2025-04-07
Football fans are angry and upset that week after week they can’t watch their teams play without a paid subscription.
A deal between the AFL and Foxtel has meant a number of key matches are not being broadcast on free to air television, leaving fans having to pay to watch Saturday matches via Foxtel or Kayo.
For example, this weekend the Adelaide Crows played an away match, leaving South Australians unable to watch the game live and free.
The Greens have announced they will fix the laws to make football free to watch.
Comments attributable to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Communications:
“There’s nothing more Australian than a Saturday afternoon spent on the couch watching the AFL. But right now, footy fans across the country are being forced to whip out their credit card to watch their favourite teams live every Saturday.
“South Australians expect to be able to watch their beloved Adelaide Crows or Port Adelaide for free during away games, but the current regulation is broken.
“The anti-siphoning list acknowledges the cultural importance of the AFL, but the laws have left many footy fans locked out.
“This is just un-Australian.
“Aussie rules is one of many sports that brings us together on common ground as a nation, but locking prime time games behind a paywall leaves our community divided into the haves and have-nots. It's not fair play.
“The Greens will fix these laws and ensure that our key sporting matches are free to watch.
“So long as the big streaming giants and Foxtel are able to out-bid free to air services from acquiring rights, these laws are not working in the best interests of Australians.
“All Australians should be able to watch the footy for free, and The Greens will act to fix this law in the next parliament.”