WAFC returns fire over TV deal
WA football governing's body has revealed West Perth ignored its advice over a sponsorship row that has blacked out the Falcons from the new TV broadcasts.
The WAFL's 2015 TV schedule on Seven Network does not contain a West Perth fixture because the club refuses not to feature rival station, Channel 9, as a jumper sponsor.
Earlier this week West Perth management wrote to members advising them they were sticking with Nine because the sponsorship of around $300,000 over three years was crucial to the club's finances.
"Channel 7 appears to be dictating the terms of the television schedule and, as announced on Saturday, has decided not to televise any games involving West Perth," the letter said.
"Without Channel 9’s sponsorship, the club’s financial future was dire.
"The club was only informed three weeks ago that a directive from Channel 7 had come to the WAFC for West Perth to remove the Channel Nine News logo from its playing jumper or face the prospect of a black out.
"The Club has suggested a number of options which required collaboration from all parties, but at this point in time a satisfactory alternative has not been reached."
WAFC Gary Walton said the commission wanted West Perth, one of the WAFL's most popular clubs, on the Seven Network broadcasts and had offered a number of alternatives.
"The WAFC has explored a number of options with the club to date, including offering an alternative jumper sponsorship for TV games, which was rejected," he said.
"Seven’s position to not broadcast games featuring a team that displays the logo of a rival television network on their playing jumpers is the same position that Channel 9 expressed when we were discussing commercial broadcast rights with them in 2013.
"We appreciate that West Perth has suggested removing the logo for their International Round game but this does not provide a resolution for the WAFL finals, should West Perth qualify."
Walton also indicated the WAFC had warned West Perth of potential conflicts when it was first informed of the Falcons' sponsorship deal.
"The WAFC provided ongoing advice to West Perth throughout the club’s negotiations with Channel 9 in early 2014 to try and prevent commercial conflicts from occurring," Walton said.
"This included correspondence throughout the months of February and March, 2014, prior to West Perth advising the WAFC it had signed an agreement with Channel 9 on March 26, 2014.
"Correspondence from the WAFC included advice that a clause should be added to the agreement saying the Channel 9 logo could only appear on the jumper for 2014 as the WAFC was negotiating with Channel 7 to televise games beyond that.
"West Perth chose to ignore this advice and sign an agreement with Channel 9 with the knowledge that the WAFC was working with Channel 7 on an exclusive basis.
"We believe the WAFL clubs must unite with the WAFC to resolve this issue in order that all clubs are televised as part of this significant and valuable broadcast arrangement, which is a key priority for the competition."
Walton said the WAFC was still working to find a solution to the impasse.
