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Could Seven sell Olympics to 10?

Sale of another big ticket item may help Seven with its bottom line.

There is speculation Seven may not broadcast the restaged 2020 Olympic Games next year, with ViacomCBS-backed 10 considered a front runner should that come to pass.

The Sunday Telegraph suggests insiders at Seven West Media say that the COVID-19 crisis coupled with a crashing share price has forced a rethink.

Seven paid $170 million for a multiple rights package back in 2014, starting with Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the Pyeongchang Winter Games in 2018 and ending with Tokyo in 2020.

Broadcasting the Olympics is generally considered a loss-leader in terms of sheer numbers -on top of the rights there are costs involved in mounting the broadcast and putting talent on the ground. However it is a prized marketing platform for upcoming programming, which can help drive months of success.

In March when Seven confirmed it would not be broadcasting the Olympics this year due to the postponement of the Games by the IOC, TV Tonight asked if Seven would continue as broadcaster for 2021?

Seven declined to comment.

10 has also declined to comment on current speculation.

26 Responses

  1. Given 10’s head of sport left last week…and their apparent indifference to getting more sport on the network…I would say this is highly unlikely. Sport doesn’t seem to be a priority for ViacomCBS. Interesting that this comes after 7 won the BBL rights with Foxtel, the ratings went down the toilet because of the simulcast and too many games and too long, then tried to sell it back to 10…and 10 said no you dug that hole yourself

  2. Seven has wisely realised they won’t have any decent upcoming shows to promote during the Games anyway so they might as well try and cut their losses now …

  3. It is about time that the networks cut down on the prices they pay for the rights. The games will continue to be a mountain of costs to produce and don’t deliver in terms of ratings. But a great way to bombard viewers with promotions. I hope that Ten do not want the games.

  4. No! Channel Seven do a marvelous job and there’s no reason why it should move to Ten!

    However, the Olympics would be a very good time to promote The Amazing Race Australia & Australian Survivor…

  5. Other than Bruce- really is this all 7 have available.
    let someone else do it properly. (wouldn’t you expect ex. Olympians to front broadcast)?
    looks like a lot of self promotion by 7

  6. Seven got greedy with sports and now it has to pay the piper. 10 an be selective and aim at a sport they think will be worth their efforts and money. Foxtel is close to broke so they more likely cannot bid for them

  7. The best coverage of any Olympics was the Foxtel Coverage of the Sydney Olympics where you paid a fee and got around 10 Channels covering one event at the time each and staying with that event. You got a Guide telling you what events were on and when. No crap interviews with every Australian competing. FTA cannot cover this event properly. You are dreaming.

    1. Don’t you mean the London games? Fox & 9 had the rights to the Olympics in 2012. 7 had the exclusive rights to the Sydney 2000 Games.
      Fox got a wide range of sports. As well with this, they can rewind, pause Live Action

  8. If they did get on-sold then yeah 10 would be a good destination as they are scheduled for 23 July 2021 – 8 August 2021, so it wouldn’t interfere with what they are already building on this year. Plus they would pretty much be going in from the Masterchef Finale (last years was July 23rd) into the Olympics and with shows that may be missing like Amazing Race etc., due to covid-19 filming problems it would fill big a hole.

  9. Given the changing market and the positive feedback from the London Games in 2012 when Seven pretty much only aired the Olympics across their channels, why don’t all FTA channels provide a combined bid?
    Everyone would benefit, if done fairly. You’d hope the Paralympics would get a fair viewing on TV too then.

      1. Foxtel also had the rights to the London Games. They had a lot of sport live and viewers can choose which events they want to watch. As much as I never had fox sports at home, fox sports was much better than 9’s coverage.

  10. I’d love to see networks cut back on the spending of these huge loss leading sports. but surely if they sold it to 10 it would be at a huge loss anyway? they’d be better off going for a full refund, then seeing what happens on the open market.

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