Hawks not happy with TV schedule

[Beaussie]

Just 8 of the Hawks 22 games this season will be on free to air tv. Meanwhile Collingwood gets 19 in Victoria.

[quote]Hawks boss hits out at broadcast schedule
February 13, 2007
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/real ... 98724.html

HAWTHORN chief executive Ian Robson says the Hawks have been dealt a raw deal in the AFL broadcast schedule for 2007.

Only eight of the Hawks' 22 home-and-away games will be available on free-to-air TV in Victoria this year. The other Victorian clubs with a majority of their matches on Foxtel include Carlton (13) and the Kangaroos (12).

In contrast, Channels Seven and Ten will broadcast 19 of Collingwood's 22 home-and-away games, while Sydney and Brisbane will have all their matches shown live or near-live on free-to-air TV into their home states.

"Hawthorn has certainly been dealt a raw deal compared to the other nine Melbourne clubs, with over half our games shown on pay TV," Robson said yesterday.

"At a time when Hawthorn is aiming to improve its ladder position, service its current members, build its supporter base and secure recognition and brand profile for our sponsor network, it is a disappointing result for the club."

Robson will write to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, stressing the club's frustration and disappointment.

"I'm not satisfied because the supporters of our club are significantly disadvantaged as against the supporters of other clubs," Robson said after talking to AFL broadcasting boss Gillon McLachlan. "What I'm now clear on moving forward is that the role of the fixture has become ever more paramount.

"Basically when you do the fixture you're doing the television schedule. That wasn't the case previously and that's quite a significant change."

Three of the Hawks' four home games in Launceston this year are **** those to be broadcast on Foxtel.

Robson acknowledged that there was no prospect of the TV schedule being altered this season after the new broadcast deal was finalised only last week.

"But I have every empathy with supporters scratching their heads and saying 'hang on, we won five games in 2005 and nine games in 2006 and we've got a worse split this year in terms of free-to-air and pay TV, so how did that come about?' " he said.

The Hawks will also push for a greater slice of the Friday night action in 2008 after they were scheduled only once in the lucrative slot this year â€â€