Seven has confirmed two of its key football panel programs Talking Footy and Game Day will not be returning for the remainder of the 2020 AFL season.
The network has blamed “prevailing market conditions” for the decision to “temporarily suspend” the two shows. The move comes at a time when Seven is seeking to achieve $100 million worth of savings across the network.
The fate of the two shows has been clouded in speculation over the past few months.
Seven waited until just days before Round One to confirm to TV Blackbox that the shows would return. Both shows managed to get one episode to air before Covid restrictions halted the AFL season, a move which lead Seven to suspend production.
Nine continued production of its football programming throughout the shutdown.
Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport Lewis Martin confirmed the decision today stating:
“As a consequence of COVID-19 we have seen tough and difficult decisions being made right across sport and we at Seven are no different. Talking Footy and Game Day have set the agenda in AFL circles for so many years and we hope with favourable conditions returning this will be a temporary hiatus for both.”
Talking Footy has been part of Seven’s line-up since The decisions leaves the host broadcaster without any AFL news panel discussion programs for the code while rival Nine continues with Footy Classified and the Sunday Footy Show.
Football will make a return on Seven with round two of the AFL kicking off with four marquee match-ups LIVE and FREE on the Home of Footy, while The Front Bar returns this Thursday night.
Next Monday, June 8, all the teeth-chattering, bone-chilling fun of the Big Freeze will again brighten up the Queen’s Birthday public holiday, with stars from all 18 clubs set to take an icy plunge in the fight against the MND ‘Beast’. Mick Molloy and Daisy Pearce will host Seven’s special broadcast of Big Freeze 6, while FightMND icon Neale Daniher will also be part of the show.
Competition heavyweights Richmond and Collingwood will relaunch the 2020 season on Thursday, June 11, kick-starting a massive weekend on Seven that showcases some of the game’s biggest rivalries, including Geelong v Hawthorn, Port Adelaide v Adelaide, and Sydney Swans v Essendon.
Over the upcoming four rounds, Seven will broadcast four games a week nationally, across the prime-time fixtures of Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
Although fans can’t watch from the stands at the moment, Seven is introducing some exciting innovations to the coverage to take viewers as close as possible to the on-field action.
As launched on 7NEWS last month, crowd audio effects will be incorporated into the broadcast from round two, while Seven is also trialing world-first virtual technology and working to integrate fans at home into the broadcast.
The #WeAreWatching campaign, introduced so successfully in round one, will continue with fans encouraged to send in images of themselves at home, going to the footy on Seven.
Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport Lewis Martin commented:
“The game will always be at the heart of our AFL coverage. But we’ve spent the past few weeks exploring ways we can enhance the viewer experience from both an audio and visual perspective. The innovations we’re introducing are exciting but will always be kept firmly in the background.”
Despite the existing state border restrictions, football commentary duo Bruce McAvaney and Brian Taylor will lead Seven’s coverage of the Collingwood-Richmond grudge match next Thursday night.
Over the next four rounds, Seven’s commentary team will again include callers James Brayshaw, Hamish McLachlan and Luke Darcy, while expert commentary will be provided by Luke Hodge, Daisy Pearce, Wayne Carey, Jobe Watson, Leigh Matthews, Matthew Richardson, Tim Watson, Cameron Ling and Jimmy Bartel.
Abbey Holmes, Jude Bolton and Mark Soderstrom round out football’s best team.
This Thursday night, the laughs return to the game as Mick Molloy, Sam Pang and Andy Maher assume their usual positions at The Front Bar to celebrate the lighter side of footy and catch up with some of the game’s biggest stars.
The boys will be joined by the usual regulars throughout the season, including 2020’s superstar recruit Andy Lee and fan favourite Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald, while Thursday night’s special guests will include former Collingwood and Carlton high-flyer Dale Thomas and AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.
