Football Federation Australia "may have missed a million-dollar free kick after failing to cash in on the broadcast rights for the Arsenal tour in Sydney," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Next week's games against A-League sides Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at ANZ Stadium will be televised live and nationally on SBS, but FFA will not receive a cent from the broadcast rights for the "highly anticipated Gunners' tour," which it initially held. On Tuesday, SBS was announced as the broadcast partner of the two games that are "set to attract a combined attendance of 160,000 spectators." However, the deal was done with the promoter of the event, Venues Live, rather than FFA. The federation made the "unprecedented step" of returning its mandate to sell the TV rights to the promoter. It is understood SBS obtained the TV rights for the Arsenal series for free after Venues Live was "desperate" to find a national broadcaster "at late notice that would satisfy other commercial agreements." Sources suggested SBS was never presented the chance to purchase the rights from FFA, and was "only notified in the late stages" from Venues Live (SMH, 7/4).
