The AFL Grand Final is back for a second outing this weekend with the Seven Network once again broadcasting the match and beginning their coverage from 12pm this Saturday.
The network will no doubt be hoping to build on the 2.76 million who tuned in last weekend for the broadcast. The network should expect a larger audience considering that the post-match coverage of Seven’s broadcast last Saturday outrated their match coverage with a total of 3.35 million viewers.
In interesting news the AFL in conjunction with Seven announced today that Collingwood and St Kilda would receive $500,000 from the AFL with a contribution from Seven for out of pocket expenses as a result of the draw.
In response to Seven’s contribution, CEO David Leckie, said his organisation was happy to make a significant financial contribution to both clubs. “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the AFL,” Mr Leckie said.
“The Seven team produced one of the great sports broadcasts last Saturday and we’re honoured to have the opportunity to be the network of the Grand Final again this Saturday. We’re looking forward to another great game and a terrific television broadcast on Seven.”
AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou in response to Seven’s contribution said, “we [the AFL] greatly appreciate the gesture by Channel Seven in their support of the two clubs.”
As reported in the Australian earlier this week Seven’s sales team is already contacting potential advertisers for this weekend’s broadcast.
Whilst the rematch will be a win for Seven and the AFL, other sports have been scrambling to ensure they continue to receive press coverage for their upcoming events and their respective broadcasts.
Some of the highlights this weekend include:
- UCI Road World Championship from 12pm Saturday and 8am Sunday on One
- Moto GP on Saturday and Sunday on One
- Epson Cup from 12:30pm on Saturday on Nine
- Ryder Cup on Saturday and Sunday on One
- NRL Grand Final Coverage from 9am on Sunday on Nine
- XIX Commonwealth Games from 10pm on Sunday on Ten
- AFL Grand Final Replay from 12pm Saturday on Seven
*All times are Australian Eastern Standard Time
This weekend will be a ratings and financial bonus for Seven with the AFL Grand Final Replay valuable sporting content for the the network against a strong weekend of free-to-air sport from Nine and Ten. It shall be interesting to see the ratings across the various broadcasts this weekend leading into a couple of big weeks of sport on Australian TV with wall-to-wall Commonwealth Games coverage on Ten/One and Foxtel/Austar and the V8 Supercars Bathurst 1000 on Seven.
Who will win this weekend’s ratings battle?
Update:
According to Crikey today, Seven has confirmed that it prebooked outside broadcast facilities in the event of a replay. Seven Spokesperson Simon Francis said,
“In order to assist other broadcasters with events like the NRL grand final, cycling events this weekend, etc, we decided to ‘hold’ SD facilities rather than prevent HD facilities being available to others. Taking into account the possible likelihood of a drawn match in the GF, this seemed like a reasonable insurance option at the time.”
The broadcast will therefore be in Standard Definition rather than High Definition, meaning the broadcast will only be available on Seven and not 7mate.