Fox Footy this week showcased a new line-up of talent and programming as part of its official launch event at the historic Forum Theatre in Melbourne.
The event was hosted by key Fox Footy presenters and featured AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and Foxtel Group chief executive Patrick Delany.
Patrick Delany (right) at Fox Footy launch with Kath Loughnan and Garry Lyon
Speaking with the channel’s Kath Loughnan and Garry Lyon, Delany had news for marketers wanting to reach Foxtel’s big sport audience. He noted that 40% of Foxtel sport content consumption comes via Kayo and added. “We are hopeful that in March Kayo will go into the OzTAM ratings and we will see the total audience numbers.”
He also pointed out this year marks two decades of Foxtel partnership with the AFL.
“The relationship between the AFL and the Foxtel Group goes back to 2002. Then in 2011 when we were doing the ‘real’ deal and Gil was the COO, and I was just a punchy salesman, we were keen to get every game live on a channel.
“That is still something that is unique in the world.
“We love AFL because it is so well run, it’s a vibrant competition and there is no sport in Australia that has the unity of AFL. All of the teams in all of the states, working toward a common purpose.”
Fox Footy’s Nick Riewoldt with AFL’s Gillon McLachlan
Delany talked about the contract that gives the TV platform every regular round game live to which Foxtel adds “Fox Sports magic dust with all of our producers”.
He added: “It is a fabulous relationship we have and we are about to go through a golden era. The sport was so well managed by all the AFL community during Covid. None of us went broke which was a big deal for a little while.”
When asked by Garry Lyon about the newer streaming platform, Delany said: “The AFL backed us on Kayo. These days we have brute force grunt when it comes to distribution. We now have Foxtel and Kayo subscribers numbering over 2.4m households or 4m subscribers overall.
“If you are a fair dinkum sport you want to be where all the sports are. The growth of Kayo will continue this year.”
Fox Footy’s Best On Ground team: Jonathan Brown, Kath Loughnan, Nathan Buckley and Nick Riewoldt
Fox Footy new recruit, new shows
The key new signing to the Fox Footy team this year is former Collingwood captain and coach, Nathan Buckley.
The shiniest new program keeping sports fans engaged between the coverage of every AFL match live (bar the Grand Final) will be a new entertainment show coming after the football on Saturday night, Best On Ground.
The program will be broadcast in front of a live studio audience each week and include comedic sketches featuring some of the biggest names in the game.
Nathan Buckley will be part of the program that will be hosted by Fox Cricket commentator and anchor Mark Howard. He will be joined by other channel personalities including Jonathan Brown, Nick Riewoldt and Kath Loughnan.
Another new program for 2022 is Face-To-Face which will see Fox Footy’s team of experts sit down with the AFL stars for one-on-one interviews. The new format launches with Jonathan Brown talking to former teammates and now first-year senior coaches Craig McRae and Michael Voss.
Eddie McGuire takes a back seat
Missing from the Fox Footy team for the first time in a decade is Eddie McGuire who was not at the season launch. The host, anchor and commentator told Mediaweek: “My final day on air was Grand Final day last year as planned.”
McGuire won’t be too far away from the action on the Foxtel platform though. “I’ve just finished a meeting at Foxtel this minute,” he said yesterday. “I will continue to work with the organisation on projects and production.”
See also: Show Me the Money – Stan’s new AFL doco series from Eddie McGuire’s JamTV
Fox Footy rebrands Melbourne’s Forum Theatre
New on AFL 360 for 2022
AFL 360 will be back on Tuesday, March 8 with a new set and two familiar faces at the desk and will run three nights each week, Monday to Wednesday.
Hosts Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson will be joined by a rotating panel of player superstars, including Christian Petracca and Jack Riewoldt who will return each week for Players Night.
Fresh into retirement, Eddie Betts will join Jordan Lewis every Wednesday on AFL 360 for Legends Night with star analysts David King and Leigh Montagna also adding their lens on the game.
In other programming news, On the Couch with Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt will move to an earlier time slot on Monday evenings before AFL 360.
Bounce host Jason Dunstall will be back in 2022 wrangling the team of Andrew Gaze, Cameron Mooney, Sharni Norder, Bernie Vince and Ben Dixon on Sunday evenings.
Fox Footy Live and First Crack will delve into the biggest stories and discuss the hottest issues in a lively and fast-paced forum featuring Tom Morris, Montagna and King on Sunday nights.
Fox Footy’s coverage of all the live action – led by alternating hosts Garry Lyon, Sarah Jones, Kelli Underwood and Kath Loughnan – begins before the first siren of every round and continues until the locker rooms are empty at the end of the weekend.
“We were happy with the Fox Footy team to begin with but when you add lots of Nathan Buckley and more of Eddie then you’re more than just happy. We have worked hard to better our storytelling as well as adding two new shows. Every year everyone says this is going to be the best AFL season ever – at Fox Footy we plan to help make that a reality,” Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said.
Fox Footy’s coverage of the 2022 AAMI Community Series starts this Thursday, March 3 when Carlton clash with Melbourne on Foxtel and Kayo.
Fox Footy weekly schedule
MONDAY
AFL Tonight 6pm
On The Couch at 6.30pm
AFL 360 at 7.30pm
TUESDAY
AFL Tonight 7pm
AFL 360 7.30pm
Face-To-Face 8.30pm
WEDNESDAY
AFL Tonight 7pm
AFL 360 7.30pm
THURSDAY
Thursday Night Footy on FOX (game)
Fox Footy Live (after the footy)
FRIDAY
AFL Tonight 7pm
Friday Night Footy on FOX (game)
Fox Footy Live (after the footy)
SATURDAY
Super Saturday (games)
Best On Ground (after the footy from round three)
SUNDAY
Sunday Ticket (games)
Bounce (after the footy)
First Crack (after Bounce)