Australian professional soccer’s top-tier A-Leagues body (responsible for both the men’s and women’s top competitions) has had to strike a last-minute TV production deal to avoid a viewing blackout of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures.
Earlier this week, the A-Leagues’ production partner for live broadcasts, Global Advance, was placed into voluntary administration. As a result, the body has had to finalize an eleventh-hour deal, covering the remainder of the 2024 season, with international broadcasting and media services group NEP.
The deal was only concluded earlier today, just hours before Central Coast Mariners played Western United in an A-League Women clash.
Global Advance, founded in 2021, entered into a deal with A-Leagues in 2021, its first major sports broadcast production contract. However, it has now collapsed, with significant sums of money still left unpaid to the A-Leagues, it has been reported.
The A-Leagues currently are understood to pay AU$12 million ($7.8 million) for production of all men’s and women’s games.
The domestic broadcasters are Network Ten and the Paramount+ streaming service.
In a statement, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) body which organizes the A-Leagues said: “We have reached an agreement with NEP Australia to produce all A-League Men and A-League Women matches for the remainder of the regular season and the 2024 final series.
“We thank them for their cooperation, flexibility, and expertise at such short notice.”
On the subject of the Global Advance issues, the APL commented: “We are disappointed in the manner in which this has come to our attention and the risk this has placed on our fan, player, club, broadcast and commercial commitments.
“We have been let down, and will be working with the administrators to recoup money owing to APL.”
In January, the A-Leagues were forced to close their digital arm, KeepUp, in a cost-cutting exercise. They also had to lay off close to half their total workforce.
The Paramount+ and Network Ten five-year deals covering both the men’s and women’s leagues run through 2025-26.
