Fox Sports wrote:Eddie slams Seven-Ten footy bid
By Chip Le Grand
March 18, 2005
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,86 ... 11,00.html
EDDIE McGuire, the face of the Nine Network, last night declared the Seven and Ten alliance to snatch football broadcasting rights from Kerry Packer threatened the financial viability of the AFL and warned the code faced a return "to the bad old days".
Claiming the Seven/Ten deal could leave "footy in big trouble", McGuire told fans the surprise move this week was an attempt to "knock Channel Nine out cold" and drive down the price of the AFL broadcast rights, which last sold to a News Limited consortium for $500 million for seasons 2002-06.
While McGuire insisted he was not "scaremongering", he claimed Seven's $490 million legal action against the AFL and its broadcast partners - including Ten and Nine - over the network's loss of the 2002-06 TV rights would lead to the financial ruin of half of the current 16 clubs. He accused Seven, which broadcast the game for 45 years, had in the past been guilty of "sticking the boot into footy".
"Let there be no mistake, yesterday's announcement by channels Seven and Ten to join forces was a bold bid for the television rights and it is obviously also a deliberate effort to knock Channel Nine out cold, out of the auction for the next round of television rights," McGuire said in a prepared statement read on The Footy Show.
"This is also a major push to get the rights at bargain-basement prices, which will happen if Channel Nine is out of the game and out of the auction.
"Let's not forget that this game of AFL football is still in a precarious, economic condition. At the end of the day, maybe people don't really care whether they watch the footy on Channel Ten, Seven or Nine.
"But if the money isn't there, that is, if Channel Nine is not in a position to bid, then the game is about to go back out the door - financially backwards."
McGuire, who is also president of Collingwood Football Club, added: "People talk about Channel Seven as if they are some dear old friend of football.
"At the moment ... Channel Seven has their foot on the the AFL and all the club's throats to the tune of a legal claim of $490 million. There will be lucky to be eight clubs left in the competition if the competitive balance fund goes, if there is a major payout from the AFL and no more money coming in."
In a savage attack on Seven's 45-year history in broadcasting VFL and AFL, McGuire accused the rival network of "sticking the boot into footy" in past negotiations and in its continuing legal action.
He said Nine was "not done" in the current negotations and urged network boss Kerry Packer to "come up with something" to keep Nine in the contest.
"The AFL has to do what is right for the short- and long-term survival of the 16 clubs in the competition, for the good of the players, so that young athletes want to play AFL football and most importantly, for the good of the supporters and the members. I wouldn't underestimate the resolve of the AFL not to get stitched-up by this deal.
"We are not done at Nine. Not by a long shot. We have a bloke called Kerry Packer who has forgotten more about this caper than the blokes we are up against will ever know. For the sake of footy, Kerry Packer, big Kerry, had better come up with something, because I tell you what, we are headed straight back to the old days if the money is not there, if there is no auction.
"It is not who throws the first punch in a fight, it is who throws the last.
"For the good of footy, let's hope that Channel Nine can get into the ring because it will be football that gets knocked out if that is not the situation."
It is a worry what Channel 7 is doing with its legal action against the AFL, however as a fan of footy living in one of the northern states, I'd like to know how Eddie sees Channel 9 ever being in a position to further promote the AFL in NSW and QLD when it has NRL commitments. Midnight edited replays just don't cut it as far as I'm concerned.
Kerry aint going to sit back in any case and not bid. As recent media reports have reported, the AFL provides Channel 9 with an extra 2 rating points each week, which is crucial in the tight ratings battle between Channel 7 and 9, particularly evident this year now that Channel 7 has been beating Channel 9 week in week out with shows like Desperate Housewifes, Lost etc.
Interesting times ahead that's for sure and even the NRL would be concerned about where they fit into the picture. No increase in TV rights dollars for the NRL if only Channel 9 bids as a result of Channel 7 and 10 getting the AFL rights.
In the end, I just want better footy coverage in NSW and QLD for AFL fans. From what I've seen and heard from AFL HQ, that seems to be their first priority too, with them even talking of taking less money if it gurantees live/prime time Friday night footy in the northern states.