The ABC has won a bidding war with SBS for the free-to-air TV broadcast rights to the Socceroos matches at the January Asian Cup, while Football Federation Australia has signalled a renewed interest in attracting Asian advertising dollars by announcing a tie-up with DentsuAegis.
SBS and the national broadcaster faced-off to air Socceroos matches at the Asian Cup on two-hour delay, with the final deal believed to be worth about $700,000.
FoxSports will show each of the 32 matches from the tournament live and in high-definition, the ABC will get access to the Socceroos group matches from the tournament.
Should the Socceroos make it past the group stage, the ABC will be able to show its matches from the quarter-finals onwards live.
Regardless of the Socceroos' progress in the tournament, ABC will be able to screen the semi-finals and final live.
It is a coup for the national broadcaster, and part of a lobger-term vision from FoxSports to grow the overall audience for soccer in Australia.
"We thank Foxsports for their continued support and vision in allowing a new audience to experience this monumental event," CEO of the Asian Cup local organising committee Michael Brown said.
"This agreement will create an even bigger audience for the once-in-a-generation event that will put Australia frimly in the Asian and indeed global spotlight".
Meanwhile Football Federation Australia has signed up DentsuAegis agency Team Epic to service in-venue media programs for the A-League finals series, Socceroos Internationals, and the annual A-League All-Stars match, and to attract larger ad budgets
Team Epic will manage in-stadium advertising and infrastructure at the events, with Team Epic saying Dentsu's client list in Asia was a key part of the deal.
"Dentsu Sports Asia work in partnership with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, delivering commercial returns through both sponsorships and media broadcast negotiations," Team Epic's managing director Richard Coyne said.
"They have a deep knowledge of the Asian football market and will act as an important part of our relationship with FFA as it grows its presence in international markets."
The FFA also highlighted the agency's work with Cricket Australia as a reason Team Epic won the contract.
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