Memo to Eddie McGuire

Phill Chadwick pens a heartfelt plea to the new CEO of Channel 9: Why not replace AFL with A-League?

To: Mr E.McGuire, The Chief Executive, Channel Nine Network
From: Phill Chadwick

Subject: Football Coverage on Channel Nine

In light of the recent disappointing result for your network in the bidding for AFL Television rights, I would like to propose an alternative strategy to re-gain Channel Nine's position as the number one Sports broadcaster in this country.

I am aware that the $780 million that your network had bid for the AFL rights was highly dependent on that code's ability to attract advertising revenue. In addition, part of the cost would also have been offset by on-selling Pay TV rights to Foxtel and Austar.

Even so, there would have been a substantial investment from the Nine network for the establishment and operation of Outside Broadcast facilities around the nation; the considerable costs of coordination and production of the televising of eight matches every weekend.

Since Channels Ten and Seven have now secured the AFL rights for at least the next five years , you should see this as an opportunity to exploit the growing A-League Football market.

Putting aside your own personal interest in the Collingwood Football Club, I would like you to consider the following:

A-League Football has proven, beyond all expectations, to have been a success in its first season. A-League crowds have exceeded 10,000 on average over the season. This support will grow in coming years if carefully nurtured.

Foxtel are reported to be delighted with their ratings results. There is no free to air coverage other than a brief weekly mention on SBS and snippets in news services.

Australian Football is now integrated into the Asian market, the biggest growth market on the planet. Channel Nine could tap into that market and ride the growth in revenue it offers. Channel Nine's position as an acknowledged innovator in Sports broadcasting makes it uniquely placed to enter strategic partnerships with Asian broadcasters.

When, in 2007, Australian teams are competing in the Asian Champions' League, millions of television sets will be tuned to those games. For Australian advertisers wishing to make an impact in Asia, what better vehicle could there be. AFL football, being limited primarily to the Southern States of our own small market can never offer that sort of exposure.

I am sure you have already considered the fact that any AFL coverage that Channel Nine produces (eg The Footy Show, Any Given Sunday, etc) will only serve to generate more interest in the games being televised by your competitors.

This, of course, delivers additional ratings to Channels Ten and Seven. Every time someone watches a Channel Nine AFL programme they are more likely to turn to AFL football on Channel Ten or Seven. Is that what you want?

Admittedly A-Leage football is currently of limited appeal to the bulk of the Australian audience. But on the other hand, Harry Kewell would probably be more widely recognised throughout the whole of Australia than, say, Shane Crawford. How much more stark would that comparison be if it were made in Japan, or Indonesia?

Now is the time to act. Bill Gates became a billionaire by getting in at the beginning of a huge growth industry. Likewise, Henry Ford was astute enough to get in early and ride the growth of the Automobile industry.

The success of the A-League in its first season is proof that the potential is there. There is no historical or cultural barrier to its penetration of the whole of Australia. Participation rates for school-age children already outstrip AFL and NRL and are rising.

Tap into that interest in the sport among teenagers and young adults. The growth of AFL and NRL, on the other hand, is severely constrained by regional differences.

My vision is for Channel Nine to take some of the $780 million you were prepared to pay to the AFL and use it to create that buzz of excitement and interest that the late Mr Packer did with World Series Cricket in the 1970's. Mr Packer's legacy can be seen in every Cricket telecast worldwide.

Previously, it took the Socceroos to excite the Australian public about this sport. The old NSL had never managed to engage the public. Primarily, in my view, that was because the clubs were still identified with ethnic groupings. Once, (in broad terms) only people of Greek descent from Melbourne followed South Melbourne, or those of Italian descent from Adelaide followed Adelaide City.

That has changed. None of the eight A-League clubs has an ethnic background. Now, people of all backgrounds, including "Dinki-Di" Aussies, can feel that their local A-League club represents them. Importantly, those of British descent now have teams they feel comfortable supporting in the national competition.

There are four A-League matches per week. Here are my suggestions:

Show one match live, as the Match of the Week and show extensive highlights of the others.

Develop several supporting formats.

A "Footy Show" clone, with personalities drawn from the A-League clubs and past players, for a light-hearted view of the League.

Have an in-depth analysis programme that takes the game seriously.

Have a kids show to introduce them to the players, the skills and the culture.

And how about a reality show following three or four young footballers in their first season as professionals?

This sort of programming strategy would cost a fraction of the AFL coverage and has the advantage of leading into the huge Asian markets. That sort of opportunity can never be offered by either the AFL, or the NRL.

Now that you are living in Sydney, you cannot have missed the excitement in the lead up to this week's A-League Grand Final. Go to Aussie Stadium and watch the game. Then think about the potential.

Think of the potential, that is all I ask.

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