TELEVISION BROADCASTING OF SPORTS – AUSTRALIA

Pirates undermine Optus-SBS World Cup rights

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 14-May-18

SBS and Optus are the official Australian broadcasters of the 2018 soccer World Cup in Russia. SBS is said to have paid $A40m for the local rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, before securing a sub-licensing deal with the telco. However, there is concern that many consumers will bypass the official broadcasters by using streaming devices that provide access to pirated broadcasts of the World Cup from overseas TV networks.

CORPORATES
SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, WORLD CUP, BEIN SPORTS, AL JAZEERA, WORLD MEDIA INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD

Twitter, SBS sign World Cup deal

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 8-May-18

Public broadcaster SBS has secured a deal for social media giant Twitter to stream its coverage of soccer’s 2018 World Cup. In addition to a highlights package, Twitter Australia will stream a daily show to be called #WorldGameLive during the World Cup in Russia. The deal includes a revenue-sharing arrangement, and Twitter Australia MD Suzy Nicoletti notes that video streaming now accounts for more than 50 per cent of Twitter’s global advertising revenue.

CORPORATES
SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), TWITTER AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, TWITTER INCORPORATED, WORLD CUP, FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, BUZZFEED PTY LTD

How Nine Entertainment turned TV’s summer of sport on its head

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 7-May-18

There were a number of compelling reasons for Nine Entertainment Company to drop its cricket coverage in favour of a six-year deal to broadcast the Australian Open. Tennis is a better fit for Nine’s audience demographic, while the broadcasting rights and production costs are substantially lower. Timing also played a role; Nine commenced talks with Tennis Australia on 14 March, after Seven West Media’s exclusive negotiating period had expired. Meanwhile, Cricket Australia had issued its tender documents for broadcasting rights in early March, with bids to submitted by 19 March. Nine CEO Hugh Marks had hoped to finalise a deal with Cricket Australia by October 2017, and he says the delay allowed Nine to make the decision to switch from cricket to tennis.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Nine left without a major summer sport

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 21 : 2-May-18

Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner has confirmed that the Seven Network will broadcast cricket and tennis during the 2018-19 summer, despite some Test and Big Bash League matches being scheduled at the same time as the Australian Open. Nine Entertainment Company will take over tennis broadcasting rights in 2020, and there had been speculation that the two networks would cut a deal for Nine to commence its tennis coverage a year earlier.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, BIG BASH LEAGUE, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Stump up or miss out: first cricket games all on pay-TV

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Original article by Jennifer Duke
The Age – Page: 3 : 1-May-18

Fans of Australian men’s international cricket who only have free-to-air TV will not be able to see any matches in the 2018-19 fixture until 6 December. Cricket Australia announced its upcoming fixture on 30 April, with the first seven men’s international games either being one day games or Twenty20 matches, with all seven games only being shown on pay-TV network Foxtel. Seven West Media, which teamed up recently with Foxtel to secure the rights to broadcast Australian cricket matches for six years in a $A1.2 billion deal, will not broadcast a men’s game until the First Test.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Cricket loss not all bad for Nine

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Original article by Samantha Bailey, Dana McCauley
The Australian – Page: 19 : 17-Apr-18

Tennis and cricket broadcasting rights generate a loss for the Seven and Nine networks, and this is likely to continue when the sports change networks. Nine is estimated to have lost around $A50m a year from its cricket coverage, but Citigroup forecasts that its annual losses from tennis broadcasts will be within the range of $A20m to $A30m. Meanwhile, UBS forecasts that Seven will gain an increased share of advertising revenue at the expense of Nine and Ten following their loss of cricket broadcasting rights.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Nine hopes for early tennis break

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 & 25 : 16-Apr-18

The Nine Network will not broadcast any major sporting events during the 2018-19 summer after losing cricket broadcasting rights. A spokesman says the network will shortly decide on its summer schedule, and it has not ruled out approaching rival Seven about taking over tennis broadcasting rights a year ahead of schedule. Seven’s deal to acquire cricket rights in partnership with Foxtel means that it will broadcast both cricket and tennis for the next two summers, unless it strikes a deal with Nine and Tennis Australia to exit its contract early. Ten will also lack a major summer sport after losing the Big Bash League rights.

CORPORATES
NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, CBS CORPORATION, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

$1bn cricket deal to stump Nine

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Apr-18

Cricket Australia is poised to secure a broadcasting rights deal with Foxtel. The pay-TV group would simulcast some international matches in partnership with a free-to-air network, most likely Seven or Ten, while Foxtel would have exclusive coverage of some Big Bash League matches. The six-year rights deal is expected to be worth around $A1bn, compared with $A600m under the current deal. The Nine Network has been the main cricket broadcaster for more than four decades.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CBS CORPORATION, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, FOOTBALL FEDERATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Cricket Australia engages on all free-to-air broadcast rights bid

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 10-Apr-18

The Ten Network, Nine Entertainment Company and Cricket Australia have declined to comment on the progress of negotiations regarding a broadcasting rights deal. However, CA CEO James Sutherland and other key executives are believed to have travelled to Sydney to meet with Ten CEO Paul Anderson on 10 April. Ten and Nine have submitted a joint bid for all broadcasting rights, including free-to-air and digital. Pay-TV group Foxtel is also expected to hold talks with CA, despite recently withdrawing from negotiations.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED

Nine and Ten offer $900m for cricket

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Apr-18

The Ten Network would broadcast one-day internationals and all Twenty20 matches if its joint bid with Nine Entertainment Company is accepted by Cricket Australia. Nine would only broadcast Test matches under a revised bid by the two networks. Their offer is worth around $A150m a year, or $A900m over the six-year life of the new broadcasting rights deal. Cricket Australia has previously rejected a joint bid from Nine and Ten that was worth about $A130m a year. Meanwhile, Fox Sports has cited the lack of progress regarding a rights deal for its decision to withdraw from negotiations with Cricket Australia.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TENNIS AUSTRALIA