Channel Ten has announced its intention to broaden its sports programming by bidding for the A-League free-to-air rights starting from next season. Ten currently shows one match per week in a rights-sharing arrangement with Foxtel, however they are looking to increase the number of games televised each round.
The network had ridden on a wave of popularity as the host of the Big Bash League before losing the rights to rival Channel Seven. Although there are four years to run under the current arrangement between the FFA and Foxtel, next year’s A League free to air broadcast rights remain unsold.
With the television market undergoing significant changes in recent years, live sport has grown in importance for Australian free to air networks. Aside from capturing the eyeballs of a sports-mad country, networks see sporting rights as a ‘loss leader’. This means that while securing the rights may be expensive, sporting content attracts viewers to the networks who stay there once the full-time whistle has blown.
Live Soccer on Australian TV
Given the high profile and success of the Socceroos and Matildas national teams, soccer has gained a more significant position on the Australian sporting landscape in recent years. With the A-League set to expand by adding two teams from 2020, soccer lovers across Australia will have another game to watch per week – making the deal more lucrative for both the FFA and networks.
In addition to potentially getting a greater share of the A-League TV rights, Ten has recently secured rights to televise the Wallabies games at the 2019 Rugby World Cup from September 21, along with one Super Rugby match replay per week.
2019 A-League Finals Preview
The 14th season of the A-League kicked off last October, meaning things are starting to heat up now that we’re at the pointy end. With the final round taking place on the weekend of the 26th of April, the Perth Glory and Sydney FC are currently battling it out for the premiership.
Starting from May 3rd the 2019 A League finals series kicks off, with the Glory and Sydney – alongside the Melbourne Victory – looking like taking the battle for the championship down to the wire. The elimination finals take place from the 3rd to the 5th of May, with the semi-finals taking place the following weekend (the 10th to the 12th). The biggest match of the year – the A-League grand final – will be held on the weekend of the 18th of May.
How can I watch the A League?
Australian fans will have several choices of how and where they can watch the A-League, including traditional pay TV and live streaming options.
Watch A-League 2019 Live with Foxtel
Foxtel is the A-League’s main network partner, which means all A-League matches are broadcast live on FoxSports Channel 505. Foxtel screens every A-League match – from the regular season to the finals – live, in HD and without ad breaks during play.
Big match coming up? Thinking about tuning in for the rest of the season? You can sign up to Foxtel and start streaming A-League matches from Foxtel Go on the same day. Foxtel Go is free to download and watch for all Foxtel customers and is available on all devices, or of course you can also watch from the comfort of your living room.
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FeaturedStream the A-League with Kayo
Kayo Sports is the future of sports broadcasting, bringing you top-shelf sporting content from Australia and around the world. Kayo, Australia’s biggest sports-dedicated streaming service, stream every A-League match live including the finals. Watch on your laptop, tablet or smartphone to ensure you never miss a minute. In addition to the A-League, a review of Kayo reveals they put 50 sports at your fingertips, including AFL, NRL, rugby, international soccer, Formula One and loads more. They’ve even got a 14 day free trial on offer so you can see what the future of sports broadcasting looks like and cancel if you’re not excited.
Stream Rugby League on Kayo Sports
Watch every game from every round of the NRL season + International Tests with a monthly no contract plan.
Watch A-League 2019 on 10 Bold
As per the current rights arrangement, Channel Ten only shows one match live and on free-to-air per week. The match screened is the Saturday evening blockbuster, with the game shown on Ten’s subsidiary 10 Bold.
Live A-League on Aussie TV (Sydney time)
| Date | Event | Time | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 18 April | LIVE: Sydney FC v Perth Glory | 7:50 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Friday 19 April | LIVE: Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory | 7:50 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Saturday 20 April | LIVE: Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets | 5:35 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Saturday 20 April | LIVE: Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers | 7:50 PM | Foxtel/Kayo/10 Bold |
| Sunday 21 April | LIVE: Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne City FC | 5:00 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Thursday 25 April | LIVE: Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United | 2:00 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Friday 26 April | LIVE: Melbourne City v Central Coast Mariners | 7:50 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Saturday 27 April | LIVE: Newcastle Jets v Sydney FC | 5:35 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
| Saturday 27 April | LIVE: Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne Victory | 7:50 PM | Foxtel/Kayo/10 Bold |
| Sunday 28 April | LIVE: Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix FC | 7:00 PM | Foxtel/Kayo |
*Shown as Sydney Australia time, adjust for regional differences.
A-League 2019 Finals Live TV
While the exact times and dates for the finals aren’t known just yet – it depends on who makes it and where the games will be played – there’s sure to be loads of great action no matter whose colours you’re wearing.
The Elimination Finals – between the teams placed third to sixth on the ladder – take place on the weekend of May 3rd to 5th. These sudden death games bring out the best in the players – and there’s always a few surprises in store.
The Semi-Finals take place from the 10th to the 12th of May, with the winners from last week taking on the two best teams from the entire year. The structure of the A-League means there’s no guarantee the premiers will make the grand final – with Melbourne Victory’s spectacular elimination of Sydney FC last year before going on to win the title still fresh in the mind.
Then there’s the big one, the grand final, taking place on the weekend of the 18th and 19th. After just 14 seasons, the game has etched itself into the Aussie sporting landscape – with this year’s big game to be no different.
