Channel Seven "added to its bulging sports portfolio" by securing the rights to the Victorian Football League for the next two seasons, and will link its Saturday broadcast with its Australian Football League coverage, according to Jon Pierik of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Seven announced that McGuire Media "would produce the matches, with the games to be shown on Seven's primary channel in Melbourne." This means "a live lunch-time VFL match will be shown before Seven's delayed afternoon AFL match." That delayed AFL match "is shown live on Fox Footy." Seven "also has the rights to the VFL finals and grand final." Seven's deal "ends the ABC's long affiliation with the league." Amid uncertainty over funding from the federal government, "the public broadcaster said last month it was unable to guarantee coverage of the VFL next season, allowing McGuire Media and Seven to swoop." There "had been speculation that Seven, should it be successful, would show the VFL on its digital channel, but the network has vowed to put matches on its key channel." VFL GM of Community Football Operations Grant Williams said that "the new deal was good for the league." Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull flagged on Monday that the ABC's annual funding would be reduced by about 5%, "with details to be released this week." The ABC's Media Watch program said that "the government would cut the ABC's funding" by A$50M ($44M) a year, in addition to the A$9M cut announced in the May budget (SMH, 11/18).