The World Cup(s) make sense, the Tour de France doesnât and just seems to be a protection measure to keep SBS in the hunt for the rights
Since Eurosport left Australia has anyone else really stepped up to challenge SBS for overseas Cycling rights?
Nine have been dipping their toes in cycling havenât they?
Seven also cover the Santos Downunder.
Canât see any FTA wanting to grab the Tour off SBS; the timeslot is unfriendly and the numbers that SBS gets are low. More likely a streamer might be potentially interested; hense SBSâs worry.
Local events they have, but the none of the major European tours (or other overseas events)
Nine and Stan showed the UCI Road World Championships from Wollongong in September last year. Nine also showed Tour Down Under before giving the rights up after snatching Australian Open tennis rights.
Or he can do his job as CEO and negotiate that himself with the TV networks.
McLellan was the one who bought the BBL from behind a paywall to FTA TV. It turned out well for the network in summer months
Rugby (Union) being on free to air on the main channel would only apply to NSW/ACT and Queensland. In recent years Victoria got snubbed with Rugby coverage relegated to sub-channels or (in the pre-digital era) late night replays. It just wouldnât rate on a main channel in Victoria. I remember over 20 years ago on a Saturday night HSV7 screened a Wallabies game live into Melbourne pushing an AFL game to be delayed after it. I was at an AFL-loving friendâs house and she was pissed off! So did most of Melbourne! HSV7 never did it again, in future AFL got priority. And in Tasmania later on Southern Cross Tasmania (which was mainly Seven but with a few Ten programmes as well) showed a Wallabies game (from Seven) live in precedence to a Geelong v Collingwood game (from Ten). There was no TDT back then. Iâm sure Southern Cross would get backlash over this decision.
I guess the one thing is, there really shouldnât be too much of a stigma if it lands on another channel, especially another HD one⌠weâre used in Sydney to needing to watch 7mate for the Aussie rules and there really shouldnât be as much⌠on the other hand Nine doesnât split their channels quite as much. Who wouldâve thought that theyâd run with State of Origin nationally, for instance, even given the success of the Storm (although plenty of their players were in it, so people who⌠like my sis, followed QLD because they followed Billy Slater for instance⌠thereâd be some interest in Melb at least).
For Super Rugby, 9Gem is totally fine and given the doldrums that is from an Australian side point of view - Iâd suggest even in the northern states. The national team is certainly a harder question though, especially for big tests like Bledisloe or British/Irish Lions games.
Certainly, it shouldnât really matter that itâs on a primary channel anymore, especially compared to what mightâve happened before when they bought the rights and then just didnât use it. Less excuse for that now than in the days before multichannels.
The list will probably be updated to include ICC Womenâs Cricket Events including the ODI and T20 Womenâs World Cups. The last two editions were behind a paywall on Fox Sports and streaming on Kayo Freebies.
this dropped quietly
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/review-anti-siphoning-scheme-proposals-paper
The Governmentâs preferred option is termed the âBroadcasting Safety Netâ (basically minimal change, but will cover streamers)
An extension of the current scheme to prevent the acquisition of any type of right to provide coverage of an iconic sporting event to Australians by a content service provider until a free-to-air broadcaster has a right to televise the event on a broadcasting service, or the event is automatically delisted
They also want to expand the list to about 2,500 events, with increases for Womens and Para sports
The list was amended to also include future matches played in the FIFA World Cup â the menâs tournament.
For both soccer tournaments, the list now includes every match involving the senior Australian team; the tournament final; and qualifying matches involving the senior Australian team that are played in Australia.
The amendments to the anti-siphoning list take effect on September 15 â four days before the bids for Australian media rights to the 2027 FIFA Womenâs World Cup close.
Interesting move doing it while consultation is in its final days around the future of the list
I think the WWC should have been added to the list back in either 2015 or 2019. Still, itâs better late than never.
Free TV welcomes greater audience protection for live and free sport on TV but urges further steps to give modern audiences digital choice
Free TV today welcomed the planned expansion to stop live and free sport slipping behind streaming paywalls, but urged further reform to ensure the scheme meets the needs of the modern TV audience.
Free TV Chair, Gregory Hywood said: âLive and free sport on TV remains a crucial part of the Australian way of life. Minister Rowland and the Albanese Government recognise this and we enthusiastically welcome the Governmentâs proposal to extend the current anti-siphoning framework to subscription streaming platforms so that the iconic sporting moments cannot disappear exclusively behind the paywalls of streaming providers.
âThis is something that Free TV has been calling for almost 10 years. Without it, we risk losing the cultural moments that bring us together as a nation. Australians should not be forced to pay to watch these events that they currently enjoy for free and this is more important than ever with current cost of living pressures,â Mr Hywood said.
Free TV CEO, Bridget Fair said: âYou only need to look at the record numbers watching the Matildas triumphant World Cup campaign to see that Australians turn to their Free TV broadcasters for the best in sporting events. More than 11 million people watched the Matildas in their brave fight to make it to the Cup Final. And we expect to see huge numbers continue in the current AFL and NRL footy finals.
âMinister Rowland has also recognised that the list itself also needs to be modernised. She has acted quickly to already place the Matildas on the list and has addressed the inherent gender bias in the current list with proposals to include other womenâs sports that are growing in importance as part of the cultural life of our nation.
âThis is probably the most important review of the anti-siphoning rules since they were established. One area that the Government must get right is to see the rules recognise that the way Australians watch their Free TV services is gradually evolving and here we would urge Minister Rowland to go further than the discussion paper recommends.
âMillions of Australians continue to watch sport on TV through the linear broadcast delivery. But as audience preferences evolve, more Australians are opting to view free local TV services through a live stream in a BVOD (broadcaster video on demand) app. And in many modern housing developments, this might be the only way they can access their Free TV broadcasters as aerials may not be installed.â Ms Fair said.
The proportion of the audience choosing BVOD to watch free sport has more than doubled in the last three years. Up to 20% of audiences are now choosing a free TV BVOD option for live and free sport, and this is particularly the case with younger demographics.
âAustralians now expect that they can choose to watch live and free sport either over the air or using a live stream. In fact, increasingly they donât distinguish between the delivery technologies. The anti-siphoning scheme must keep pace with this audience expectation.
âOnly Australiaâs free TV networks can offer the community the best of a ubiquitous free broadcast network and streamed content via our BVOD apps offering live and free sport to all Australians no matter where they live or how much they earn and providing a seamless experience as audience preferences evolve.
âThe Government has rightly rejected an alternative model put forward by the subscription TV sector that would drastically reduce the number of sports available for free. This model must be seen for what it is a marketing strategy to loss lead with a small number of sports in front of a paywall in the hope of driving increased subscriptions. Australians canât afford marketing strategies to take the place of good public policy.
âWe look forward to working with the Government on the finalisation of the reform process. Given the importance of this issue to Australians, we urge the Government to aim to finalise the necessary legislation this calendar year,â Ms Fair said.