Fox Footy on at ALH pubs as contract tussle continues
Live AFL matches on subscription channel Fox Sports are being shown in pubs owned by one of Australia’s largest hotel groups – for now at least – as drawn-out negotiations between the two groups continue.
Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily
It’s understood the dispute between the broadcaster and the Woolworths-owned ALH Group centres around a proposed price hike for showing Fox Sports in the group’s 300 Australian pubs, which include about 27 in SA.
An ALH spokesman said this morning that negotiations were ongoing “but we are providing Fox Sports in our venues”.
ALH Group is the hotel arm of the Woolworths-owned Endeavour Drinks, which also owns major liquor retailers Dan Murphy’s and BWS as well as wine companies Cellarmasters and Pinnacle Drinks.
Popular ALH pubs in Adelaide include the Ramsgate Hotel at Henley Beach, the Brighton Esplanade Hotel and the Coopers Alehouse Gepps Cross.
InDaily visited one of the group’s Adelaide hotels last night to find the season opener between Richmond and Carlton being shown live on the Fox Footy channel.
It is understood the previous agreement between the two parties will end on April 1.
Under the AFL’s broadcasting rules for South Australia, a minimum of three matches per week are shown live on free-to-air television during the AFL premiership season while all nine Matches per week are broadcast live on Fox Sports.
During the minor round, All 42 matches involving the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide broadcast on free-to-air television, either live or on delay.
