The AFL has reportedly inserted a “social inclusion clause” into its deal with broadcasters Channel Seven and Foxtel that will ban them from using only “white men sitting behind a desk” from next season.
Channel Nine reporter Tom Morris made the claim on Melbourne radio station SEN during a Thursday breakfast segment with retired AFL great Garry Lyon.
The alleged move has since divided football fans on social media.
The clause is understood to come into effect in 2025 to diversify the voice and presentation of football on Seven and Fox in their broadcasts, according to Morris.
“There is a requirement or commitment from the AFL that has been set and signed as part of this agreement to have diverse voices, to have representation from minorities and different areas than there has been in the past,” he explained on SEN.
“This has been written into a broadcast rights agreement, which means you can’t have white men sitting behind a desk on every broadcast you do.”
“It is necessary to diversify, that includes Seven and Fox.”
Lyon was skeptical of the radical proposal as the two debated the measure.
Some members of Channel Seven’s AFL broadcast commentary team, with the broadcaster contractually obliged from next year to no longer have “white men only” on its game coverage.
“That won’t make much difference anyway, will it?” the former Melbourne Demons star asked.
“There are women, is that what you mean? Women play a key role in both shows.”
Lyon believes there is already enough indigenous presence in football coverage.
“Well, what is written anyway is that it is a commitment to Fox and Seven that has not been made before,” Morris replied.
The clip sparked a bitterly divided reaction when it was shared on X.
“This is bullshit,” read one blunt comment.
Another football fan added: ‘The person best suited for the job should get it anyway, regardless of background, gender, religion etc. NOT someone who simply meets the ‘quotas’.
The AFL’s alleged move was met with harsh criticism on social media.
However, some X users welcomed the AFL’s decision to ensure greater social inclusion from the game’s streamers.
Other X users thought the umbrella of inclusion should be expanded to include other marginalized groups.
Another wrote: “It’s good to see the AFL delivering on the important points.”
A fourth commented: “It’s not diversity or inclusion, it’s a virtue signalling clause,” wrote another critic.
But some AFL fans welcomed the move.
“If this means the end of boys’ club comments during streams, then so be it!” wrote one X user.
‘I’m tired of the sarcastic and petulant comments from Brayshaw, Taylor and their colleagues.’
Sports journalist Tom Morris said the AFL had inserted a “social inclusion clause” which would come into effect from 2025.
Another fan believed there were already enough AFLW stars and Indigenous players who could take on commentary and presenting roles.
‘Eddie Betts and Shaun Burgoyne are still developing and there are characters like Erin Phillips and Abbey Holmes that I feel are not being used well enough,’ they wrote.
But there were those who thought the measure was not enough.
‘What about people with disabilities involved in broadcasting AFL, AFLW, VBFL, VWFL FIDA competitions, such as getting Ellie Cole, Dylan Alcott, Chloe Hayden, Michael Theo, Kurt Fearnley, Carly Findlay on board, so people with disabilities and autism can follow the football?’ they wrote.