Fox Footy

In tribute to the late AFL broadcaster Tony Charlton, FOX FOOTY will broadcast a special encore screening of Charlton’s interview on Open Mike tonight. Charlton, 83, died at his home on Monday morning after suffering from bowel cancer.

“All of us at FOX FOOTY are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Tony Charlton and we feel honoured to have worked with such a legend in the sport broadcasting industry. Tony launched FOX FOOTY for us on February 17 this year and appropriately we’d like to pay tribute to a great man tonight on FOX FOOTY. He will be sadly missed,” said FOX SPORTS Melbourne Director and Head of FOX FOOTY Rod Law. Continue reading »

AFL finals action continues on Seven*** this weekend with live telecasts of both do-or-die semi-finals right around Australia. Continue reading »

FOX FOOTY KICKS OFF THE 2012 HOME AND AWAY SEASON WITH A STAR STUDDED LINE-UP

Australia’s only dedicated 24/7 AFL channel kicks off a big week of football coverage with a fantastic line-up of programming featuring some of the biggest names in the game.

Tonight at 7.30pm AEDT AFL 360 Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson will be joined in the studio by AFL coaches Chris and Brad Scott followed by On The Couch at 8.30pm AEDT with special guest AFL CEO, Andrew Demetriou in the hot seat.

Tuesday night at 8.30pm AEDT AFL Insider with Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch, Brad Johnson and David Parkin take viewers through an in-depth analysis of the state of the game as it is today compared with past years, and how the future looks in regards to the free agent rules.

Open Mike returns for 2012 with icon of the game 5 day and 5 night premiership superstar Dermott Brereton in the spotlight on Wednesday March 21 at 8.30pm AEDT. At 9.00pm AEDT stay tuned for the premiere of The Club an inner sanctum look at the Collingwood Football Club. Hear Mick Malthouse’s final emotional address after the 2011 Grand Final and go inside the mind of his successor Nathan Buckley.

Then at 9.30pm AEDT, the premiere of The Hangar – a first-hand feel for the rhymes and rhythms of the most successful club in VFL/AFL history, Essendon Football Club. James Hird tells of his plans for finals football in 2012. Michael Hurley, Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell star in the behind the scenes insight into the Bombers pre-season and you’ll hear the coach in the rooms after last year’s Elimination Final.

Thursday night has League Teams hosting a season preview including an interview with GWS Giants coach Kevin Sheedy. Then tune in at 9.30pm AEDT for all the exciting coverage from the 2012 Toyota AFL Season Launch from Sydney Town Hall.

Grand Final Recall Premier’s Cut premieres on Friday March 23 at 7.30pm AEDT taking viewers to the inner sanctum of the Geelong Football Club for a truly unique experience. Anthony Hudson and Dwayne Russell join Geelong coach Chris Scott and a host of Cats superstars for a private screening of the 2011 AFL Grand Final, spoken by the players’ themselves as they reflect on their victory.

Saturday the season begins with the opening round when GWS Giants make their debut on the big stage against home town rivals Sydney Swans LIVE, with no ad-breaks siren to siren in brilliant High Definition from 7.00pm AEDT on FOX FOOTY.

Sunday finish your football week at 7.30pm AEDT with After The Bounce LIVE hosted by Jason Dunstall and featuring Danny Frawley, Alastair Lynch and Andrew Gaze followed by EMT LIVE at 8.30pm AEDT for cutting-edge news and cutting-edge stories to set the agenda for the week.

New 24 hour AFL channel FOX FOOTY is a success from first bounce – with ALL live NAB CUP AFL Games topping the top rating subscription TV shows over the weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Friday even replays on games made Top 20, while on Saturday, the NAB Cup outdid NRL’s Charity Shield. On Sunday only the bombing of Darwin came close to live NAB cup.

Ratings figures released early on Monday did not include the new channel, a release from OzTam later in the day corrected the omission.

Daily ratings posts have been updated to include the corrected Subscription TV ratings lists.