Some of the other LIVE and FREE blockbusters fans can look forward to on Seven over the next month, include:
· Richmond v Hawthorn, round three
· Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, round three
· GWS Giants v Collingwood, round four
· Essendon v Carlton, round four
· West Coast v Richmond, round five
· Collingwood v Essendon, round five
On Friday nights, Telstra’s Friday Night Countdown will capture all the excitement leading into the big match, while post-game Adam Cooney and Cam Luke will again settle in on the Armchair Experts sofa, offering viewers their unique take on the action.
As always, fans in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia will be able to watch every game involving their local AFL teams on Seven.
Seven will continue to keep footy fans across all the game’s big issues via Inside AFL on 7NEWS, and in pre- and post-game coverage on match days.
AFL fans can also keep across all the action on the @7AFL social pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
TV Broadcast times on Seven:
The Front Bar
Thursday June 4
Melbourne 8.45pm LIVE on Channel 7
Sydney 11.25pm on Channel 7
Brisbane 11.25pm on Channel 7
Adelaide 8.45pm on Channel 7
Perth 8.45pm on Channel 7
AFL – Season 2020
ROUND TWO
Thursday June 11
Collingwood v Richmond, MCG
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate; 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Friday June 12
Geelong v Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Armchair Experts
Sydney 10.45pm on 7mate
Melbourne 10.45pm on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.45pm on 7mate
Adelaide 10.15pm on Channel 7
Perth 11.00pm on 7mate
Saturday June 13
Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, Gabba
Brisbane 1.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Perth 11.30am LIVE on Channel 7
Port Adelaide v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Gold Coast v West Coast, Metricon Stadium
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Sunday June 14
GWS Giants v North Melbourne, Giants Stadium
Sydney 1.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Sydney Swans v Essendon, SCG
Sydney 3.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 3.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 3.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 2.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 1.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
ROUND THREE
Thursday June 18
Richmond v Hawthorn, MCG
Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Friday June 19
Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Armchair Experts
Sydney 10.45pm on 7mate
Melbourne 10.45pm on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.45pm on 7mate
Adelaide 10.15pm on Channel 7
Perth 11.00pm on 7mate
Saturday June 20
North Melbourne v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium
Sydney 1.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane Lions v West Coast, Gabba
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate; 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Sunday June 21
Gold Coast v Adelaide, Metricon Stadium
Brisbane 1.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Adelaide 12.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Essendon v Melbourne, MCG
Sydney 3.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 3.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Fremantle v Port Adelaide, Metricon Stadium
Adelaide 5.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 4.00pm LIVE on 7mate
ROUND FOUR
Thursday June 25
Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, SCG
Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Friday June 26
GWS Giants v Collingwood, Giants Stadium
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Armchair Experts
Sydney 10.45pm on 7mate
Melbourne 10.45pm on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.45pm on 7mate
Adelaide 10.15pm on Channel 7
Perth 11.00pm on 7mate
Saturday June 27
Port Adelaide v West Coast, Metricon Stadium
Adelaide 1.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 11.30am LIVE on Channel 7
Essendon v Carlton, MCG
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate; 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Gold Coast v Fremantle, Metricon Stadium
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Sunday June 28
Brisbane Lions v Adelaide, Gabba
Brisbane 1.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Adelaide 12.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Melbourne v Geelong, MCG
Sydney 3.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 3.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 1.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
ROUND FIVE
Thursday July 2
West Coast v Richmond, Metricon Stadium
Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Friday July 3
Collingwood v Essendon, MCG
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate, 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Armchair Experts
Sydney 10.45pm on 7mate
Melbourne 10.45pm on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.45pm on 7mate
Adelaide 10.15pm on Channel 7
Perth 11.00pm on 7mate
Saturday July 4
Geelong v Gold Coast, GMHBA Stadium
Brisbane 4.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Brisbane v Port Adelaide, Gabba
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Sunday July 5
Adelaide v Fremantle, Metricon Stadium
Adelaide 12.30pm LIVE on Channel 7
Perth 11.00am LIVE on Channel 7
Sydney Swans v Melbourne, SCG
Sydney 3.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 3.00pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 3.00pm LIVE on 7mate
GWS Giants v Hawthorn, Giants Stadium
Sydney 6.00pm LIVE on 7mate
