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V8 Boss: "Ten’s attitude is unacceptable"

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The head of V8 Supercars Australia has accused Network TEN of being “unreasonable and un-Australian” in its blocking of live telecasts in Adelaide.

Tony Cochrane is threatening to pull the V8 Supercars from the Australian Grand Prix if Formula One network TEN has broadcast rights.

“One can only wonder how Network TEN claims to be the home of motorsport yet behaves in this totally un-Australian way to deny the very fans of the sport,” he said.

The tense situation has arisen because the Seven network is required to transmit a replay of the Foxtel-produced Adelaide v Geelong game from AAMI Stadium for SA viewers. Seven had hoped to do so after showing the V8 series live in Adelaide instead of the coverage of the St Kilda versus Kangaroos game.

The AFL television rights deal dictates that each of Foxtel, Seven, Ten and the AFL must agree to proposed scheduling changes.

The AFL and Foxtel has consented to the change. But TEN refused.

Consequently, this weekend’s Sunday racing at Eastern Creek in Sydney will not be shown in Adelaide until 10.30pm.

“Ten’s attitude is unacceptable,” Mr Cochrane said. “Seven has done all its power as has the AFL to overcome a scheduling issue which impacts only in Adelaide. Sadly, for reasons only it could explain, Ten has decided to veto any change proposed by both the AFL, Foxtel and Seven.

“Because of this we will now only attend the AGP next year if organisers can guarantee that Network Ten will not televise any V8 Supercar footage from that event,” Mr Cochrane said.

Press Release:

The V8 Supercar Championship Series may not return to the Australian Grand Prix next year if Network Ten continues to block coverage of the sport into Adelaide through its’ unreasonable behaviour.

V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane today revealed the reason why Adelaide fans are being robbed of Sunday coverage of the sport that is treasured in South Australia – because Network Ten will not allow the Seven Network to do so.

As part of a four-way AFL agreement between the networks, the AFL and Foxtel, all four parties must agree to allow a change to AFL scheduling.

Seven is prepared to drop one of the two Sunday AFL games and show V8 Supercars from Eastern Creek this weekend in order to bring South Australia into line with every other market in the country. Seven, the AFL and Foxtel have all agreed the change which would mean South Australian viewers get what they want. Although their AFL coverage is not affected in any way, Network Ten refuses.

“Because of this we will now only attend the AGP next year if organisers can guarantee that Network Ten will not televise any V8 Supercar footage from that event,” Mr Cochrane said. “As much as we would like to finalise arrangements with the Australian Grand Prix, who we have been working quietly with for some months, and attend for our fans, sponsors and corporate partners it will not happen if Network Ten telecast the V8 Supercar component of the event.

“We will now only attend so the fans and corporates at the event can experience the thrill of seeing V8 Supercars race live. We have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to achieve a resolution to this problem in Adelaide and have agreement between Seven, the AFL and Foxtel.

“One can only wonder how Network Ten claims to be the home of motorsport yet behaves in this totally un-Australian way to deny the very fans of the sport.”

The impasse means that this weekend’s Sunday racing at Eastern Creek in Sydney will not be shown in Adelaide until 10.30pm whilst in every other market it will be live or near live.

“Ten’s attitude is unacceptable,” Mr Cochrane said. “Seven has done all its power as has the AFL to overcome a scheduling issue which impacts only in Adelaide. Sadly, for reasons only it could explain, Ten has decided to veto any change proposed by both the AFL, Foxtel and Seven.

“V8 Supercars Australia and Seven are already working on scheduling for next season and are committed to ensuring that Adelaide will not miss out on a live or near-live broadcast in 2008. The tens of thousands of fans who are upset should express their concern directly to Network Ten.”

3 Responses

  1. big hairy deal, 7 have their nickers in a knot about something channel 10 wont let them do. SO im assuming 7 would back down to anything channel 10 wanted them to do – not likely.
    Channel 7 may be winning in the ratings, but does that give them the right to shove others programming around to suit them. Seems that dude from 7 is a crying baby not getting his own way

  2. Hmmmm. Why would Ten agree to a change that only saw more viewers on a competitors channel. Imagine what their advertisers and shareholders would think of that. Ten are largely responsible for making the sport as successful as it is today only to push it outside of their own budget and lose it to the highest bidder. V8 Supercars showed them no loyalty. Why should they show none in return.

  3. There is too much AFL on TV. It’s all over the news, the newspapers, everywhere.

    Motorsport has been treated poorly by both channel 10 and 7. I’d rather live in Lebanon where they show F1 races live, not ‘delayed until some ungodly hour after Big Brother’.

    With regards to the deal between 7 and 10. Why not give the AFl rights to just one channel? Then all the bogans can watch that and the rest of us won’t have to put up with this crap

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