Free TV Australia issued an unusual statement in its fight against anti-siphoning rules, by drawing upon costs reported in the USA around NFL streaming costs.
After Netflix announced rights to a special Christmas Day match, MarketWatch reported streaming-only NFL would need access to six different streaming platforms, which can run $1,600 ($A2400) or more for the year. And cable users are going to need access to eight different channels or streaming platforms, which can run $2,300 ($A3,450) or more for the year.
Free TV CEO Bridget Fair said, “News from the US today that consumers will need to pay more than $2400 (USD $1600) to watch the full 2024 season of NFL should alarm every Australian. US consumers will be forced to subscribe to up to seven separate streaming apps just to watch a single season of NFL.
“This is a clear signal of what we will face in Australia if we don’t future-proof new laws to protect Australians’ right to free sport on TV, however they access it. With the current cost of living pressures Australians are facing, it is hard to understand why the Government is not stepping in to stop this from happening.
“In Australia we’ve always had a right to share the highs and lows of our favourite sporting teams with our family and friends for free, no matter how much we earn. Watching free sport brings the nation together and is part of the Australian way of life. We don’t want a two-tier community where the haves can watch sport, and the have-nots miss out.
“Australians should not have to sign up to seven streaming services just to get the sports they currently get for free. And this is the horribly certain future under the new anti-siphoning rules before the parliament which do not protect the right of Australians to watch their free sport if they access their free TV services via the internet.”
Let’s hope that future releases comparing Australia to international television show where we are lagging behind?