Melbourne Victory W-League have officially responded to the news that the ABC will axe its W-League broadcast due to funding cuts to the government run station.
The women’s game is now in danger of taking backwards steps despite its solid progress in season 2014 – which has seen both a record crowd and TV viewership tune in – with the free-to-air snubbing denying audiences an outlet to televised women’s football in Australia.
Melbourne Victory captain Steph Catley praised the ABC’s work in providing coverage to the sport, which was pressured into to making the tough decision by the Abbott government’s backflip on earlier promises.
“Obviously it’s really disappointing. I think the ABC has done a really good job in covering the W-League and it’s so important for us to have a game once a week out there,” Catley said.
“It’s not great but hopefully some one can pick us up pretty quickly because it’s so important.”
The league’s prosperity may now hinge on a revamped Fox Sports – which now has a dedicated football channel in their broadcast and has occasionally shown W-League matches in the past – given the similar budget cuts to SBS, the free-to-air station synonymous with football coverage.
With Fox Sports strong coverage of women’s sport a hallmark of their coverage – including their extensive footage of the ANZ Championship Netball – there could be a possibility of a future deal being struck.
Online streaming may also be a future option to audiences without a Foxtel subscription, though neither options may be considered as accessible as the coverage provided by the public broadcaster.
Victory coach Joe Montemurro echoed sentiments that the sport needed representation by a broadcaster to continue growing in Australia.
“As Steph said, the ABC has been great in regards to the exposure that we’ve been getting and having that game week in, week out has been fantastic,” he said.
“It’s disappointing but we just hope someone will be great enough to pick it up and go from there because there is a lot of growth in women’s football and it needs and deserves the exposure.”
“FFA and FFV do a great job. We get game coverage in regard to each club and there is always a camera at each game.
“Where they take that and where they want that to go I’m not exactly sure but we really do need a professional outfit taking it and brining it to the mass media that it deserves.”