It's now been a month or so since cancelling my Kayo subscription, but in that time, I have not missed a game of AFLW, despite not all games being on free-to-air television where I live.
This has taken some manipulation of technology, but firstly, it should be pointed out that the AFLW has a different set of broadcasting rights to the AFL.
For example, while Foxtel and Channel 7 split the production of games in a way similar to the AFL (i.e., Foxtel producing about 4 games per round, and Channel 7 producing 3 games), and the coverage on free-to-air and subscription television is similar to the AFL (i.e., Foxtel broadcast all 7 games per round, while Channel 7 broadcast 3 to 4 games per round, including the games of each team into their state, such as all GWS Games being broadcast into NSW regardless of who produces it), the main difference is in the digital rights.
In the AFL, Telstra and Foxtel/Kayo share the mobile streaming rights, while the digital streaming rights are exclusively with Foxtel/Kayo.
However, in the AFLW, the AFL retains some control of the mobile and digital streaming rights, so that all games of AFLW are streamed onto the AFLW website and app. AFLW games can also be seen on the Foxtel/Kayo mobile and digital platforms, and on the Channel 7 app as well.
So I can watch all games of AFLW via the AFLW app or website for free.
Obviously, I watch any of the games that are shown on Channel 7 in NSW, as I've found the stream on the AFLW website is prone to crashing. Additionally, the AFLW App does not allow chromecasting to larger screens, limiting the viewing to mobile screens.
However, because I wanted to watch the games that were not being shown on free-to-air television in NSW, and because I didn't want to use the AFLW website or app to watch games, I began to look for ways to watch games of AFLW that did not use the AFLW website or app.
The Freeview App is an app created and developed by the free-to-air industry in Australia, to try and act as a simple point of access for all the free-to-air streaming platforms. It essentially acts as a one-stop-shop for all the free-to-air streaming platforms, rather than having to skip in and out of each Channel's streaming portal. It also features a TV guide, and other features such as program reminders. The app generates it's TV guide and viewing options based on the location service in the app, so that if it detects you are in NSW, the TV guide and viewing options in the app reflect the NSW television offerings.
However, the app can be tricked into thinking you are anywhere in Australia. When the app is first installed, it prompts you to enable the location service in the app, which will geo-locate you based on the GPS function of the device. However, if you don't allow the location service function, the app will instead ask you to enter your current postcode so that it can generate the relevant TV guide and viewing options.
As such, if there is a game of AFLW in Victoria, or SA, or WA that I want to watch, but is not being shown in NSW, I delete the app, download it again (effectively resetting the app), and then don't allow the location service function when prompted on start-up. Then when asked to enter my 'current' postcode, I simply choose one from the state where the game is taking place, or from a market where I know the game is being broadcast, and voila! Up comes the TV guide, and there is the game being shown on free-to-air television on the app.
What is even better about the Freeview app is that it allows Chromecasting, so the stream can be sent to my television. The signal is not as good as the SD free-to-air signal, but it is only marginally poorer in quality, with some minor flickering of the ball when it is travelling through the air. The Freeview app is also very stable, and I can only think of one or two instances where it has frozen or fallen over.
I originally discovered this 'flaw' in the app when I wanted to watch some VFL games at the end of the 2018 season that were only being shown in Victoria.
Unfortunately, I don't think this will continue when the AFL starts, because I don't think Channel 7 has the streaming rights to any AFL games. However, it has proven to be a great way to get every game of AFLW for free so far this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment