The AFL currently believes that broadcasters calling games remotely doesn't have a detrimental impact on quality.
That’s the word from the league’s fixture boss, Travis Auld, despite growing criticism aimed at Fox Footy for calling games from the studio.
Free-to-air network Channel Seven has gone to every game this season, but Fox Footy calling the Round 3 Showdown from their Melbourne studio has fired up calls for the broadcaster to be present at every game.
Speaking to SEN’s Sportsday, Auld explained the league’s faith.
“As long as it’s not impacting the experience (for the viewer)…” Auld said on calling games remotely.
“People have differing views and at times you hear people criticising the broadcasters for not being there but they actually are there, so it’s at time times hard to tell for a viewer.
“There’s a lot of views in this space. I think they’re doing a really good job, I think that’s evidenced in our ratings so far this year, but we’re working with them every week, they’re always looking for better ways to do things.
“I don’t think at the moment it’s causing any issues, but we’ll keep an eye on it.”
AFL Media’s chief correspondent Damian Barrett is among those leading the calls for Fox Footy to send their commentators to every game.
But the network's leading analyst David King shares Auld’s view that it doesn’t impact the quality and recently hit back at claims that commentators are missing aspects of the game from the studio.
“The flippant discussion that we watch the game off a TV screen couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately for a whole host of reasons, we’re calling from the studios. Not going to get involved in that,” King told SEN’s Whateley after Round 3.
“We can see everything. We can see the whole field. We’ve got a wall of screens. I’ve got the ability to look behind the ball, forward of the ball, wherever your eyes go on game day, it’s the same except it’s on a wall screen.
“To say we’re missing things is wrong. You can see whatever you need to see and I have no problem with that and then combining that and the feel of the game and seeing player impact.”
It's unclear how the new TV rights deal that will kick in from 2025 will influence the broadcasters' desire to send commentators to games. From that year onwards, Fox will use their own commentators at every contest, meaning both Fox and Seven's commentary team will be present at certain games.