Here’s how the AFL NAB cup games rated*:

Friday Feb 17
1 LIVE: NAB CUP HAWTHORN V RICHMOND FOX FOOTY 238,000
2 LIVE: NAB CUP NORTH MELBOURNE V HAWTHORN FOX FOOTY 214,000
3 LIVE: NAB CUP RICHMOND V NORTH MELBOURNE FOX FOOTY 169,000
4 NAB CUP RICHMOND V NORTH MELBOURNE FOX FOOTY 105,000
9 NAB CUP NORTH MELBOURNE V HAWTHORN FOX FOOTY 58,000
13 NAB CUP HAWTHORN V RICHMOND FOX FOOTY 52,000

Saturday Feb 18
1 LIVE: NAB CUP COLLINGWOOD V GWS FOX FOOTY 259,000
3 LIVE: NAB CUP BULLDOGS V COLLINGWOOD FOX FOOTY 242,000
4 LIVE: NAB CUP GWS V BULLDOGS FOX FOOTY 222,000
15 NAB CUP HAWTHORN V RICHMOND FOX FOOTY 53,000

Sunday Feb 19
1 LIVE: NAB CUP ESSENDON V FREMANTLE FOX FOOTY 165,000
2 LIVE: NAB CUP WEST COAST V ESSENDON FOX FOOTY 152,000
3 LIVE: NAB CUP FREMANTLE V WEST COAST FOX FOOTY 127,000

* Only replays that made daily top 20 are listed.

Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2012. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM. Program performance and ranking information subject to change when not based on final program logs. Ranking information is for individual episodes.

Global is constructing purpose-built production offices and High Definition television studios for FOX SPORTS within its Southbank, Melbourne, complex.

Concurrently, FOX SPORTS has re-engaged Global to facilitate its High Definition digital AFL coverage for a further five years (2012-2016).

Global Television has provided broadcast technical services for FOXTEL and FOX SPORTS’ AFL telecasts since 2001. Programs originating from FOX FOOTY’s dedicated studios will include panel-style shows, sports entertainment and news presentations.
 
The FOX FOOTY studios will have eight permanent HD cameras, with the ability to scale-up when required, and enjoy connectivity to the larger studio floors within the Global Television studio complex.
 
FOX FOOTY will also have 1,590m2 of purpose-built creative and office space attached to the HD studios, as well as its own highly visible and prominently branded public entranceway from Dorcas Street (corner of Wells Street).
 
To envelop the facility in a 24/7 television feel, a large sound-proof glass viewing wall between the lobby and Studio 1 will offer visitors and staff alike a view of the on-floor action.
 
FOX FOOTY will exclusively broadcast AFL coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the season and is available to FOXTEL and AUSTAR sports subscribers from February 17. For the first time in broadcasting history, FOX FOOTY will be home to LIVE, UNINTERRUPTED and HIGH DEFINITION coverage of every match in the 2012 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, plus exclusive coverage of the 2012 NAB Cup, FOXTEL Cup, Under-18 Championships and key AFL events complemented by the best commentary and analysis in the business.
 
Patrick Delany, FOX SPORTS CEO, said: “We’ve had a long relationship with Global Television as our outside broadcast provider and we look forward to building an even more formidable partnership in 2012. ”We have very high aspirations for FOX FOOTY and we are confident that these new purpose-built facilities at Global will assist in the delivery of unparalleled AFL coverage to footy fans, followers and fanatics alike.” 

Keith Andrews, Global Television CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome FOX FOOTY to Global Television’s Melbourne Studios and to extend our long-standing partnership with FOX SPORTS for their AFL coverage.
 
“Our Melbourne studios are the ideal solution for FOX FOOTY and work is well advanced on the channel’s new home.
 
“In addition, Global’s expanded outside broadcast fleet, after merging with the Cutting Edge OB business, enables immediate High Definition coverage of all FOX SPORTS AFL games, no matter where they are played across Australia.
 
