TOPIC:

Locked in: WAFL signs most expansive broadcast deal in WA history
Thursday March 10, 2022
West Australian football fans will have unprecedented access to the WAFL in 2022 and beyond, with the agreement of the most expansive and contemporary broadcast deal in the history of the competition. 

The ground-breaking deal will offer viewers access to nearly 200 live matches across the WAFL League, Colts and Women’s competition. 

Expanded free-to-air television coverage of the WAFL will see 26 matches broadcast live and free on Channel 7, enabling viewers to watch a game each week during the home and away season, every WAFL Final, plus the Colts and Women’s League Grand Finals. 

All 72 WAFL League matches not shown on Channel 7 will be exclusively live and free for viewers via the AFL app or AFL on demand service.  

AFL Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial Kylie Rogers is delighted the new deal has been completed. 

“The commitment to live streaming WAFL matches for the first time this year ensures that the competition will be accessible to more people than ever before, with WA talent to be showcased to a broader audience. 

“2022 is such an important year for the game in Western Australia and we are proud to have matches streamed exclusively live and free for viewers via the AFL app and AFL on demand service, ensuring WA footy is exposed to new audiences across the country,” Rogers said. 

Additionally, in partnership with Seven West Media, every WAFL Colts game and a WAFLW League game of the week will be live streamed via the newly launched Streamer platform.  

"The West Australian is proud to have led the way in livestreaming of West Australian sport over the past two years," West Australian Newspapers editor in chief Anthony De Ceglie said. 

"And we're only just getting started. Our new standalone platform Streamer is about bringing local sport to life and lettings clubs and players have a much bigger role in how their games are watched. 

"We're really proud that the WAFLW and WAFL Colts will be the first sports to join our product." 

The “game-changing” deal achieves several key objectives for the West Australian Football Commission. 

• Grow new audiences on new platforms
• Provide a strong revenue stream 
• Ensure the increased content captures and delivers quality data as part of growing the game 
• Improve brand engagement in WA footy 

WAFC Chairman Wayne Martin has declared the agreement a stunning result for the game in WA. 

“Our aim at the Commission is to make the game accessible to the largest possible audience. 

This broadcasting deal is a tribute to all parties involved and ensures the profile of all WAFL competitions continues to grow,” Martin said.  

The landmark broadcast and live streaming model will be backed by an expanded marketing campaign and upgrades to the WAFL App. 

It will also provide the WAFC and WAFL Clubs access to state-of-the-art technology to increase engagement with WAFL fans across digital and social media platforms.  

The WAFC acknowledges and thanks the collaborative approach to partnership shown by Seven West Media, the Australian Football League and JAM TV to develop this landmark broadcast agreement for the WAFL, WAFL Colts and WAFLW competitions.  

- Ends 

Looks fantastic but my cynical side is saying "whats the catch". Are we selling our soul to the AFL with this deal?

Well we've been bemoaning the fact that there has been insufficient promotion of the WAFL for years, this is the biggest bit of promotion the WAFL has seen for decades. I think it's great for the comp to get 26 matches free to air plus all matches will be on the AFL app. Nothing is for free so I'm wondering if there is a cost to use the streaming on the AFL app, will you need Kayo or something similar?. 

I don't see any downside to this deal,particularly when you consider from a bargaining power point of view,the WAFL is'nt exactly coming from a position of strength.The national exposure should make it easier for clubs to attract more sponsors.

The Vicco league gets live feeds of their next batch of fodder that's the price - saves them sending scouts over

Southerner, that will happen whether we have the live feeds or not, so I'm pretty happy that the WAFC have managed to get all this extra coverage and promotion of the WAFL which while well overdue, is very welcome.

Senior Seagull wrote:

Well we've been bemoaning the fact that there has been insufficient promotion of the WAFL for years, this is the biggest bit of promotion the WAFL has seen for decades. I think it's great for the comp to get 26 matches free to air plus all matches will be on the AFL app. Nothing is for free so I'm wondering if there is a cost to use the streaming on the AFL app, will you need Kayo or something similar?. 

I would be very surprised if a KAYO subscription helped to access those 72 WAFL games from the AFL app.

I’ve got Kayo, so this looks to be absolutely brilliant for me, but I guess it’s the old story.  If it looks too good to be true, then watch yer arse.  Is this a part of a package to repay the AFL’s raping of the WAFL?

Great news finally we are in 2022, with all games live streamed, fantastic news.

Was chatting to a bloke yesterday who has his own video production company. He told me a streaming service called Streamer is going to be covering the WAFL. They are currently streaming the WAFLW. He said they are shitting themselves because they are struggling to get enough specialist equipment in to cover all the matches.