• Full 2018 fixture: Every club, every game
• Your club's fixture: The final verdict
• Tigers dominate prime time, surprise share for Blues
PORT Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas is disappointed with the club's lack of prominence on free-to-air television in 2018, but says the Power needs to earn the right for more coverage in the coveted timeslots.
Thomas was largely pleased with the Power's fixture for next season, which includes hosting an Anzac Round game for the 15th consecutive year, having a bye after their trip to China to face Gold Coast in round nine and a block of three straight games at Adelaide Oval in June.
The Power missed out on hosting a game in the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round, when they will be away to Hawthorn in Launceston.
They also have five games on Channel 7 – although all of their matches will be shown on free-to-air in South Australia, as has been the case in previous years.
"Looking at the fixture for us, there's not a whole lot of national, Channel 7, free-to-air broadcast games," Thomas said.
"We do have national partners who do like the national free-to-air coverage.
"We've always said, you've got to earn that.
"We feel that we took a step in the right direction this year.
"Hopefully we will do more next year and those things will take care of themselves."
Unlike this year when Channel 7 covered the Power's historic game in Shanghai, Fox Footy has taken over the fixture, which will be played on a Saturday afternoon at 1.15pm local time.
"I look at it as a unique moment on the AFL fixture with huge potential upside for the game and our club, which is of interest," Thomas said.
"The broadcasters that we are lining up in China are going to deliver an enormous TV viewership.
"Right now, that may be more important than the Australian viewership in the overall building of this event as a drawcard in China.
"Hopefully, over time, this fixture will be seen fit to get the sort of broadcast back in Australia that I think it deserves.
"Until then, we'll drive on."
The round five game with the Cats will also be the Power's only Saturday night fixture of the season, while they have nine twilight encounters.
"We don't mind the Saturday twilight games," Thomas said.
"I remember when we were tucked away on the Sunday twilight zone not that many years ago, that's pretty difficult.
"We only have one of those this year."
The Power have five, six-day breaks – including back-to-back when they have three games in 12 days.
After having the bye in round 10, the Power face Hawthorn in Launceston on June 2 before hosting the premiers of the past two seasons, Richmond and Western Bulldogs, on Friday, June 8 and Thursday, June 14 respectively.
Want more fixture news?
• New attendance record in 2018? AFL says yes
• 'I'm not allowed to talk about AFLX': McLachlan
• Watching your club on TV in 2018