“We are all very excited about working even more closely with the FOX FOOTY team in 2012.”
                                                                                                                              
Design work on the FOX FOOTY studios and support areas is complete and construction is underway with completion anticipated in mid-2012.
 
Global Television is providing an interim studio solution for FOX FOOTY within Global’s existing Melbourne Studios complex, using the current Studio B and onsite HD control room.

FOXTEL today announced it has signed Eddie McGuire to spearhead its AFL coverage and launch a groundbreaking dedicated high definition AFL Channel from FOX SPORTS, to be called – FOX FOOTY.

FOX FOOTY will bounce down from February, 2012 and will be a standard inclusion at no extra charge for FOXTEL’s basic sports tier in a standard FOXTEL broadcast subscription package.  

FOX FOOTY (which will be produced by FOX SPORTS) will provide AFL fans with unprecedented LIVE coverage commencing with the exclusive broadcast of the NAB Cup pre-season competition, followed by every game of every round of the home and away season LIVE including the entire Finals series*, in high definition and standard definition, and uninterrupted siren to siren – where games clash, matches will broadcast on FOX FOOTY and FOX SPORTS 1.

FOXTEL’s Chief Executive Officer, Kim Williams AM said, “Today marks a great achievement for FOXTEL in securing one of the biggest names in television and AFL broadcasting to our dedicated AFL Channel.   We are thrilled to welcome Eddie to the team; he brings with him a wealth of live broadcasting knowledge and unwavering passion for the game. I share, with a legion of fans, a deep admiration and affection for Eddie’s passion, knowledge and joy in all that makes AFL great.”

“Eddie is an outstanding television presenter with more than 20 years experience, his tremendous depth of knowledge, experience and vital talent will compliment an already well established team.”

Eddie McGuire said, “I am looking forward to joining FOXTEL and FOX FOOTY in this landmark AFL broadcasting deal and getting back behind the microphone calling the game that I love. Being a part of the new historic broadcast landscape with FOXTEL and FOX FOOTY is a great opportunity to be able to showcase AFL how we all want it on our television screens – every single game live, uninterrupted siren to siren and in HD. Calling the footy one game a week is something I’m really excited to be doing. Everyone knows I love the Pies and for that reason I will not be calling Collingwood games for FOX FOOTY, instead cheering them on from the stands or wherever I am around the country calling for FOX FOOTY! This new channel has every team live every week and I relish the challenge and opportunity to be a central part of it.”

Eddie McGuire will join FOX FOOTY’s match day coverage calling an initial one game per week for FOX FOOTY. He will also host, in the first of several initiatives with the channel, his own signature program to be telecast weekly as part of the comprehensive AFL magazine program line-up exclusive to FOX FOOTY.

FOX FOOTY’s agreement with Eddie McGuire is possible with the agreement of the Nine Network where Eddie will continue hosting Millionaire Hot Seat, other programs and events.

Patrick Delany, CEO of FOX SPORTS said of Eddie’s appointment, “Eddie will be a remarkable addition to a great team we have for the new FOX FOOTY – we have been in close dialogue with him for several months and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the exciting new sports home for AFL – FOX FOOTY – we can’t wait for the 2012 AFL season to commence!”

“Complementing Eddie will be a rich array of broadcasting expertise and talent to bring the new FOX FOOTY to life with a program schedule which will be announced in the coming weeks. FOX FOOTY will offer a one stop AFL destination – a new home for ALL games, news and AFL review, analysis and entertainment.”

FOX FOOTY will commence for season 2012 with LIVE and exclusive coverage of the NAB Cup with the first triangular match between Hawthorn, Richmond and North Melbourne on Friday February 17, 2012*.

# supplemental charges will apply for HD and Xbox customers (separate pricing will be announced by Telstra for its TBox and Mobile FOXTEL products).

*FOXTEL’s live NAB Cup coverage is simulcast with the Seven Network. Only the AFL Grand Final will be broadcast on delay.