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TEN parts ways with Hopman Cup

TEN passes on the Hopman Cup after failing to reach agreement on a broadcast schedule.

2013-11-18_0940TEN has issued a brief statement saying its has “decided to pass on broadcasting the 2013-14 Hopman Cup.

“The network was unable to reach agreement with Hopman Cup Pty Ltd on appropriate scheduling of the event. The network wishes the event well in the future.”

TEN has been broadcasting the Hopman Cup since 2011 after 6 years on the ABC.

The Perth-based event is next due to take place from December 28 – January 4th but TEN’s sports focus over summer is on the Big Bash League which is staged from December 20 – February 7th.

As yet no other broadcast partner has been announced.

26 Responses

  1. No Hopman Cup? Three things; There’s nothing else on that time of year, only cricket, give viewers an alternative, especially during lunch breaks and rain delays. Secondly, Analog TV will be switched off by then so Digital Channels will fast become an alternate viewing channel to thousands. Three; Time shifting/replays. Have a two hour highlight package of the previous evenings match to fill in the morning in Eastern States

  2. The organisers having the Hopman Cup not shown on FTA at all seems like a strange response to having it shown on ONE in HD. Especially as last year half of it was on ONE. Doesn’t make sense unless Seven want it for 72.

    Otherwise It will most likely end up on Foxsports. At least then the Australian matches will be on in the pub.

    The ABC dropped The Hopman Cup a couple of years ago after sharing the rights with Foxsports and cutting back the number of live matches they showed because it didn’t work well on East Coast TV.

  3. TEN the home of buying sport then letting the contract run out after having butchered the coverage or not having shown it at all! The non-agreement over this isn’t a surprise, hopefully it can go back to the ABC where it will be covered properly!

  4. I have to agree I am very disappointed that Ten have dropped the Hopman Cup. I have loved watching this event for many years. I finaly got to go to the event last year at Perth Arena and enjoyed it so much would love to go again some day. I was hoping I would get to watch the event on tv this time. So I am very sad to hear this news. If Fox Sports gets it ill likely pay for Foxtel play just to watch this event.

    I am a very sad tennis fan. Hopefully ABC or SBS or Fox sports will pick it up. Which ever channel does I will be watching.

  5. If ten wants to be taken seriously when it comes to premium sport they need to stop axing sporting events especially Australian ones! When you have a hd channel their doing nothing you might as well use it when 10 isn’t able to.

  6. It rated really badly last year and the organisers are interested in changing it to make it successful on TV.

    The Perth timeslot means the live mix doubles n evening matches are on too late. The network has to fill for 20-30 minutes between matches. And the audience only wants to watch the matches featuring Australia or the one or two big names players who turn up.

    ONE as a sports channel had a 1.3% share. The idea of channel full of cable rejects for people without cable didn’t fly.

  7. Why couldn’t it be shown on One? Please Ten make One a 24/7 sports channel again & bring over the first release series to Eleven so they can drop the crap like Cops.

  8. The Hopman Cup was picked up by TEN when they had the 24/7 Sports channel strategy, good idea but poorly executed by the past regime at TEN. The Hopman Cup is the latest in the string of Sports contracts to be dumped by this current board and the Second by Hamish McLennan(Ironman, Swimming, NBA, Netball). When ONE HD launched the Hopman Cup was eventually broadcast on it, so i dont think the digital channel arguement for not doing everything possible to keep it with TEN has any leverage. i think the issue is the production costs. The only reason the NBL is still with TEN is because NBL Media is producing the telecasts.

  9. @kimbeth, ranking points aren’t offered at the Hopman Cup but that’s hardly the points of the article.

    Thanks David for the news, as from their schedule press release, it was strange it wasn’t mentioned so it felt like something was up.

    I guess Foxtel is the only option but they didn’t even show the Davis Cup final live this weekend so who knows if they want it…

    Seven have Brisbane and Nine has the real cricket and the other two won’t pay for it. Interesting.

  10. Fox Sports will probably pick this gem up. Its really enjoyable to watch but i guess TEN decided after last year that it wasn’t good enough for them. I just hope someone picks it up because imagine that. The Hopman Cup without a broadcaster. Might as well not even play the tournament.

  11. Last I saw the big bash was going to be aired predominantly on main channel ten. What is ONE airing Dec 28- Jan 4? Seems like any scheduling issues would be pretty easily solved to me. Either ten are being too stingey to pay for ONE content, or the Hopman cup feel too precious to be shunted to a digital channel.

  12. Dr Rudi, clearly you’re not a tennis fan as if you were you’d know that ranking points are at stake at the Hopman Cup these days. Hardly exhibition. Many top players continue to play this tournament as it assures them of at least three singles matches.

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