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Bidding match looms on Tennis broadcast rights

Seven has reportedly offered Tennis Australia an extension to its $21m contract for the Australian Open, to head off TEN.

tennis-ball-court-lineSeven has reportedly offered Tennis Australia an extension to its $21 million annual contract for the Australian Open, which expires after the 2014 tournament, in a move designed to head off Network TEN.

TEN has been keen to secure a major sporting code under new boss Hamish McLennan.

The Australian Financial Review reports Seven made the offer but several Tennis Australia directors favoured an open tender instead. Some members of TA management want to wait until cricket’s broadcast rights are finalised, probably by mid-year.

Seven has traditionally used the Australian Open to launch its annual ratings year, providing a perfect January springboard for promotions and new programming.

Seven’s current $21 million-a- year deal, signed in 2007, includes free-to-air, pay TV and digital rights but there is talk of $40 million preliminary offers.

Seven has a six-month exclusive negotiating period with TA beginning on April 1st but no “last rights clause.”

23 Responses

  1. @matt_897
    True about Seven Sport but it seems to me they put in a really low bid for TA rights. When TEN had ONE HD as a 24hr sports channel they got mega ratings just like CG 2010 in New Dehli or even F1. Practically those 2 sports rate significantly other then MotoGP. Under Hamish McLennan he is serious about the major sporting codes that are on this page

  2. @William, true but I believe we are in year 2013. They have certainly improved in the last couple of years. I really can’t see TEN being any better at coverage and certainly won’t improve the sport in this country

  3. @matt_897
    In 2010 or even 2011 they delayed and made their news their priority. They had 7Two and what did they do they delayed night sessions, mens and women’s finals. They broadcast night sessions at 1030pm. It was all a disaster as they only broadcast it from 730am to 3pm. But IMO it was a fiasco

  4. I love seven coverage of tennis just I hate they show what conning up during the play but seven do good job of tennis. If seven don’t get tennis I think abc and abc2 should get the rights they had grate callers when they had hotman cup.

  5. @joey69 – Do you then agree that “ONE scores record ratings for Formula One” is “not reflecting accurate numbers on programs, but public sentiment on hyperbole crap”?

  6. David, your “Dear Hamish Seriously” Article makes some reference to your thoughts on OZ TAM and how it works! “Accurate” way to get numbers?
    anyhow keep up this great site, really enjoy it.

  7. @william, it wasn’t delayed in Perth this year. They showed it live on the main channel till 6 and then had it on 7two from 6 onwards. Even all the warmup tourneys were live around the country for the most part.

    The amount of hours the tennis gets during the tennis won’t be matched by any other network and given the state ten is in at the moment you are going to get more exposure from seven which is best for the sport.

    There are things I would fix about sevens coverage but they are easily the best FTA network for tennis.

  8. PS. you could draw parallels between TEN and the ALP. Poor choices have lead to unrest and the entire brand has been trashed and now people just want to show it/them the door!

  9. @joey69 yet to buy into conspiracy theories about why ten rate poorly. Most people i know have given up on TEN, even if a show is on their network they wont watch it unless its the only way possible. They are sick of how they change time slows, cancel shows and dont follow through. Many people are once bitten twice shy.

    Ten rates half the people in my view is because people are over the network. It needs a total image rebranding , its a bit like Qantas, what was once strong and respected is now looking very tired and all the problems and bad press has created fatigue.

  10. For people saying 7 is best at broadcasting TA rights think again. For example delayed it into Perth which they didn’t do it for the rest of the season. Not televising for the full day broadcast. Commercials that go for too long which misses an important point. That’s why I want TEN if they do miss out on CA rights

  11. Seven does the tennis very well, just like Nine does the cricket very well. I would hate to see TEN get their hands on either sport. Seven should retain the rights to the tennis and i am sure they will not let this sport go.

    I really do hope Seven retain the rights to the tennis. The past couple of years they have really done the sport justice for FTA.

  12. $21mil seems like an absolute bargain considering the return it gives 7 in promotional opportunity. I have no doubt 7 would not be in their strong position without it. It should atleast double in value.

  13. Seven really do a solid job for TA with the tennis coverage and I really can’t imagine it going to any other network, it works well for both parties. It’s about driving up the money at the moment

  14. David, pretty silly question to ask me? i have an opinion which i am putting out there. i could be wrong but the ratings numbers are so “channel skewed” at the moment. “steviem” made a comment that i agreed with. correct me if i am wrong, but you have had a few swipes at OZTAM and it’s figures in some of your past comments.

    1. It’s reasonable to ask if the ratings system is representative, or look at ways in which it could be improved. I’ve never states OzTAM ratings are inaccurate as fact and I’m not sure where you are referencing this from. For any flaws it may have, it’s actually the most accurate measure we have at the moment?

  15. I’m a tennis fan and I think channel seven do a good job of the Australian Open especially the last few years with their use of seven two. Not so good when they used to cut off matches for the news. I doesn’t matter what channel has the rights I will watch but I would least like nine to have the rights due to the bad Wimbledon coverage the last few years they had it (they will probably have the cricket anyway). Channel seven have been so much better with their earlier coverage and their use of seven two for Wimbledon.

  16. Would it be possible for ABC or SBS to get the rights?

    Seven spends most of the coverage talking about Lleyton Hewitt and promoting Seven programs.

    It’s embarrassing to listen to the overseas presenters raving about MKR or Revenge while tennis is being played on court.

    Same goes for Nine and Ten with their sports coverage.

  17. @steviem- “anything on TEN rates half what it would if broadcast on 7 or 9”. my exact argument that i have being telling people for a while on this site. OZTAM as is at this moment is not reflecting accurate numbers on programs, but public sentiment on hyperbole crap. hope 7 retain the rights they have done a good job.

  18. i really want 7 to retain the rights there coverage is good, can only imagine how TEN will stuff it.

    As for TA no doubt they will want to stick with a winning network. It seems anything on TEN rates half what it would if broadcast on 7 or 9.

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