The AFL and overseas fans

[Bottlerocket]

Not strictly a red and white issue, but is for me as I have seen only a handfull of swans games this year being in the UK.

It seems I am not alone either with it being discussed here already:
Overseas AFL Fans - RedAndWhiteOnline.com Messageboard (http://redandwhiteonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16465)

However, someone has written an 'open letter' to the AFL about this issue of poor game coverage for overseas fans. The issue really only comes to a head when the AFL fails to provide coverage and then begins to crack down on people using sites like justin.tv to try and watch some live footy.

You can read it here: Fix Our Footy (http://fixourfooty.wordpress.com/)

[laughingnome]

(clap)

Wonderful read. I'm pessimistic the AFL will do anything about it, but here's hoping.

[Bloody Hell]

Here, here.

AFL needs to take its fingers out of its ears and open its eyes.

[Bottlerocket]

I would probably urge people to post a comment on the blog. A blog like this with 600 comments has far more weight than a post like this with only 3 comments.

[ShockOfHair]

The writer is exactly right. I don't know how the league can be so gimlet-eyed about it's TV rights and so complacent about Internet viewing. It's surely a nice extra earner in markets without direct telecasts. And isn't it trying to promote the game in new markets like S. Africa and US?

I have to say that we get reasonable TV coverage in Asia on Australia Network: four or five games during the minor round and all of the finals. Similar deal applies to League, plus tri-Nations.

[mcs]

Hear Hear!!! I know its probably only a small market and all, but I struggled big time for my footy fix earlier this year when I was in the UK. I didn't have access to Setanta as it was then to watch any games, and had to rely on that a seeing a few games live through various p2p setups and then watched a few games on that pathetic aussiesports website. Apart from being unreliable, I don't want to see the game 3 days after it was actually played- I want to see it hopefully live, if not on say a few hours delay. That site is a joke and getting access to footy when overseas is very hard indeed!

I will probably be spending 2 years in the UK in the near future, and they better have it sorted by then or I wont be happy!