AFL MEDIA PETER CAMPBELL GENERAL MANAGER AFL Media continues to provide relevant and timely information all year round and is exploring a range of options to improve its service to supporters.

FL Media used the strong consumers provides ensures that AFL operational and performance Media must continue to explore a range outcomes garnered in previous of options to capitalise on whatever device seasons to attain solid growth or technology platform a supporter uses to in 2015 across all our key access the AFL and clubs. deliverables and aspirations. To meet these changes, the AFL, AWith the AFL season stretching from in partnership with our digital rights the NAB Challenge in February through partner Telstra, continues to explore and until the NAB AFL at the end of develop a range of new offerings. The November, our aspiration has been, and use of social media is a great example continues to be, to serve our supporters of extending the reach afforded by with relevant and timely information that personalised digital offerings. In 2015, a supporter requires all season long. The the AFL saw growth of 36 per cent in our integration of news, video, live streaming, social media accounts. Importantly, we transactional, ticketing, fixturing, have also launched our official Weibo participation, AFL Fantasy and AFL social media service – a native Chinese Tipping, coupled with and supporting our language social media tool that allows 18 clubs, has afforded the entire AFL and us to offer up tailored content to the Club Digital Network with a platform to Chinese language community. ensure we continue to put the supporter The opportunity that new delivery at the centre of all we do. platforms offer is to continue to reach As a result, the AFL and Club Digital existing and new supporters to our game. Network, comprising the 18 club mobile The evolution of platforms such as and desktop sites, the 18 club apps, Snapchat, which saw us reach more than AFL.com.au and the AFL Live app saw 77 million worldwide users on Grand Final traffic grow by 8.5 per cent from November day, to the development of Telstra TV and 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015, to 104 million the content that will be provisioned for it in POWERFUL FORCE monthly unique visitors. 2016 enables us to ensure our product and Port Adelaide fans are able to watch captain The ever-changing disruption that a offering is available to as wide an audience Travis Boak strut his stuff multitude of different digital options for as possible. Ò on various platforms. 7 114 AFL MEDIA 115

