TELEVISION BROADCASTING OF SPORTS – AUSTRALIA

TV chiefs rail against gambling-ad threat

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 23 : 18-Jul-16

Standard Media Index data shows that the gambling industry spend some $A63m on TV advertising in the first half of 2016, which represents year-on-year growth of nearly 20 per cent. The CEOs of Australia’s commercial free-to-air networks are united in their opposition to a push for new restrictions on gambling ads on TV. Crossbenchers Nick Xenophon and ­Andrew Wilkie are leading the bid to ban gambling ads during the broadcasting of sports events in certain timeslots.

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SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, SPORTSBET AUSTRALIA, LADBROKES, CROWNBET PTY LTD

Ban on betting ads would be draconian: Seven West boss

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 15-Jul-16

It is estimated that bookmakers spent about $A150m on advertising during television broadcasts of sports events. Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner says a proposed ban is "draconian" and unnecessary, adding that Seven already has stricter internal rules on the issue than required by the advertising code. Sportsbet and CrownBet say they would agree to reduce their advertising during sports telecasts, but they oppose the blanket ban that is being advocated by crossbenchers Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie.

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SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SPORTSBET AUSTRALIA, CROWNBET PTY LTD, ALLIANCE FOR GAMBLING REFORM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tennis viewers a valuable audience for advertisers

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Jun-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 34.3 per cent of Australians aged 14+ watch tennis on television occasionally or almost always. They are slightly more inclined than the average Australian to "find TV advertising interesting" (21.6 per cent vs 19.7 per cent) and less inclined to agree that "Nearly all TV advertising annoys me" (65.9 per cent vs 68.1 per cent). More than three-quarters of them watch Wimbledon broadcaster Channel 7 (and its affiliates) in an average seven days, well above the population average of 67.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the 1,025,000 million Australians (or 15.2 per cent of total tennis viewers) who play tennis themselves as well as watching it on TV, are not only more tolerant towards TV advertising than those who simply watch it on the box, but more likely to have cash to splash.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED

Free to air squeeze on games

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Original article by Caroline Wilson
The Age – Page: 40 : 9-Jun-16

The Seven Network’s coverage of the Australian Football League will be reduced from 2017 under the new six-year broadcasting deal. Seven will only broadcast three matches in 11 rounds of the home-and-away season, compared with four at present. The Ten Network had hoped to buy the free-to-air rights to these matches from Foxtel, but negotiations have stalled. The pay-TV group is believed to have been reluctant to surrender exclusive coverage of these matches.

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SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX FOOTY CHANNEL, BIG BASH LEAGUE

Ten aims to build on Big Bash success

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Original article by Max Mason
The Age – Page: 20 : 8-Jun-16

Ten Network CEO Paul Anderson is optimistic that ratings for the Big Bash League domestic Twenty20 competition will increase in the 2016-17 season, after growth of 25 per cent in capital city audiences in 2015-16. The national audience rose by 16 per cent. Ten will expand its coverage of the Big Bash League to include live broadcasts of 47 matches. The network’s current broadcasting rights deal is worth $A20m annually over five years, but this cost may rise significantly when the current deal expires in 2018.

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TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, BIG BASH LEAGUE, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CRICKET AUSTRALIA

Leaders vie to score goals in women’s sport

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Original article by Sarah Martin, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 8 : 30-May-16

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten notes that women’s sports events account for just seven per cent of Australian TV networks’ overall sports coverage. Shorten aims to address this imbalance by committing an extra $A21m in funding for the ABC to provide greater coverage of women’s sports. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated that the Government will provide an additional $A60m in funding for the Sporting Schools program.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Optus foray into sports ‘good for competition’

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 30-May-16

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says Optus’s acquisition of local broadcasting rights for the English Premier League demonstrates the competitive environment for sports rights. Telstra has traditionally been the dominant telco in terms of sports rights, but Optus has signalled its interest in expanding its exclusive sports coverage.

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SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NETBALL AUSTRALIA, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Netball thrust into prime time with Nine deal

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 20-May-16

Nine Entertainment Company will broadcast two live netball matches on Saturday nights from 2017 after securing a five-year deal with Netball Australia. Telstra will have exclusive rights to two matches each week, while it will simulcast the live broadcasts of Nine. The deal with Nine also includes a revenue-sharing arrangement. Netball Australia chief executive Kate Palmer says netball players will receive higher salaries as a result of the deal, which will also boost the sport’s profile.

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NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NETBALL AUSTRALIA, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION, NETBALL NEW ZEALAND, COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB, MELBOURNE STORM RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED, NETBALL NEW SOUTH WALES, TELSTRA MEDIA HOLDINGS, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Optus defends controversial English Premier League plans

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 17-May-16

Optus has attracted criticism for restricting access to its English Premier League coverage to its own broadband and mobile customers. However, Optus’s Ben White says the telco aims to differentiate itself from rivals by offering exclusive content to its customers, and he notes that Optus is upgrading its infrastructure to ensure that its EPL coverage is of broadcast quality. Optus will also be the primary Australian broadcaster of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with SBS to broadcast some matches.

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SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, SOCCEROOS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Optus enters the fray for FFA rights

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 16-May-16

Optus will establish a 24-hour football channel as it prepares to launch its coverage of the English Premier League. CEO Allan Lew says the telco is also keen to secure rights to A-League and Socceroos matches. The Ten Network is also said to be interested in A-League matches, which are currently broadcast by Fox Sports under a four-year deal worth $A40m a year. Meanwhile, Lew stresses that Optus’s EPL coverage will only be available to its own customers.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, SOCCEROOS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FETCHTV PTY LTD, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), WORLD SPORTS GROUP, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, OLIVER AND OHLBAUM, FOOTBALL FEDERATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITY FOOTBALL GROUP, MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB, MELBOURNE CITY FOOTBALL CLUB, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB PLC, MANCHESTER UNITED PLC, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB, LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB PLC, CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB, BEIN SPORTS