The chances of a third team from Sydney being included in the next stage of A-League expansion "received a boost after Football Federation Australia confirmed TV networks will be consulted about their preferred destinations for expansion," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. A proposed new broadcast deal that is hoped to bring in up to A$80M ($59.7M) a season is "a step closer to being finalised with free-to-air, pay-TV and online broadcasters after tenders for a new broadcast deal were submitted to the governing body on Thursday." FFA CEO David Gallop revealed that "the desire of networks will be heavily considered" for which regions and cities are granted future A-League licenses as the competition is set to expand to 12 teams. Gallop said, "We want them to indicate when they come to us their attitude to not only expansion, but expansion where." The new broadcast deal could be finalized "before the end of this year and will come into effect before the start of next season." The FFA confirmed two new teams will enter the A-League in the second year of the next broadcast cycle in the '18-19 season. The desire of networks "will partly dictate which bids the governing body will include in the next stage of expansion as the location of the two new teams could influence the value of the broadcast deal, the appeal to viewers and sponsors." Gallop added, "I've said for some time, expansion is more than the ability to set up a sustainable operation in a geographical location -- that's only half the equation. The other half of the equation is adding value to the whole competition and the game, in the sense that you provide something that is of value to our broadcasters, our national sponsors and therefore the overall pie grows" (SMH, 12/8). The AAP reported "it means some expansion bidders could, realistically, be out of contention even before FFA releases its criteria in February, given the governing body hopes to sign a new broadcast deal in the next couple of months." Close to a dozen different parties are waiting on the criteria before they finalize their proposals. It is believed "Optus, beIN Sports and most free-to-air networks have shown interest." As incumbent rights holders, Fox Sports has last rights. (AAP, 12/7).
FOOTBALL FEVER: In Sydney, Michael Lynch reported as Gallop and the FFA's exec team try to sell the benefits of the game to potential broadcast partners, football's chiefs "got a PR boost on Thursday when the Australian Sports Commission confirmed that the game was the country's largest club-based participation sport." The ASC's AusPlay survey revealed that "more than a million men, women, boys and girls are playing football, significantly more than any other club-based sport." Gallop: "It's official, we are number one. Football is Australia's most popular club-based participation sport for adults and children because it is the most inclusive and accessible. Football is also the biggest global sport with the world's highest profile players and competitions and the planet's biggest event, the World Cup. The combination of local accessibility and global interest is attracting more and more Australians" (SMH, 12/8).
