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The A League is moving to a winter season in 2022 and beyond going head to head with AFL and Rugby League. Good luck with that if they think that is the answer. I think they were in trouble anyway similar to Rugby, Foxtel was making huge losses and wanted out of the remaining 3 years of their 60 million a year agreement and COVID gave them the perfect excuse to rip up the deal and get a massive discount.

Looks like they only have to fork out 32 mill a year now and Tony Sage is fuming. When they finish this season off starting in July I think, they’ll will virtually go straight into pre season for a December start for 20/21 season that will finish in July. Then the following season will be winter 2022. They want to align with lower state leagues and juniors so they can introduce a relegation system. Interesting times ahead.

Players will be forced to take massive pay cuts and that probably spells the end of marquee players like Castro and Fornaroli in the future.

www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-league-set...20200619-p554dx.html

I'm surprised Fox didn't drop if full stop, the ratings are woeful and have been dropping for years, attendances not much better.

I guess at a cheaper price then its worth it maybe, how will they show it in Winter with a full format of AFL and Rugby.

The winter format makes sense to me in a lot of ways mainly as they wont be up against EPL or other major leagues on pay tv, I don't watch any A league when EPL is on.

I have no idea why they are bothering to finish off the season, the A league should of just done the same as the SPL and cut the loses and awarded the title to the team on top and written it off, no prick cares now.

I've previously not associated soccer as a winter sport, so moving the A league to a winter season is going to be interesting. One good point is they won't be competing with the basketball, as the NBL is getting great attendances. Apparently the soccer crowds are decreasing which is part of the reasoning to change. Can't see how moving the season is going to help. If fox do decide to drop the broadcasts, someone else will do it.

westaussieguy wrote: I've previously not associated soccer as a winter sport, so moving the A league to a winter season is going to be interesting. One good point is they won't be competing with the basketball, as the NBL is getting great attendances. Apparently the soccer crowds are decreasing which is part of the reasoning to change. Can't see how moving the season is going to help. If fox do decide to drop the broadcasts, someone else will do it.

Could be something the ABC/SBS could pick up very very cheaply and would suite the slimmed down budget.

Bazza wrote:

westaussieguy wrote: I've previously not associated soccer as a winter sport, so moving the A league to a winter season is going to be interesting. One good point is they won't be competing with the basketball, as the NBL is getting great attendances. Apparently the soccer crowds are decreasing which is part of the reasoning to change. Can't see how moving the season is going to help. If fox do decide to drop the broadcasts, someone else will do it.

Could be something the ABC/SBS could pick up very very cheaply and would suite the slimmed down budget.

Not sure the abc would touch the soccer. They've enough problems with current staff cuts and budgetary constraints etcetera etcetera. Tv screens will no doubt be filled with more silly crap in times to come. Someone was saying Fox had a 6 year agreement to televise the A league. They are falling well short if they want out now.

WAG this season was the last of that 6 year agreement between the FFA (A-League, FFA Cup, W-League etc) and Fox Sports. They have only signed on for 1 year next season on a third of what they paid them last time as the ratings have been nothing short of dismal for all of the local soccer content, they paid well overs last time approx $50 million a season for the 6 years.

I think they are on the right track; it will be interesting to see if fox holds on to the internationals.

With talk of the abc and SBS merging together, the soccer could easily be covered there.