Seven takes another shot at AFL show
Exclusive: Seven is now looking to another primetime AFL show instead. Update: Prime Time Game Day begins next week.
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Exclusive: The Seven Network is about to have a crack at another primetime AFL show.
It will be the channel’s second attempt in twelve months at a primetime show to capitalise on its AFL rights, following the demise of The Bounce in April.
“Seven is in the final stages of development of a prime time football programme,” a spokesperson told TV Tonight.
“Seven will be making an announcement in the next couple of days.”
The Bounce, hosted by Peter Helliar was troubled by behind the scenes production problems and poor word of mouth. It was taken off air with ratings of just 296,000 across Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
At the time Seven’s Head of Programming and Production, Tim Worner promised the show would be revamped and return.
“We can’t defend the ratings – they are perfectly clear. But there are some great things happening in the show that we love.
“Anecdotally – from players, clubs and viewers alike – there is a great deal of warmth for the show,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve decided to take some time to rethink some aspects of the show and bring it back during the Finals Series.”
But with Finals starting tonight there is no sign of the show’s return.
Last week following Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins a panel discussion aired in select cities, drawing upon some of the team from Sunday morning’s AFL Game Day.
Could the show be about the get a primetime version? And could the now-‘retired’ Cousins be on the cast list?
Seven has previously attempted Live and Kicking and 4 Quarters.
Nine, which doesn’t own the AFL rights, has two successful weeknight shows with The Footy Show and Footy Classified. Seven is eager to meet the challenge.
UPDATE: Seven schedules Game Day Prime Time for 7:30pm Thursday September 9 in AFL markets. “A lively look at all the issues making news in the world of AFL.” Also airing September 16.
16 Responses
I work at 7 and i have to tell you i’m no fan of it moving to prime time. The host doesn’t have what it takes to pull it off and the producers, well there’s antoher story. 7 can’t make a footy show for some reason… And Chris comment 1 I totally agree 7Mate??? How ocker and embarrasing…
Many top execs got paid way too much over very expensive lunches to come up with that one.
Who’s coming up with these titles? Game Day Prime Time? Matty Johns Controversy Corner? (and while we’re at it, 7mate?)
Please no more dodgy AFL shows that aren’t funny and aren’t well produced! Please! Do something else Channel 7!
Maybe they should just bring back Talking Footy that show was successful. If it does return bring back a Talking Footy Special: that was the Season That Was. This was a show which reviewed every team who didnt make the Grand FInal on and off the feild. Do not put on Seasons Best that show is crap and the name is crap, and yess i know it has the same host and panelists as gameday but the format is crap. Once again bring back Talking Footy name was great and fomat was to. Hamish McLachlan is good but the format of gameday is not good enough for prime time and anyway the shows name when shown at night in primetime or at late night does not make sense at all.
Tv networks have lost there way. There is no problem in bringing back a old show if it was successful and if the format wassucessfull and Talking Footy was the only stumbling block could be that FOX Sports most likely own the rights to that format. Which is a shame
@Damo, thanks. I’m astonished there’s that much air time given over to those programs, considering that wouldn’t include actual televised matches. Does that leave time for any of you guys to get out there and actually play the game?!
Nuts, only in AFL Markets, that’s pathetic. At least they could air it on 7two in the none AFL markets like Nine did with the Footy Show on Go! this year during Wimbolden (Maybe next year they could air Footy Show AFL at 9:30 on Go! in the non AFL states so that we can all watch it.)
@Trix:
Fox Sports (On the Couch, AFL Insider, AFL 360, AFL Teams, Before the Bounce, AFL Winners, Open Mike).
Seven (AFL Gameday) [pathetic from the host broadcaster]
Nine (Footy Classified, Footy Show, Sunday Footy Show, TAC Cup Future Stars)
Ten/ONE (One Week at a Time, Before the Game, The Fifth Quarter)
Other: Marngrook Footy Show (Ch 31 and NITV)
So I count 16 Aussie rules shows…and I love it 😀
The writing let the show down I thought, but Peter tried hard and pushed on. The format also seemed a little strained and forced. Love Peter Helliar, he’s a very funny guy, but I don’t think the writers did him any favours.
The Bounce was an abortion from the get go. Not surprised Seven backed out of that one. The Game Day format is much better, I would like to see a primetime edition.
Forgive my ignorance as I am one of the few who does not pray at the AFL shrine, but isn’t it a little late in the season to be launching another footy show? Unless they’re looking at a couple of specials in the last week or two … and just out of curiosity, how many programs are there at present that follow/comment on the game?
Well Hellier as host was the first problem. The skits were not funny, and there was just no structure. I’d rather they had a panel discussion shows like Footy Classified. Thursday Night Live manages to balance the humour and serious stuff well, but Seven just thought they could throw anythign together and it would work.
I’d happily take a shot at another AFL show myself. With a Panzer tank.
They are putting AFL Game Day on Thursday nights at 7.30pm
Nothing special.
if they put that moron helliar on as the host. it’s will be canned with in a week. he isn’t funny and he should not be hosting any shows
If there was a great deal of warmth from viewers, the ratings wouldn’t be as bad. Face it ch7, you just don’t know how to do a primetime AFL show
Seven seem to make a habit of ‘promising’ to hosts of unpopular shows that if they get off air, they’ll certainly get a second shot at hosting, and once they’ve tricked said host off tv, they never bring them back. I’m specifically refering to Naomi robsen’s so-called oprah-like talk show that supposedly had a pilot developed and then was never spoken of again.