Which Side of the Box is the Idiot Sitting?

Thusday July 20 2017

Back in the 1980’s Greg Evans was one of the most popular personalities on Australian TV. He hosted a show called ‘Perfect Match’. Many of you would have seen versions of this program in your own countries. The program was big, Greg was big, even the cardboard box with alfoil wrapped around it was big.

Then in stepped Kerry Packer, the man who bought us one-day cricket under lights played by men in pyjamas. Kerry owned Channel 9 and offered Greg a contract he couldn’t refuse. So Greg left Channel 10 and swanned over to Channel 9 in a blaze of glory.

And there ends the glory for Greg Evans on Australian TV. You see Kerry Packer signed him up not to be a star for Channel 9, they had plenty already. He signed Evans to keep him off Channel 10. And if you’re an Australian and a fan of Hockey your pretty much in the Greg Evans seat at the moment. And what is happening to the Australian fan is just a taste of what is to come for all Hockey fans in the future.

Foxtel has the rights to broadcast the World League Hockey in Australia. It is a subscription-based service. But Foxtel has ‘chosen’ to show only games involving Australia. Apparently they are obliged to show only those games as well as the quarter’s, semis and final of the World League in Johannesburg.

It is believed that Fox Management do not see Hockey as having a major fan base. Supposedly they judge this by how many complaints they receive when they do not show something or show it delayed. So one can only assume that if only a few hundred complain it is not worth bothering about. A few thousand may get their interest. 

Foxtel’s rights ownership also means that we cannot access the coverage from the Internet either. Australia is ‘Geo Blocked’ from the coverage. The FIH has recently announced several broadcasting deals with different broadcasters across different nations and continents. This situation raises serious questions about the details of these broadcast deals and what they practically mean for the Hockey fan.

Foxtel is treating Hockey just like Greg Evans, all the while quite happy to plough all their time and energy into Australian Rules Football, Cricket, Rugby and Soccer. Will your country be any different?

When we contacted the FIH they said we should contact our broadcaster.

?????What? We are Hockey fans and we want to see Hockey. The FIH signed the deal with Foxtel, not us. If they won’t show it why can’t we see it elsewhere? Is this the sort of coverage we can expect with the coming Hockey Pro League? Are you just so happy to get the cheque you have forgotten what it is for? Revolutions are meant to change things, not just serve up the same old rubbish.