SBS jumps a hurdle in athletics
After seven years SBS and Athletics Australia part ways with the broadcaster shifting focus to International Athletics.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
After seven years, local athletics will no longer be featured on SBS. Instead the broadcaster will shift to international athletics with major events run by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The shift will begin with the 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Jordan on April 12.
“After seven years working with Athletics Australia and offering our audience the pleasure of watching local heroes perform on Australian soil, the network has released Athletics Australia from its contract to pursue other opportunities,” said SBS Head of Sport, Ken Shipp.
“SBS has greatly enjoyed its partnership with Athletics Australia and presenting domestic athletics to our audience and we look forward to seeing the continued success of this sport in Australia.”
“In 2009, SBS will shift its focus on delivering the best athletics events on the international calendar and our viewers will be able to continue watching our nation’s finest compete on the international stage against the best athletes in the world.”
SBS will now feature 28 hours of live athletics action and nine hours of championship highlights.
SBS will cover the 9-day IAAF World Championships in Athletics from Berlin in August.
SBS Athletics Schedule
Sunday 12 April, 11am 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships Amman, Jordan
Sunday 26 July, 12pm 6th IAAF World Youth Championships Sudtirol, Italy
Sunday 16-Monday 24 August 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics Berlin, Germany
Sunday 22 September, 11am 7th IAAF World Athletics Final Thessaloniki, Greece
Sunday 25 October, 12pm 18th IAAF World Half Marathon Birmingham, England
* Check local TV Guides or sbs.com.au/schedule for television times.
Share
- Tagged with IAAF Athletics
6 Responses
I’d say Ten will be putting this on Channel One, which will be good to see. Man what’s happening with this so-called freeview though?
if you look at Athletics Australia’s website the Channel 10 logo is prominent at the bottom of the page as a sponsor….it would not suprise me if Ten picked up the Cycling rights in the future.
So this channel is becoming less multi-cultural and more cultures other than australian.
Swimming, Athletics. Ten only needs to pick up Cycling rights, then they can say ONE is the home of Triathlon… If Disco Stu’s right.
Ten has picked up theAustralian rights.
That is sad news for local athletics as it is unlikely to be covered by another free-to-air network or Pay TV. We don’t want the athletics to go down the same path as National Basketball League, do we?