World Footy News

The AFL this week announced that Australia Plus has assumed the rights to broadcast matches in the Asia/Pacific region from Australia Network.  The announcement follows and appears to be a broadening of the audience.  We would like to hear from our Asia/Pacific readers how this is likely to affect them by posting a comment below.

Under the new arrangement that covers key markets across the Asia/Pacific region, Australia Plus will broadcast six matches per week during the Toyota AFL Premiership season, along with all matches in the Toyota AFL Finals Series. It will also broadcast a weekly highlights program across 28 weeks.

Patrick Emmett, Head of Television ABC International, said the reach of Australia Plus would be a great result for AFL fans outside of Australia.

"2015 is set to be the biggest year ever for AFL coverage in Asia and the Pacific with an additional 40 million people in the region having access to our weekly coverage on Australia Plus Television. 
“This year we welcome new AFL fans across India, South Korea and Japan and look forward to bringing all the colour and excitement of the final series to Chinese audiences in the Shanghai region,” Emmett said.

Australia Plus will also broadcast live each of the 21 matches in the NAB Challenge that are being covered by Fox Footy.

Separately, one match will be shown on delay on Eurosport Asia/Pacific each week with a weekly highlights program also to be shown on Eurosport Asia/Pacific.

Key markets Australia Plus broadcast into include: Bangladesh; Cook Islands; Fiji; Guam; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Japan; Macau; Malaysia; Marshall Islands; Micronesia; Nauru; New Caledonia; Niue; Northern Marianas; Palau; Philippines; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Singapore; Solomon Islands; South Korea; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Tonga; Vanuatu.

The AFL will continue to seek outcomes for those regions where AFL supporters cannot access the Australia Plus service and in the meantime encourages supporters in those markets to access all live matches via watchafl.afl.com.au.
 

About Australia Plus
 

In October 2014 ABC launched a new network across Asia and the Pacific – connecting Australia to business, travel and education interests in the region.

Australia Plus is a unique multi-platform media service delivered online, on mobile and through social media as well as via a new exclusive television service.

Australia Plus combines the strengths of a targeted international television service reaching more than 190 million people across Asia and the Pacific with an established and unique digital and social media network that is already engaging more than 2.3 million people a month in some of the world's largest markets. We now have over three million Facebook fans and a significant presence on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Google+,  Sina  Weibo, Soundcloud, Youku, QQ Video and We Chat.