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FFA gives TV networks just over two weeks to tender interest for A-League TV rights

After a protracted courtship the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) has finally released its tender for its suite of football rights including the A_League, giving TV networks until December 9 to put their bids in.

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The FFA started talking to networks in April about its next round of rights for the A-League, W League, as well as some Socceroos and Matildas internationals and the FFA Cup from 2018, in what will most likely be a four-year deal.

Mumbrella understands all of the commercial free-to-air networks, SBS, ABC as well as Fox Sports and Optus have been approached with the tender document, with the FFA hoping to make up to $80m per season for the rights.

It is understood the FFA is particularly keen to secure matches on either the Seven, Nine or Ten networks in a bid to give the code more exposure on bigger platforms, and it has moved ahead of Cricket Australia’s planned tender for international cricket rights which will kick off in January.

Current free-to-air broadcaster SBS has relegated the A League’s Friday night matches to SBS Viceland, formerly known as SBS2, where they struggle to attract 100,000 viewers per game.

Fox Sports will fancy its chances of keeping the subscription TV rights despite interest from telco Optus as it holds first and last rights for the current deal meaning it can trump rival bids.

However, Optus may well have access to a bigger war chest than Fox Sports and is known to be keen to add domestic sports rights to its English Premier League package to attract more subscribers to its service.

Adding traction for the A-League will be the fact two of its matches this season have attracted the highest-ever attendances at the games, suggesting the popularity of the game is growing in certain areas.

It is thought the deal will be wrapped up by early in the new year.

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