PERFECT TIMING The continuing success of the AFL Telstra also continues to be an 2. Aggregate monthly unique visitors Magpie Jamie Elliott women’s exhibition matches also provided enormous supporter of our other of 104 million, up 8.5 per cent. flies high above Hawks a new opportunity to engage fans. AFL programming initiatives – be it establishing 3. Nielsen online monthly unique full-back Brian Lake to Media produced and streamed the first Wi-Fi via Telstra Air at the Foxtel Grand audience measurement for the AFL complete this spectacular mark at the MCG. match in 2015 and simultaneously Final Live Site Precinct, supporting our Network (clubs and AFL) ranked streamed the second match with our Live broadcasts of the NAB AFL Pre-Draft the AFL as the No. 1 digital sporting broadcast partner, the . Show, supporting NIRS in the broadcast network throughout the entire season. Both matches were a resounding success. of AFL matches via radio into indigenous Additionally, when Smartphone and Coupled with our coverage of the AFL communities throughout Australia, or Tablet analytics through the Nielsen Women’s Draft, the emergence of the supporting our pre-season two-hour daily measurement system were provided strong and growing interest at participation live program First Bounce. for the first time in August, September, and viewing engagement level augurs well The support the AFL receives from October and November, the AFL for continued development and opportunity Telstra Corporation CEO Andy Penn Network ranked as the No. 1 digital of women’s football in the digital and Chief Marketing Officer and Group sporting network for those devices. consumption landscape. Executive Media Joe Pollard and their 4. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, AFL Media also produced and teams ensures we are able to deliver the Instagram and Weibo) grew by live-streamed six NAB Challenge matches best possible experience for our supporters 36 per cent to have more than which was unable to schedule with the knowledge we have the full 1.53 million followers. for logistical purposes, and we produced technical and operational support which 5. The total number of downloads of and live-streamed the Grand Final Day Telstra provides. Continued development the AFL Live App, AFL Fantasy App NAB AFL All Stars game. of new product offerings, such as the and club apps totals more than The strength of the AFL Digital Network AFL Live App for the Apple Watch (which 4.7 million (3.8 million same time last revolves around the contribution and won a 2015 Design Award year). Importantly, and aside from just engagement that, together with the AFL for Best Digital Experience – Mobile) is downloads, the engagement metrics Media team, our 18 clubs also bring with one example of our forays into new and for our apps have also grown. their own personality, content, supporter expanded product offerings. 6. International Digital Rights revenue and member engagement tools, social The extension of our partnership associated with our WatchAFL service media activation and connectedness. The until at least 2022 and the role AFL grew by more than 20 per cent, with coming together of our respective teams Media plays with Telstra in that subscriptions up by a similar percentage. provides a total AFL Network approach relationship will ensure our supporters In addition to the key performance which maximises opportunities for corporate will be provided with the best possible metrics, AFL Media introduced a range partners and provides a direct link to a fan’s digital presence and communications in of new non-match video content club of support. The great diversity of club any Australian sport. and other initiatives to ensure the content and products is a tangible link to the voracious consumption of this type of market-leading results of 18 clubs and the AFL consumer-led content continues at pace. combining to make the AFL Digital Network. 2015 KEY METRICS In 2015, AFL Media introduced: 1. Aggregate video streams (excluding 1. Friday Front Bar – featuring , Live Pass domestic streaming) of 123 Andy Maher and Sam Pang. TELSTRA PARTNERSHIP million, up 21 per cent (2014; 84 million, 2. Pick a Winner – featuring Wayne Carey, Telstra has been the valued and long-term up 23 per cent). Ben Dixon and Campbell Brown. digital partner of the AFL. In 2015, that 3. Whistleblowers – a weekly program relationship was strengthened even further explaining umpiring decisions. with the completion of the Digital Rights 4. First Bounce – a daily live two-hour Partnership which will see the AFL and program during the NAB Challenge Telstra cement greater digital opportunities period featuring Matt Thompson, Nat through until the end of the 2022 AFL season. Edwards, Cameron Ling, Mark Bickley The continued rise of the mobile and Campbell Brown. platform and extensions into connected 5. NAB AFL Pre-Draft Show – a two-hour FOLLOWING THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED 2014 DOCUMENTARY ON THE LIFE OF AN AFL COACH, THIS NEXT INSTALMENT WILL TAKE YOU INSIDE THE HEARTS televisionsAND MINDS provides OF A REMARKABLE more GROUP OF YOUNGopportunities MEN, THE AFL CAPTAINS. for pre-draft live