Football Victoria in talks with Optus Sport and Kayo

Philip Panas26/02/2020 6:00 am04/08/2021

CEO of Football Victoria (FV) Peter Filopoulos has revealed FV are in discussions with Optus Sport and Foxtel subsidiary streaming service Kayo Sports.

Speaking recently on the For Vuck’s Sake podcast, Filopoulos claimed FV’s broadcast strategy to live stream all NPL Victoria games was creating an abundance of content.

“Part of our ambition was that we are going to have heaps of content for a Kayo or an Optus,” he said.

“These platforms now are subscription-based platforms who are constantly going to look at curating content.

“Pleasingly, we are now in firm discussions with Optus and Kayo Sports in ways they can capitalise on that content with weekly shows … on their platforms.

“That’s the whole motivation around it and I think we need to innovate.”

Filopoulos confirmed the governing body was also looking to create its own over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, after encouraging viewing numbers for the start of the NPL Victoria season.

“We’ve got over 40,000 unique viewers every week now,” Filopoulos said.

“We’re also evolving the product and we’re currently experimenting with our own OTT platform, so that we can transition the broadcast away from other people’s platforms and onto ours.

“So [moving] away from Facebook and YouTube and [directing it] through our own OTT platform, similar to the way Netflix is delivered to the consumer.

“We are experimenting with that at the moment and hopefully that’s not too far away.

“Once we have our own platform, we can control our own destiny.”

NPL Victoria Men, Women and U20’s games are currently streamed on the NPL Victoria Facebook and YouTube social channels.

South Melbourne FC, one of the clubs heavily involved in a push for a national second division, registered over 10,000 Facebook views on NPL Victoria’s live stream of their game against Eastern Lions on Sunday. The YouTube view count for the match was over 5,300.

Previous ArticleUEFA and Disney to promote the women’s game with partnershipNext ArticleTransfer fees and salary cap exempt foreigners in the A-League? Be careful what you wish for

SBS expands Australian Championship broadcast coverage for 2026

Oliver Van Bronswijk23/09/2026 9:01 am23/09/2026

Image Credits: Football Australia

The Australian Championship will enter its second season with an expanded broadcast partnership between Football Australia and SBS. The 2026 competition will feature two live SBS broadcasts in every round, marking an increase from the tournament’s debut season.

Thursday night football will form a key part of the new broadcast schedule. The opening match will see Preston Lions face Wollongong Wolves on October 15th, with the game broadcast live on SBS2 and SBS On Demand. Saturday football will also remain part of the free-to-air schedule; first up, Sutherland Sharks’ clash with South Melbourne on October 17th will be shown live on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The expanded agreement gives the competition a greater presence across SBS’s linear channels while retaining its full streaming coverage, with every match across the 2026 Australian Championship available live on SBS On Demand. The platform also provides full replays and highlights for viewers to access at their discretion.

In addition to SBS’ coverage, Football Australia will also stream the competition via YouTube.

The Australian Championship consists of a six-round group stage, finals beginning at quarter-finals from November 26, and a Grand Final scheduled currently between December 10-12.

It features 16 clubs from seven states and territories. The broadcast schedule places several historic fixtures in front of a national audience: South Melbourne will meet Sydney United 58 in a repeat of the 1999 NSL Grand Final, and Sydney Olympic and Marconi Stallions will also renew a rivalry that includes NSL Grand Final meetings in 1989 and 1990.

GIS Sydney continues to connect students with Australia’s sports industry

Oliver Van Bronswijk22/09/2026 6:00 am21/09/2026

Image Credits: Global Institute of Sport

Following the launch of its Sydney campus in 2025, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is continuing to establish itself in the nation’s sports industry. A leading provider of degrees and executive education in sport, GIS provides students the chance to study at two of Australia’s biggest sporting venues: Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Programs such as Sports Analytics and International Sports Business are delivered in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and feature the chance for students to gain exclusive access to the sports industry.

More than 50 guest speakers have shared their experience with students studying at GIS Sydney, representing organisations like FIFA, Red Bull, Cricket Australia, and the AFL. While learning about the regional and national sports industry in the classroom, students have also had the chance to gain an international perspective through GIS’ signature Global Sports Summits, which have given Sydney students access to iconic sporting venues around the world from London to Miami.

Outside of the iconic venues students can call their classrooms, the organisation prioritises the real, industry placements needed to put theory into practice by providing each student with 140 hours of relevant work experience throughout their studies. Included in this are several sporting organisations who are keen to welcome GIS students on board, including the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA), Football Coaches Australia, and Basketball NSW.

GIS also has a partnership with popular network and app Yakka Sport to connect students with paid employment opportunities while they study.

Behind these advancements at the GIS Sydney campus is an Industry Advisory Board which features a host of experienced figures from the world of sport. Included in the Asia-Pacific branch is Chair James Rosengarten, GM of the Melbourne Renegades; Kevin Jang, Managing Director of CAA Stellar Korea; and Brad Lloyd, GM of the Carlton Football Club.

Since launching, GIS’ Sydney campus has ultimately combined its locations and industry connections to provide the next generation of sports professionals with the knowledge, network, and confidence to tackle the rapidly evolving sports industry.