio stations will ask the AFL for permission to interview players on the field at the end of the match under the new deal. At the moment, only the TV broadcaster (Channel Seven or Fox Footy) can speak to players on the field after the final siren. Radio stations covering the NRL and State of Origin (ABC, 2GB and Triple M) are able to interview players on the field post-game.
The only issue if Gold was to replace Triple M is that it will probably means the league won’t have FM coverage at all which Triple M currently provides them in various forms nationwide. Apart from WSFM, the other stations in the ‘Pure Gold Network’ are AM stations and it’s impossible to see the ‘KIIS Network’ airing games as well.
Amazing this hasn’t been part of previous deals.
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EON and Gold?? If that happens AFL listeners would have to purchase digital radios - as ARN would probably dump it there in other markets and EON is digi only.
Won’t happen.
I’d love it if Gold won the AFL FM rights - then I could listen to Triple M on the weekends.
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The best thing Triple M do is the music. Shame about the other shit
Yes, I too would like to see Gold with the rights instead of MMM.
Mainly because it should fix the issue of AFL coverage intefering with NRL coverage on MMM in Sydney.
And I would like to think ARN would be smart enough to structure the deal so that WSFM/Kiss aren’t forced to air games in Sydney.
I think the AFL will be disappointed if WSFM or KIIS won’t broadcast Swans and Giants games in Sydney, to ensure some competition with the ABC. 2SM currently broadcast matches from Crocmedia, but having popular stations WSFM or KIIS on board will ensure more people get to hear the call.
or conversely, KIIS or WSFM listeners turning off because it’s of no interest to them.
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I don’t know how much I’m a fan of Gold going for the rights. Footy on the Ms works for mine as they’re a male-skewed station so taking sport coverage on the weekends seems fairly natural. Granted, Melbourne is a footy-mad city, but for a station that’s always moulded itself on the music it plays and a fairly gender-netural feel it could be an odd fit. Especially given they skew old, the market for their type of call is probably already covered by 3AW and the ABC anyway
Still, competition is a good thing, and if it sees an improvement in coverage it would be good (although it sounds like they just want to cut MMM out of the picture). Though the interstate coverage is a factor - I’m sure MMM won’t want to be bound to broadcast AFL over NRL in Sydney and Brisbane in the next deal if they in any way can get out of it
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Question: why would Triple M use Lachy Reid(for tonights game in Perth) and Chris Dittmar and Brenton Yates(for the game tomorrow night in Adelaide) instead of the “A” team? is it so JB doesn’t do a game this week or is it because 4 of the games are interstate?
Because it’s in perth and it’s been like that all season
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The ABC guys are better than the Triple M Adelaide crew, because the MMM Adelaide crew are so biased towards the Power. at least ABC has their “A” team calling(but with Matt Clinch in for Adam White)
I might mention this but years ago, i listened to a game from the SCG. at first i thought it was 3AW but instead it was 2UE, because Ray Hadley was on the call. But back then, 3AW only had two calling teams then, and it was a later start game(4pm?) after the “A” crew(Rex Hunt etc) did the earlier game at Geelong. It was either in 2000 or 2001 because that’s when Seven did a 1pm game then a 4pm game back then. When did 3AW and Triple M go to 3 calling teams? was it when twilight games were brought in or was it when Nine started airing two live games in 02?
Have a question? is it standard for the Melbourne stations to relay some games from their interstate stations like for example 5AA or 6PR in 3AW’s case or ABC stations like 6WF, 4QR, 5AN and 2BL for interstate matches? does it go way back to when non Melbourne teams joined the League, or is it a new trend?
This. A new trend is Melbourne station sending commentary teams interstate for home and away matches. This season it seems Gerard Whagtely will travel for Friday night games on Grandstand pairing with the home city’s ABC commentator.
Your’e right: i noticed that they often send Gerard Whateley to the FNF games, even if they are interstate. They want to showcase him as he is their top caller. 3AW a lot of times sends Bruce Eva and Dwayne Russell to a game at the SCG or even Adelaide Oval unlike years ago where they might have used 5AA’s feed in the past. Trple M usaly will take the call from the local callers, butr sometimes will mix in JB or Darcy, depnding on how big the game is.
If ARN were to get the rights to AFL, I very strongly doubt they would air coverage of games on WSFM 1017 or KIIS 1065 unless there was a contractual thing which says that the coverage must air on FM (rather than one of their digital stations, which the network probably would prefer to do in Sydney) for reasons that really don’t need explaining.
Anyone know if any progression has occurred in the radio rights negotiations.