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TEN nabs Melbourne Cup from 2019

Race that stops the nation is headed to TEN.

Network TEN has landed the rights to the Melbourne Cup Carnival from 2019, outbidding Seven & Nine networks in the process.

It will end Seven’s grip on the horse race for the first time since 2002.

The Australian reports TEN has agreed to pay $5-10 million annually, in a coup for its sports after losing the Big Bash League.

Seven has indicated it was outbid and confirmed it will no longer host the event from next year.

“We are proud of our award-winning racing coverage, but as we have consistently said about the economics of sports rights, the deal must make commercial sense or we will step away,” a spokesperson said.

“While another party has placed a far higher valuation on these four afternoons of television, we will do what is financially responsible and right for our shareholders.”

Seven still has key horseracing events including the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the Caulfield Cup and Caulfield Guineas, Cox Plate, The Everest, Magic Millions Raceday and a Racing.com channel with the VRC.

This post updates.

24 Responses

  1. It makes sense since it would probably clash with the cricket. I remember 10 having the Melbourne Cup for years years ago then suddenly it turned up on 7.

    1. Yes Channel 0/10 were the first to show the Melbourne Cup live in Victoria and had it from 1978 to 2002 when Seven took over, though at one point 9 had the Saturday Derby Day Race and Ten the rest.

  2. This is a huge coup for Ten a ratings winner and a great platform to promote its up and coming programmes .heaps of advertisers get on board .smart move ten .

  3. Not a fan of horseracing, just thought I’d share that. But with this deal Ten will get a few #1’s in their schedule. #1 spot of the week no doubt. They’ll have all the eyeballs in the land for those few minutes

    1. Since all the races are during the day it won’t directly affect their prime time share, which is what is reported on. They will of course have the number one show of the week.

  4. I feel like the economics would make more sense if Melbourne Cup Day was a national holiday, but that’s unlikely to happen.

    I suspect Ten has paid “overs” just to get something into their schedule, I’m not sure of the strategic value given it’s late October/early November and there’s only a few weeks left of the ratings period afterwards. But at least it’s an announcement that they’ve secured rights to a sport, instead of the many in recent times that they’d lost the rights to a sport.

    The interesting point for me is the Racing.com channel, given it’s a partnership with the VRC I’m curious whether Seven will still get some coverage through it?

  5. I assume they won’t sell $5-10 million worth of extra advertising and sponsorship on the day of the race, so I don’t know what the business case is for buying the rights for CBS/Ten. Is there one?

    1. Who cares about the ‘business case’ when a load of execs can have a big party and booze up at the races….they can always splurge a few $000s at the bookies to recoup the costs.

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