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Primetime carrot in TEN’s bid for V8 Supercars

TEN may offer more prime-time scheduling of motorsports in its bid to nab the V8 Supercars from Seven.

The Australian reports that TEN is looking to nab the V8 Supercars from Seven by offering more prime-time scheduling.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of TEN’s plans to swoop on increased sports, including the V8 rights.

TEN is believed to be well advanced in plans to bring Formula One and Moto GP broadcasts forward to 9.30pm on Sundays on its main channel while continuing with a live HD feed on ONE.

This week it begins extensive Grand Prix coverage, but the network also recently ended motorsports panel show RPM.

V8 Supercars chief executive David Malone said of speculation, “My answer most probably is delivering the best level of coverage for fans and viewers.

“We are obviously moving discussions forward.”

Relations with Seven were strong, he added.

Seven plans to offer more than the $172m it paid for the last contract but the price it paid for AFL may affect the outcome. Nine is also keen to bid but its focus is also on NRL rights.

17 Responses

  1. @stanchez47 good list but international sports dont need the same exposure here as our home grown sports. Of the Australian sports you have their: The AFL and NRL have half their matches shown on free to air. And you can argue that the A League isnt a thriving competition and they would do well to get at least one game a week on free to air to help grow the game.
    At this stage you lose about 60% of the viewing public if you show games exclusively on pay tv. Free tv helps you reach a greater audience.

    @Travis I agree

  2. I really hope that Ten get the V8s. They did justice last season to the F1 with qualy on Sat and a 1 hr pre-show before live race on Sun, all in native HD, and look to be doing as good or better for 2012.

    On the other hand, Seven have shown their contempt for the V8s over the last few years. We had the delayed Bathurst debacle in 2010, and the broadcast of the races is moved all over the place, and sometimes cut short, to accommodate their horse-racing and AFL commitments. I understand why AFL takes precedence but I still don’t like it.

    On top of that, it’s not in HD which, in 2012, is ridiculous. With the current level of digital take-up and the apparent synergy between motor racing and 7mate, I would have thought that it was an obvious option. There was no V8 Extra last weekend because of the horse-racing, but surely they could have found half an hour on 7mate so that we could have had a wrap-up of Clipsal and a preview of next weekend? So, I very much hope Seven lose it.

    And, sorry Shelly, but I really like Neil Crompton as anchor and hope he (and Mark Scaife) comes across with the show.

  3. There is only one place for V8’s and that is Ch 10. The home of motoprsports. Ch 7 are really only interested in AFL. how can 7 televise V8’S when their Saturday and Sunday’s will be taken up with AFL games. V8;s on 7mate no thanks!!!!!!

  4. F1 – Lets hope we don’t end up the in the same situation as the UK where only half the season will be free on BBC this season. The rest on Sky for those who can afford it.

    I just hope if TEN gets the V8s back we get better coverage in HD!

  5. Well TEN did have them for a while before Seven nabbed them back. Seven are cashed up despite the AFL deal so either way both networks are good options. Nine no way and PayTV is the last place i want the V8 Supercars. Once it ends up there exclusively as i know Speed shows it a couple of days later, it would be a disaster to have it there. Besides the anti-siphoning list i think prevents Bathurst not being on FTA.

  6. @chrisb – here is a list of the live sport I can now watch on pay that I would Never have got on FTA

    AFL – all games live
    NRL – 5 live games and FTA games shown before FTA actually put them to air (thanks 9 Melb)
    ALeague
    EPL – viewers choice 5 games all at the same time.
    NFL
    NHL
    MLB
    NBA

    Tell me when to stop………..

    NASCAR
    WTCC
    Indycar
    FIA GT
    Cycling – Paris to Nice is great live
    ATP Tennis

    I’m sure all of these sports have been killed by being on Pay TV.

  7. @chrisb, the best option is shared rights with Foxtel, then when Ten/Seven duck shove it around to different time slots like they normally do, it will still be live for Foxtel viewers who are happy to pay for live sport.

  8. V8’s got a much better deal when they were on ten. Only please ten – if you get it – pls leave Neil Crompton at seven. You don’t need him.

  9. The reason F1 would stay on ONE is first its HD and 2nd even is TEN aired the F1 live I doubt they would show the pre-race stuff and the last thing viewers want/need is half way through their viewing be told to switch channels for the race and watch in in SD on there Full 1080 HD sets.

  10. Ten cancelled RPM, brought it back, then cancelled it again!

    The sooner ten realise with not one but two Australians on the grid the value of showing F1 on Ten live on Sundays the better. Also qualifying can now be shown live since no excuse of having AFL on during the winter.

    But lets be honest the best solution,like with any sport, is to get it on pay TV asap. Speed Channel is great

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