show featuring Garry our clubs,You will see what the it takes toAFL reach the pinnacleand Telstra.These are The Chosen Few. Lyon, Matt Thompson and Callum of leadership at the elite level of our great game. The Chosen Few features an unprecedented With behind-the-scenes access to the inner sanctum line-up of AFL captains including present-day Inincluding 2015, never before the seen on-field AFL vision andLive leaders App Matthew Pass Pavlich, ,for Twomey as part of our Road to the audio, you will witness first-hand the human side , Travis Boak, , of the AFL captains. , Bob Murphy, Taylor Walker, domesticWith generous unguardedlive honesty streaming they share their Jobe on Watson, mobile Callan Ward, Phil Davis, devices Marc Murphy, Draft series. very personal stories of life in and out of the spotlight. , , Nathan Jones, saw Preparetotal to be taken subscriptions on a roller-coaster ride of Andrewincrease Swallow, Shannon Hurnby and 49 past captains 6. Multi-Language audio commentary on all emotions. From euphoria to despair and back again. including Stephen Kernahan, Wayne Carey, For not only have they chosen this most Paul Kelly and Michael Voss. per centdemanding role,year it has chosen on them. year. TotalWritten, produced live and directedminutes by Peter Dickson. nine games in the Multicultural Round. ®™ THE AFL LOGO AND COMPETING TEAM LOGOS, EMBLEMS AND NAMES ON THIS PRODUCT ARE ALL TRADE MARKS OF AND USED UNDER LICENCE FROM THE OWNER THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE BY WHOM ALL © COPYRIGHT AND OTHER RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION ARE RESERVED. streamed®™ THE AFL LOGO AND COMPETINGto mobile TEAM LOGOS, EMBLEMS AND NAMESdevices ON THIS PRODUCT ARE ALL was upENGLISH 51 2.0 SOUNDTRACK: DISC FORMAT: 2 x DVD9 TRADE MARKS OF AND USED UNDER LICENSE FROM THE OWNER THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE SCREEN SIZE ®™ THE AFL LOGO AND COMPETING TEAM LOGOS, EMBLEMS AND NAMES ON THIS PRODUCT ARE APPROX TIME: 240 mins BY WHOM ALL © COPYRIGHT AND OTHER RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION ARE RESERVED ALL TRADE MARKS OF AND USED UNDER LICENCE FROM THE OWNER THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL FORMAT: PAL / Colour These programs were in addition to our LEAGUE BY WHOM ALL © COPYRIGHT AND OTHER RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION ARE RESERVED.16:9 WARNING: The copyright proprietor has licensed the film (including its soundtrack) comprised in this disc for private home use only. All other rights reserved. Any unauthorised copying, editing, exhibition, renting, per cent on the 2014 totalENGLISH (of 2.0 1.18SOUNDTRACK: million Manufacture, Distribution & Artwork exchanging, hiring, lending, public performance, diffusion and/or broadcast of this disc or any part thereof isSCREEN SIZE DISC FORMAT: 2 x DVD9 strictly prohibited. Infringement of the rights of the copyright owner and/or the terms of the contract for the © 2014 by Shock Entertainment APPROX uTIME:nder 240exc minslusive license. sale or hire of the disc may lead to civil action being taken. Infringement of copyright may also result in criminal daily Footy Feed news program, weekly FORMAT: PAL / Colour offences punishable by fines or imprisonment. 16:9 hours) to more than 1.78 million hours. WARNING: THE COPYRIGHT PROPRIETOR HAS LICENSED THE FILM (INCLUDING ITS SOUNDTRACK) COMPRISED IN THIS DISC FOR PRIVATE HOME USE ONLY. ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED. ANY UNAUTHORISED COPYING, EDITING, EXHIBITION, RENTING, EXCHANGING, HIRING, LENDING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, Manufacture, Distribution & Artwork DIFFUSION AND/OR BROADCAST OFAFVD654 THIS DISC OR ANY PART THEREOF IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. INFRINGEMENT OF THE RIGHTS OF THE COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Shock Entertainment OWNER AND/OR THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE SALE OR HIRE OF THE DISC MAY LEAD TO CIVIL ACTION BEING TAKEN. INFRINGEMENT OF Access All Areas program, weekly Charged under exclusive license. COPYRIGHT MAY ALSO RESULT IN CRIMINAL OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY FINES OR IMPRISONMENT. Each match generated nearlyWARNING: THE30 COPYRIGHT PROPRIETOR minutes HAS LICENSED THE FILM (INCLUDING ITS SOUNDTRACK) COMPRISED IN THIS DISC FOR PRIVATE HOME USE ONLY. ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED. ANY UNAUTHORISED COPYING, EDITING, EXHIBITION, RENTING, EXCHANGING, HIRING, LENDING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, DIFFUSION AND/OR BROADCAST OF THIS DISC OR ANY PART THEREOF IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. INFRINGEMENT OF THE RIGHTS OF THE COPYRIGHT program, our vignettes as part of the OWNER AND/OR THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE SALE OR HIRE OF THE DISC MAY LEAD TO CIVIL ACTION BEING TAKEN. INFRINGEMENT OF of viewing time per user perCOPYRIGHT match. MAY ALSO RESULT IN CRIMINAL OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY FINES OR IMPRISONMENT. AFL Football Operations ‘Respect & AM 3390-0515 The Chosen Few 2 DVD-Slick-FA.indd 1 23/09/2015 10:36 am

