SEVERAL top football commentators have been left in limbo as Channels 10 and Seven continue to negotiate with pay TV operator Foxtel.
The number of games Seven plans to telecast ranges from two to four, but depends on the network offloading games to another outlet.
The Seven and Ten consortium paid $760 million for the AFL television rights for 2007-2011. But under the agreement they must telecast all eight games or allocate games to another broadcaster.
Fox Footy was aligned to Channel 9's failed bid and went off the air the day after the AFL Grand Final.
About 50 people were employed by Fox Footy but most left the City Rd, Southbank, station on Tuesday when their contracts expired. Only a handful have been retained to work for Foxtel.
Foxtel has put in a bid for four matches to screen on Fox Sports 3, but it has been unable to agree on a price with the two free-to-air networks.
The confusion delayed the AFL fixture release and is now affecting commentators.
Several commentators who have applied for roles with Seven have been told that no jobs can be offered until it's known how many games it will broadcast. |
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Some commentators, including Brian Taylor and Dwayne Russell (Channel 9) and Tony Shaw (Fox Footy), also have radio commitments, but don't know whether to expand them.
Fox Footy's Clinton Grybus is also waiting for the deal to be done, as is co-commentator Kevin Bartlett.
While many believe an agreement with Foxtel is inevitable, there's a possibility it could still be weeks away.
Football's leading commentator, Nine's Dennis Cometti, is unsure whether he'll be calling football on TV next season.
His contract with Nine expires next month and he said last night he'd had no approach from Seven.
"I have no idea what's happening," Cometti said.
"They (Channel 9) have been terrific and there's been no urgency about it. But I haven't heard a thing."
Cometti said he had been happy to talk to Seven, but it depended on whether it believed there was a role for him.
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