Australia-A-League future hangs in the balance as Foxtel could walk away from TV deal

When more than 400,000 fans watched last year's A-League grand final, it was a strong result for the code — but small comfort, after years of dwindling TV ratings.

Last week, the A-League broadcaster Foxtel effectively walked away halfway through a six-year deal, when it reportedly failed to transfer a scheduled payment of nearly $12 million to Football Federation Australia (FFA).

The FFA is threatening legal action. But it hardly seems to matter.

"There's little doubt that Fox wants out of the contract and the relationship," former FFA official Bonita Mersiades said.

"It hasn't seen football as one of its major assets for some time."

Even before the pandemic, jobs were slashed this year at Fox Sports — and from its soccer coverage in particular.

The FFA, meanwhile, had seen major sponsors like Caltex, NAB, and Aldi pull out. Hyundai has indicated it may well be next.

When the pandemic hit, FFA stood down 70 per cent of its 230 staff.

Unlike the AFL, which secured a half a billion-dollar line of credit to fund its return to competition, the FFA has no assets.

It's not even totally clear who is running its elite competition.

Chief executive expects games to be back on TV

Last year, A-League club owners won their battle to take control from the FFA. But the transition had only just begun.

​The A-League has no stand-alone administration. No chief executive, and not even a phone number.

"The pandemic has caught the game at a really fragile moment, which is incredibly unfortunate," said Players' Association head John Didulica.

"There's a decision-making vacuum."

On Friday, FFA's newly installed chief executive James Johnson told ABC Grandstand the A-League would return — and would be on TV.

"Our expectation is that absolutely the matches would be televised," he said.

"Our contract runs for another three seasons, and all matches should be broadcast on Fox."

Foxtel declined to comment.

If the broadcaster walks away from the A-League, everything hinges on finding another buyer for the TV rights.

But it's hard to see who would be interested at the current price.

There are plenty who believe the sport has been living beyond its means for some time.

"Over the 15 years of the A-League, they have lost hundreds of millions of dollars," said Ms Mersiades.

"So the question is really for the club owners — is it sustainable?"

'Players have dragged [game] back from the brink'

Mr Didulica concedes that if the A-League is to return, player salaries will go down.

"There's absolutely no shying away from that. And the players accept that reality," he said.

But he believes if Foxtel walks away, the sport will attract another broadcaster.

"Historically, the players have dragged Australian football back from the brink," he said.

"Look at 2005 and the days of the golden generation. Look at what's been achieved by the Matildas in recent years.

PHOTO: John Didulica thinks it will be up to the players to rescue the competition as they've done in the past. (AAP: Gary Day)

"The players have got a track record of coming good when the game needs them most, and the players back themselves to be able to produce the sort of product that can attract broadcast partners, and can ensure a high quality product for fans."

It's horrible timing, too, for FFA's joint bid with New Zealand to host the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Top clubs like Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City and Sydney FC can survive the pandemic shutdown.

But other clubs will not — even, perhaps, clubs in some state capitals.

The FFA is unlikely to be able to help.

The shutdown has also cut off its revenue stream from all matches, including the Matildas or Socceroos games.

The calls for change have already begun.

PHOTO: Socceroos legend Mark Schwarzer says Australia's football administration is wasting money. (AAP: Paul Miller)

Last week, Australia's most-capped Socceroo, Mark Schwarzer, told Optus Sport the sport was wasting millions on administration.

"We have nine full-time boards in the various states and territories who are trying to govern the game in their own precinct, and that's all they care about," he said.

"No-one wants to relinquish power.

"The AFL receives double the [government] funding of football. Yet they have half the number of participants.

"Why? They're unified.

"The head of AFL goes in there as a unified organisation in control of the entire game, over the entire country. We don't."