TELEVISION BROADCASTING OF SPORTS – AUSTRALIA

Tennis, cycling and socio-economic advantage

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Jul-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 6.8 million Australians aged 14+ watch tennis on TV almost always or occasionally. The survey, which was carried out in the year to March 2015, also shows that 25 per cent of them are from the affluent AB socio-economic quintile, while the least well-off E and FG quintiles each account for 18% of tennis viewers. Meanwhile, 3.8 million Australians watch cycling on TV, with the AB quintile comprising 28 per cent of viewers. The survey also shows that 33 per cent of Australians who play tennis are in the AB quintile, as are 30 per cent of Australians who cycle.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Racing Victoria bets on Seven deal

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Original article by John Stensholt, Patrick Bartley
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 11-Jun-15

Racing Victoria is expected to post a net profit of at least $A15m for the 2014-15 financial year. Meanwhile, the racing body does not expect revenue to be unduly affected by Tabcorp’s decision to end Sky Channel’s coverage of Victorian horse races from mid-June 2015. Seven West Media is in talks with Racing Victoria to launch a dedicated racing channel.

CORPORATES
RACING VICTORIA LIMITED, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, SKY CHANNEL, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

Networks rely on sports for ad dollars

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 10-Jun-15

Concerns about an uncertain outlook for the advertising market prompted investors to sell down Australian media stocks on 9 June 2015. Nine Entertainment Company has partially attributed an earnings downgrade to slowing ad revenue. Ben Willee of Spinach Advertising notes that TV ad revenue is being affected by the growing use of mobile devices to access media content, while Starcom MediaVest Group CEO Chris Nolan says sports broadcasts are becoming a key source of viewers and ad revenue for TV networks.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SPINACH ADVERTISING PTY LTD, STARCOM MEDIAVEST GROUP, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, OPTIMUM MEDIA DIRECTION PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD

A-League win for Fox Sports, SBS

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 18-May-15

Some 13,000 spectators on average attended an A-League match during the 2014-15 season. The competition has also been popular with TV viewers, with SBS reporting 24.6 per cent growth in audience numbers in 2014-15. Meanwhile, Fox Sports notes that pay-TV audience numbers have increased by 45 per cent since the A-League was established in 2005. SBS and Fox Sports jointly paid $A160m for the A-League broadcasting rights in a four-year deal in 2013.

CORPORATES
SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, THE A LEAGUE PTY LTD, FOOTBALL FEDERATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MELBOURNE VICTORY FOOTBALL CLUB PTY LTD, SYDNEY FOOTBALL CLUB, SOCCEROOS, SPINACH ADVERTISING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Ratings lift Ten’s hopes of new deal

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 18 : 20-Jan-15

Coverage of the Twenty20 Big Bash League cricket competition has boosted the audience ratings of commercial free-to-air TV group Ten Network, to a 10-year high of 730,000 for the summer 2014-15 season. The gain of 5.9% in the 25-to-54-year-olds age bracket will strengthen Ten’s position as it resumes takeover talks with suitors such as Anchorage Capital, Saban Capital, and a consortium of Foxtel and Discovery Communications. The latter are offering $A0.23 a share

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, OZTAM PTY LTD, KFC, YUM! RESTAURANTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Summer sport showdown: tennis, cricket and soccer vie for Aussie TV viewers’ attention

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jan-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 40 per cent of Australians aged 14+ say they almost always or occasionally watch cricket on TV. The survey, which was carried out in the year to September 2014, also shows that 35 per cent of Australians watch tennis and 23 per cent watch soccer. Meanwhile, 52 per cent of Australians aged 65+ almost always or occasionally watch cricket on TV, and 47 per cent watch tennis. In contrast, soccer is most popular among the 35-49 age group (26 per cent)

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, ASIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION

Ten battle delays AFL talks

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 17-Dec-14

The negotiations on the new broadcasting rights deal for Australian Football League (AFL) matches have been rescheduled for early 2015. The AFL Commission, keen to maximise the potential gains, will wait for the current takeover speculation on Ten Network to be resolved. The free-to-air TV groups are set to pay between $A1.5bn and $A1.6bn in the agreement covering the next five seasons, up from $A1.258bn previously. Among Ten’s suitors is a consortium of Foxtel and Discovery Communications that has made an offer worth $A590m

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE COMMISSION, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Ten teams up with Foxtel in F1 racing deal

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Original article by James Chessell, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 20-Nov-14

A new deal is about to be struck for the TV broadcasting rights in Australia to Formula One automobile racing. Insiders say free-to-air group Ten Network and pay TV provider Foxtel will jointly hold the rights after Ten’s current exclusive contract ends in late 2015. The price is tipped to be around $A30m per annum compared with $A10m now. Meanwhile it appears US-based media group Time Warner is no longer interested in a takeover of Ten, which remains a target of suitors Discovery Communications and Foxtel

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FORMULA ONE HOLDINGS LIMITED, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TIME WARNER INCORPORATED, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

All aflutter: Melbourne Cup draws the punters (but TV viewers are down)

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Oct-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 5.3 per cent of Australians aged 18+ placed bets on horse races at least once in any given four-week period in the year to September 2014. This compares with 8.3 per cent in the year to September 2004. However, betting activity increases significantly around Melbourne Cup time, although the proportion of Australians who watch the race on TV has fallen from 39 per cent to 31.1 per cent in the last 10 years

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, THE EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Ten on path to recovery, says CEO

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 22 : 17-Oct-14

Free-to-air TV group Ten Network has posted a 2013-14 post-tax loss of $A168.3m, after $A295m in 2012-13. However revenue fell further, down 4.3% to $A625m. Analysts are nevertheless applauding the turnaround and cost cutting strategies of CEO Hamish McLennan, and on 16 October 2014 the stock closed $A0.02 higher at $A0.20. McLennan says Ten will lodge a bid for the broadcasting rights to Australian Football League matches, currently held by rival Seven West Media. Ten recently acquired the Big Bash cricket and V8 Supercars rights

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, V8 SUPERCARS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD