The law change will remove eight group stage matches from the anti-siphoning list. The final two games in each of the eight World Cup groups are played at the same time, which would have prevented one of the matches in each group from being shown live on state broadcaster SBS.
“This would have otherwise been prevented as the anti-siphoning scheme precludes free-to-air broadcasters from premiering events on the anti-siphoning list on their digital television multi-channels,” said spokesperson for the Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy. “SBS will then replay each of the eight matches on SBS One immediately after their live telecast on SBS Two.”
Following a growth in paid-television, the Australian parliament enacted the Broadcasting Services Act in 1992 to give free-to-air broadcasters preferential access in acquiring broadcasting rights for sporting events. The World Cup announcement is not part of an anti-siphoning review which was expected to have presented its report earlier in the year.
