AGRO wrote:
Molly wrote:
Last night was the first time since the day it was played, I had watched this grand final. As a young man of eleven, I really remember struggling with the concept of us losing!
However, my question is - how come Tim Lane was commentating? Was he working at Seven at the time, or was this one of the years when the ABC had the broadcast rights?
Prior to 1987, Channel 7 and Channel 2 used to put together their own commentary teams so they could re-broadcast the replays of games that eveniing - and also Channel 2 used to broadcast live to regional areas that Channel 7 didn't reach.
So what FOXTEL showed was Channel 2's version of the 1986 Grand Final (we didn't win that version either
).
In 1987 - Channel 7 didn't even bid for the TV Rights for VFL or put in a very lowball bid - and Channel 2 had the exclusive rights to it.
I think this was the year that the VFL tried to milk more money out of Free to Air stations by offering exclusivity - Channel 7 (under new owners Christopher Skase) tried to play a game of brinkmanship and lost.
Thats my memory of it others may have a clearer explanation of it.
Pretty spot on Agro.
There is a book called Footy Incorporate or something like that which goes into a lot of the behind the scenes detail and farce surrounding the awarding of the rights for 1987.
Channel 7 thought they could waltz in with about $3M or some equally trivial amount but Oakley got his back up and started hunting around for other bidders.
IT became absolutely farcical to the extent that during the Foster's Cup, the goal posts were sponsored by Four X beer which rightfully pissed off Fosters Execs and they demanded that linen table cloths be tied around the goal posts to hide the offending signatures.
Oakley was a clown but I guess it was his first go at really "selling: the game. OR should that be selling out the game.
Channel 2 awared coverage because the AFL still needed FTA coverage and Broadcom couldn't do it.
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