Foxtel plans to continue its investment in Australian sports and drama, and says it is benefitting from DAZN ownership.
At its annual Parliamentary Showcase, the media company doubled down on its multi-billion dollar commitment to Australian sports and screen, and told B&T that DAZN has its back when it comes to negotiating sports rights and provides additional value by providing the tech that underpins its broadcasting and streaming technology.
Foxtel invests $1 billion in sports rights and production each year, which it says helps fund growth in fandom and grassroots sports—a point that was highlighted by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, AFLW player Ruby Schleicher and cricketer David Warner.
Foxtel is the second biggest investor in sport, via sports broadcasting rights, after the government. It shows more men’s and women’s professional sports in AFL, NRL, cricket, netball and supercars in Australia than other media outlet and has forged a reputation for producing outstanding commentary teams and analysis.
“They leave us alone. Where they’ve really helped out is delivering scale and technology. Rather than having to build our own apps or do deals just for Australia, we’re now able to hang off DAZN’s coat tails. And this is a big advantage,” Delany said.
“It means that we’ve got more money to invest in Australian sports and drama. It means we can pay our debt down much quicker. And it means we’re a very, very stable company.
“I think it also means, in terms of development of technology going forward…we’ve now got a big brother (in DAZN) that just worries about sport all around the world, but specifically in each country.”
Delany said that DAZN allows the Foxtel team in Australia to invest heavily in rights and will battle hard to renew its foothold in NRL, AFL, cricket and motorsports, where it is the biggest Aussie broadcaster. At present Foxtel is negotiating rights to renew its long-standing partnership with the NRL when the current rights cycle ends in 2027.
“We’re in the lucky position that as a standalone company that has a bigger EBITDA and a bigger cash generation than any other Australian media company. We can hold our own, but it is good to have an enthusiastic parent as well,” Delany said.
Delany also doubled down on investments in BINGE; revealing that it is producing season three of Colin From Accounts and a third spin off of Wentworth. Colin from Accounts star Helen Thomson (pictured in red above) was on a panel discussing how Foxtel’s investment benefits the Australia film and TV sector.
“Our commitment to investing in brilliant local drama and Australian storytelling is also unwavering. We are proud of the Australian dramas that make us laugh, cry and want more.”
“We’re not laying off. We’re investing in news, through Sky. We’re investing in reality. We’ve got a lot of reality shows that we’re shooting. We are accelerating entrepreneurship and pushing forward to the benefit of Australia.”
Delany doesn’t believe a lot will happen on the regulation front in the coming year.
“I think the government has settled down the quotas and a drama spend. There’s nothing to do in anti-siphoning for the moment,” he said.
“Of course, we would always want to see any siphoning catch up with modern technology and modern Australian habits. Free should mean free, It shouldn’t include a broadcast license, but I don’t see any of that happening this year. I think for us, we are focused on continuing to drive growth, to produce really great Australian sports and dramas. It’s more of the same, but we’re not backing off. We’re going to go harder.”
Delany spoke to B&T on the sidelines of Foxtel’s annual Parliamentary Showcase, attended by more than 150 ministers, parliamentarians and stars from Australian screen and sport in Canberra last night.
Hosted by Fox Sports presenter Jessica Yates, the event at Parliament House featured remarks from Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany, the communications and sports minister Anika Wells, shadow minister for communications Melissa McIntosh and leading figures in Australia’s major codes.
Other sport executives in attendance included AFL COO Tom Harley, AFL EGM Customer & Commercial, Bec Haagsma, AFL EGM Corporate Affairs, Sharon McCrohan, Cricket Australia Chief Commercial Officer Ed Sanders, NBL CEO David Stevenson, Supercars CEO James Warburton, Netball Australia CEO Stacey West and Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 CEO Mark Falvo.
Production company executives in attendance included Easy Tiger Co-CEO Ian Collie, BBC Studios President, Media & Streaming, APAC Robi Stanton, Fremantle Australia CEO Greg Woods and Fremantle Australia Head of Scripted Carly Heaton.
