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Tennis slams rivals for Seven

On Sunday night Seven served up a whopping 45.1% share over its rivals, but look what happened in cities when it competed with live cricket.

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jelenaThe Australian Open has been surging for Seven bringing in bumper audiences for its night sessions.

On Sunday night over 1.74m viewers were watching the match between Jelena Dokic and Alisa Kleybanova. Together with Seven News, it helped the network serve up a whopping share of 45.1%, more than twice its nearest rival for the night. That hit the other networks out of the court.

TEN came second with 18.2, Nine had 17.9, ABC 13.6 and SBS 5.2%.

On Tuesday night Jelena Docik soared the game to 2.3m and 46.6%.

It would seem Seven delaying the evening matches in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia is a tactic playing right into its advertiser’s hands.

Seven has maintained the feedback it has received is that “people want to watch the entire match.” Regardless of the stupidity of this logic (we can watch an entire match earlier too), can we now assume the feedback Seven has received this year is that everyone wants the game live, and it will be sorted for 2010? In high definition?

On Monday night things were a lot more competitive. Nine lifted with the One Day Series cricket gaining 1.06m viewers, pulling the tennis back to 1.1m.

Seven’s lead narrowed to 31.9% over Nine’s 27.7%. In Sydney, Adelaide and Perth the cricket beat the tennis -three cities where live cricket aired, and in high definition. In Brisbane the tennis won by just 4,000 viewers, while in  the home of the Australian Open, Melbourne, the tennis was a clear winner.

Now Jelena Dokic is out of the tournament it could bite some of Seven’s audience numbers. The sport is certainly proving mighty for the network but there are also some significant messages if you drill down into the figures.

13 Responses

  2. All the cameras have “HD” on them, but they aren’t actually HD cameras. It’s just the lens or something. Other countries are just getting upconverted SD being called HD (at least Seven aren’t pretending it’s HD), go on any American sports forum and you’ll see they’re complaining about EPSN HD clearly just being widescreen SD upconverted.

  3. Yeah I’ll second Kev’s comments – I was at the tennis on Saturday night and the cameras clearly have the letters HD on them! I can’t believe 7 is stuffing us HD lovers around like this! Makes me so mad – I may just write a letter of complaint to them!!!

  4. Yeah, 7’s attempts to stir-up trouble with Dokic’s father were really shameful. Last thing the poor girl needed was pressure like that. Sickening tactics.

  5. ch7 are the only ones with camera licence on the court. they film it it HD with HD cameras so they can offer their footage in HD to other cable and overseas networks.

    they aren’t broadcast it in HD themselves because of issues with Oztam and multichanneling.

    if you want to see it for yourselves. look on the cameras near the chair umpires seat if they get on TV and underneath the 7sport logo you will see a shiny HD.

  6. Actually 7HD waited until after Dokic’s match before switching to 7HD alternative viewing just after 10pm (Syd/Melb time). I had my TV tuned to 7HD for the tennis even though knowing it is not really broadcast in HD (althought the TV says it is HD). It still seemed clearer than the 7 digital feed I get on Foxtel and the SD channels.

    To me, the cameras used on court look like any other standard camera – wondering how you can tell if they are HD or not? As I honestly believe if they were using HD cameras and gear, they would offer it in HD and promote it like what 9 do with the cricket (and doesn’t the cricket look great in HD! Don’t watch much, but the little I do, I make sure I go to 9HD).

  8. Dokic has been giving 7 some wonderful ratings. It’s disgusting they then go and try and derail her by bringing out her father who she wants nothing to do with. It’s the kind of low act one would expect from 7 though.

  9. Reply regarding John.
    Yes I know it’s pathetic isn’t it.? It’s broadcast in HD in overseas countries and we’re the host country and we get what? SD? Pfft.7 get your act together.

  10. I am disgusted by Seven’s attitude not to broadcast the Australian Open in HD. I noticed on court that they use HD Cameras but I can’t understand why they don’t broadcast in HD. All sport should be telecast in HD, it’s not like Seven has anything better to broadcast on 7HD. Last night when the tennis was heating up 7HD was paying some documentary on Saddams last hours. If Seven is not going to telecast great sporting events such as the Australian Open in HD I don’t think they deserve to telecast any sporting event s at all.

  11. Aussies like to watch Aussies playing sport…thats why the cricket changed to have aussies involved in every game…tennis would do even better when Aussies are winning…mind you the final will still dow well ratings wise anyway….

  12. No wonder they tried to get Damir out here. What a final it would have been – Dokic v Damir. Oh, the slimebags at Today Tonight must be wondering about the one that got away. So much for Matthew White bringing credibility to that show.

  13. My whopping great plasma TV is off TV more than it is on these days, if it wasn’t for downloads and DVD’s it would be a giant waste of money, as for tennis, I’ve got this pet blade of grass in the back yard I watch grow when it is on, cricket is good as is TEN HD’s NFL, roll on Super Bowl 43 and the IPL

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