AFL Grand Final Replay not in HD? Why? Not enough HD to go round...

I simply cannot believe the Seven will not be broadcasting the AFL Grand Final replay in HD.

While I can understand they logistically may not be able to do the 3D broadcast due to the fact they are probably sharing some resources with Nine who has the NRL Grand Final to deal with the next day, I cannot understand why Seven would not broadcast the AFL Grand Final replay in HD – as it turns out, they also share HD resources.

Seven say that it comes down to the availability of HD equipment and pre-commitments to other events. This situation arises due to the sharing of HD facilities the networks and other productions and that all of the HD gear is booked out for the weekend. 

If it was Ten broadcasting the Grand Final this year, there would not be a problem – you would simply see it in HD on ONE HD. Even if it was Nine – they would sacrifice some GEM programming for the Grand Final – just like they are for the NRL Grand Final on Sunday (Oct 3).

If Fox Sports were allowed to broadcast the AFL Grand Final – you can guarantee you would be able to see it in HD on one of their THREE Fox Sports HD channels.  

Looking at forums like those in Media Spy, one of the biggest complaints about AFL on TV is the fact that Seven do not adequately provide HD coverage - even before giving up HD full time for the third channel. With the advent of Ten’s ONE HD, the games Ten / ONE show are all available in HD.

It’s just another big leap backwards for HD in Australia. To have one of the top sporting events of the year, with an audience of over 3 million, not in aired HD is a sad sign of the state of free to air HD TV in Australia.

BUT – what can they do – if all the networks are sharing HD facilities, then I suppose the same would happen to any of them – unless they all owned what they use. The fact that the AFL Grand Final replay now falls on the same weekend as the NRL Grand Final and the opening of the Commonwealth Games would not help.

About the author

All the latest TV news, daily TV ratings, programming updates, programming highlights, reviews, opinion and much more.
More from this author »

  • Brian Johnson 2

    Yep – this is an absolute joke.

    One set of HD/3D camera’s to use in the whole ‘sporting country of the world’? In the year 2010?? 

    Come off the grass – this is an absolute disgrace. I totally agree that this is a big leap backwards for this Country and all of it’s so-called ‘technology’. It just makes us look like a pathetic bunch of hicks.

    What did I just spend 2 1/2 THOUSAND dollars for?

    We’ve been taken for a ride…

  • David

    Maybe the networks should invest in re-building their own production trucks (Outside Broadcast Trucks) just like what the ABC has done, instead of relying on the main players, Global Television or Gearhouse Broadcast. It is a absolute disgrace that the game isn’t showing in HD, a real kick in the ass for us sports fans. 

  • David

    I fully agree. Ok I understand that 3D technology is still in a infant stage, but come on all outside broacast companies shout have a decent amout of HD equipment by now. Expensive stuff im sure but watching the game in SD isn’t good enough.

  • Matthew

    I just looked at the EPG this morning and could not believe my eyes – what an absolute joke!  Maybe that was why Maxwell was so upset after last week’s draw, as the winner next week would not get an HD broadcast.  

    The Channel 7 AFL broadcast has been visually poor all year compared to Ten (and even some Foxtel matches).  The fact that this is going to be highlighted in one of the biggest sporting events in Australian sport is pathetic.  I really hope that they do not end up winning the next AFL Broadcast deal. 

  • PiDstr

    They can’t afford too – the trucks themselves are cheap, maybe half a mil for the trailer, but the gear inside…. you can take it as a basic rule, that every meter of the truck is another million dollars for SD.

    Doulbe that for HD, and triple it for 3D

  • Gary

    Channel 7 you are a joke!

  • Gary

    What a joke!  Shame on Channel 7. 

  • marcus

    A complete joke.  Premier sporting event and not in HD, farcical, risible, ludicrous.

  • http://pixelatedempire.com Adam Blyth

    I can’t believe this isn’t in HD.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! What a waste of a LCD screen.

  • gaz

    Even worse..how come all the free to air channels exept SBS have put all their old stuff on the HD channels. SBS is the only channel whose main channel is HD…something stinks…Is it bcause they don’t have to produce local content in HD?

  • AndrewB

    If Seven truly could not secure enough HD gear to cover the replay, they should have at least upscaled and shown the match in HD on ch 73, 7mate. Most would not notice the difference between upscaled and native HD, and it would have avoided the barrage of complaints about it not being in HD at all.

  • AndrewB

    As for sharing gear with Nine or NRL, there is plenty of time between today’s AFL replay and tomorrow’s NRL GF to get the gear from Melbourne to Sydney. Some may have gine to New Delhi this week as well, adding extra complication.