AFL fans are paying the price of monster TV deal with Kayo price hike

But there is a very important difference.

Less than a year after fans were told they had to subscribe to Kayo or Foxtel to watch every AFL match, the price has risen again.

Seven’s Saturday afternoons, once defined by football, have increasingly been replaced by horse racing and weekend news, forcing fans to make a simple choice: pay more or miss out. Now, during a cost-of-living crisis where household budgets are already under extreme pressure, they are being asked to make that choice again.

Kayo highlights additional content, including this weekend’s State of Origin match and the introduction of wildcard weekend. However, Origin Clash will also be broadcast live and free on Seven. So are additional games. This argument is not valid.

When the wildcard weekend was announced, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon framed it as a gift to supporters.

“Our fans love the finals,” Dillon said. “We think it provides opportunities and hope for our fans. We know these games are the most watched and watched games on television.”

This may be true. However, this decision is not made based on emotions. It is based on income.

Kayo does not disclose the number of subscribers, but industry estimates put the figure at around 1.5 million. Conservatively speaking, if only half were premium subscribers and accepted the $6 monthly increase, Kayo’s annual revenue would increase by more than $50 million.

Late last year Foxtel parent company DAZN began telling industry figures it was unhappy with its financial exposure under the AFL broadcast deal and might seek to claw back some of the money.

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DAZN denied that this was the case.

“We categorically reject any allegation that we are unhappy with Foxtel’s AFL deal,” a DAZN spokesperson said at the time. “Foxtel and the AFL share a long and successful history. We stand by Foxtel’s commitment to the AFL and fully support the continued growth of their partnership.”

These are the facts: There is limited room for subscriber growth. And DAZN’s deal, worth about $420 million annually, was not renegotiated. Now the cost has been placed on the fans.

The AFL cannot wash its hands of this outcome.

For a league that routinely describes itself as the guardian of the national game, the decision to prioritize broadcast revenues over accessibility is a profound miscarriage.

The Kayo increase was announced in the same week that the AFL announced it was freezing general admission ticket prices for the eighth consecutive season.

But for those watching at home, it’s a kick in the butt to fans who are told the game belongs to them.

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