As the weather warms up, another summer of sizzling football action is upon us once again. With the 2017/18 Season of the Hyundai A-League kicking off, Sydney FC star and Johnny Warren Medal winner, Milos Ninkovic, summed up the anticipation: “It’s a long pre-season… but we’re all excited to finally start – we’re ready!”
With some exciting developments for the Australian football league, including three blockbusting rounds to kick off the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Season – a Grand Final rematch – Melbourne and Sydney derbies –plus a home stretch of the final nine rounds dubbed “The Chase”, there was one particular hot topic that had the players and coaches thrilled:
Harvey Norman Saturday Night Football live and free on Channel ONE!
In exciting news for fans old and new, Australian football has a new home on free-to-air television. The Hyundai A-League and Network TEN have partnered up to broadcast one live football match every Saturday night. That’s 27 regular season home-and-away Hyundai A-League fixtures, plus five Finals matches televised on Channel ONE and streamed live on TenPlay. In a major boost, the Harvey Norman sponsorship will be a driving force behind Network TEN’s coverage, promoting the Hyundai A-League live by televising its best game each week.
“We will take the biggest matches of the Hyundai A-League — such as the Saturday night derbies — into every household in Australia live for the first time,” declared Football Federation Australia Chief Executive David Gallop.
Premiership- and championship-winning Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold said: “A lot of people don’t have pay TV and the fact they can now watch it on free-to-air is great for the game.”
Fellow manager Paul Okon of the Central Coast Mariners stated that the timing couldn’t be better: “It’s something we’ve been crying out for. The free-to-air TV deal has come at the right moment. This A-League season that’s about to start is probably the most exciting in a long time. If you love live football, you’re going to be getting plenty of it!”
“It’ll take the A-League to the masses. Hopefully people will see what a really good spectacle it is,” said Kenny Lowe, coach of Perth Glory. “I‘ve got friends back home in England who actually get up early in the morning to watch the games. Everyone plays a good brand of football; there are lots of goals and good footballers.”
As a professional football player, the highly experienced Andrew Durante of Wellington Phoenix was pumped for the opportunity: “It’s great for the fans and for the growth of the game. It’s on the players to make sure we perform well to grow the game and make it a really good spectacle for everyone. I’m really looking forward to it.”
“To spend Saturday night playing football is a dream. When the stadiums are full, this is amazing for us,” said Isaias, Adelaide United’s Spanish midfield maestro.
In particular, the jewel in the Hyundai A-League’s crown — its highly-anticipated derby games — will reach a wider audience thanks to Network TEN and Harvey Norman.
“They’re always big games, aren’t they? You want to be the talk of the town,” said veteran Melbourne City goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic. “It’s the centre of attention. Now everyone can watch it. The bigger the game gets, the better.”
The Hyundai A-League is sure to be the hottest ticket in town this summer. Want to check it out for yourself?
For a chance to win one of four Category A family ticket packages to a Hyundai A-League game of your choice during Season 13 (excludes travel, Finals game and the Grand Final) in our “Sign Up & Win” Facebook Competition, simply answer the following question in 25 words or less:
Which Hyundai A-League team do you believe should win this season and why?
Click here to enter!