AFL ANNUAL REPORT 2015 AFL ANNUAL REPORT 2015 116 AFL MEDIA 117

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, MADDIE Tiger star looks skywards in memory of his cousin Madeleine, the sister of St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt, after kicking a goal against Carlton during the opening round clash at the MCG.

POWERFUL IMAGE Michael Willson’s shot of Geelong coach Chris Scott comforting a distressed Mitch Clark was recognised as the AFMA’s photograph of the year.

Responsibility’ series, the emotive Hall of the military history of those men who and raise awareness of mental health is one Fame vignettes, the AFL season-opener, served our nation and who had played we will continue to pursue. Sometimes it is a the popular series featuring players football in at the highest level. simple image that can say more than words returning to their original clubs in Where This hard-back book covering the period ever will, and we were extremely pleased it All Began and a host of live streams from the Boer War through to those who to see Michael Willson’s black and white associated with major football, coaching served in Vietnam was proudly launched photograph of Geelong player Mitch Clark and playing announcements. by Kevin Sheedy and former Victorian recognised by the Australian Football Media We also expanded our commercial Premier Ted Baillieu in the lead-up to Association as its Photograph of the Year. ‘native’ production of acclaimed features Anzac Day. It is a seminal piece of work AFL Media has, with the strong and series such as those for Treasury Wines that AFL Media was pleased to be commitment to quality content, innovative Estate Here’s to The Chase, British Paints’ associated with. product and digital extensions and placing Home Ground, indigenous personnel in Entering its 105th year of publication the supporter at the centre of what we do, the Australian Defence Force and Virgin in 2016 will be the much-respected and positioned ourselves as a leading destination Australia’s Gary Ablett Story. valued AFL Record. While the digital for our corporate partners and advertisers. Important in also showcasing the disruption continues to challenge Our design team has a strong evocative and emotive history of our game traditional media products such as reputation in the AFL community for through the eyes of past and present AFL magazines and newsprint, this publication providing creative and results-orientated club captains was the second in the series of continues to hold its place in the AFL work and, increasingly, our video the Peter Dickson-produced/directed feature sporting landscape. With extension production team is also adding to the documentaries – The Chosen Few: Captains. products such as the AFL Record: Great editorial video content it delivers with Commissioned by the Seven Network Footy Decades 80s, the AFL Record client-activated native video production. for screening in the week leading up Season Guide and AFL Record for Kids, This is supported by our commercial team to the Grand Final, Dickson was rightly our AFL Record and AFL Record-branded which has consistently found outcomes awarded two prestigious international publications continue to buck the trend of and solutions across AFL Media assets for awards of excellence for his work – a declining circulations – holding their own our partners and advertisers. feature documentary which will grace year-on-year aggregated together. With The new broadcast rights cycle and our our AFL archives as a wonderful piece of meticulous care and pride, this hallmark ongoing digital partnership with Telstra storytelling reflecting AFL captains as they of “going to the footy” still provides our provides AFL Media with an opportune view themselves and their impact on the supporters and advertising partners with a moment to continue to invest in our digital game as they see it in 2015. unique and cherished place at our venues engagement with supporters at all levels In the centenary year of the landing of and in homes around the country. of football. We will continue to solidify Australian troops at Gallipoli, AFL Media In a year that was marked by the the gains we have made in 2015 to ensure – with Slattery Media’s valued assistance devastating events surrounding the death of we are primed for the new rights cycle – was pleased to fund and launch the Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh, there were with innovative fan and club-led digital Barbara Cullen-authored Harder Than also other significant social issues that AFL content and products which connect with Football: League Players at War. Cullen Media tried to shine a light on. Our on-going supporters through the shifting sands of painstakingly researched and detailed editorial and production efforts to discuss the technology landscape.

AFL ANNUAL REPORT 2015 AFL ANNUAL REPORT 2015