Nine dumps Wimbledon
The Nine Network has dumped Wimbledon after almost 40 years as it readies for a bidding war for AFL rights.
- Published by David Knox
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The Nine Network has dumped Wimbledon after almost 40 years as it readies for a bidding war for AFL rights.
“Unfortunately, it (Wimbledon) hasn’t rated well in recent years and we think that money is now better invested on other sporting properties,” GTV9 boss Jeff Browne told the Herald Sun.
The move is tipped to save Nine about $15 million in licence fees and production costs, money it can now throw at the AFL and NRL.
Nine is believed to be particularly keen on pioneering Monday night football and is also committed to showing all games live, which Seven has shied away from doing.
But AFL TV audiences have been on a slide.
Seven’s Friday night football audiences are down 8.9 per cent, from an average of 462,000 last year to 421,000 this season. TEN’s Saturday night audiences dropped from a Melbourne average of 374,000 last year to 283,000 this season.
“Some slots are up, some are down. The ratings are still generally good, and we are certainly pleased that we are on track to break the attendance record and the club membership record,” AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan told the Herald Sun.
Source: Herald Sun
62 Responses
I think its a wise decision, as it currently stands:
the womens game is a complete joke and has been for years;
there were/are no Aussies worth watching;
the possibility of an epic Federer/Nadal final vanished early and they are the best ticket in town;
delayed game telecasts; and
the commentary team suck more then a Hoover.
I pray Nine don’t get the AFL rights back, they were awful.
Why are people going on about AFL not rating in QLD and NSW… There is a reason why 7, 9, 10, and foxtel are all bidding for it… If no one cared about it then why would channel 9 be so concerned about it?
Also the NRL might rate higher on TV (not sure, the grand final definately doesn’t) but that would only be due to the fact no one goes to the match, so theres more people at home watching… Getting 10,000 people to a Sydney ‘blockbuster’ compared to 82,000 for a round 16 AFL match on the weekend, means theres anther 72,000 that can stay home with the heater on watching on tv, giving the networks money, rather then the clubs that need it more…
I’m almost happy that it’s happened because I hate their broadcast. Hopefully someone picks it up, though. And hopefully with new commentators?
Channel 9 caters the broadcast to very patriotic Australians, which I guess I don’t really fall into the category of. I’m all for Australians doing well, but I’m more for quality tennis. I just don’t really get how they can justify airing a Peter Luczak match, just because he is Australian, when there are blatantly matches on with higher quality players.
@ Ben.
Gee it’s not hard to pick the Arrogant Football League’s ignorant fans, Channel 9 doesn’t have the “Rugby” (aka Rugby Union) – 7 does! 9 has the National Rugby League…..it’s a different game dipstick, and was the highest rating football code on Australian FTV and Pay TV for 2009 not your big girly Melbourne bounce ball! The AFL is in big trouble ….spending over 200 million dollars from its next TV rights deal, establishing teams in the NRL heartlands of the Greater West of Sydney and the Gold Coast where it is regularly out-rated by repeats of the Teletubbies!! The 4 richest advertising markets for TV viewers in Australia are: Sydney, Melbourne, Regional NSW/ACT and Brisbane/Gold Coast. The AFL is Non-existent in 3 of them! Their last TV rights deal was $780 Million, they want $1 Billion for the next…they’ll be lucky to get $500 Million (9 could still afford Wimbledon in that case). Still the AFL has all those members and spectators it boasts about to raise them about $100 million. Good luck trying to pay for the GWS after that.
Another one hoping another FTA channel will pick it up. Tennis is one of the sports I love watching on TV.
Please buy the rights ONE!!!!!!
Channel 9’s AFL especially friday nights were shocking. They milked the game till after 11:45pm and there stats & commentators talking crap. Channel 7 now are ok but when the AFL is asking about $1 billion for next tv rights you can’t blame them for showing more ad’s.
If Thursday nights is the night for the new AFL teams then channel 10 should get the rights plus their saturday football is also good. On Sundays channel 7 can show the 1pm game “Live” & highlights of the 2pm match then foxtel keeps the twilight match.
AFL – Channel 7 & 10 plus Foxtel next tv rights and stuff Channel 9
With the way the NRL ratings are going up and up all the money should go to them the AFL ratings are pathetic and they should get less money this time round. NRL is the most watched TV sport in the country for reason.
@guy. what do you call what 7 and 10 have been doing with these afl rights
Gotta love the afl fans having a go at Rugby League in here. The two highest paid afl players in the history of their game are Rugby League players!
Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!
Shame on you Nine.
Hopefully another FTA channel will show it.
I will be so disappointed if it’s only shown on pay tv. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford such things.
Channel 9 suck. This years coverage was the worst ever. Nine decided to show a cricket match and even that was deplorable because they only showed half.
Unfortunately ONE cant have the FTA rights of this as its sitting on a list called the Anti-Siphoning. I hope one of the other FTA networks pick it up though. Its worth the time and effort.
As for Nine and AFL, Go jump off a cliff! We would never ever get any matches Live what so ever in NSW or QLD. Nine would show that stupid game called Rugby League in precedence to it. Sorry but it can stay where it is.