Optus Sport

JohnsonTV · March 1, 2019, 12:22am

FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019

With 100 days to go until the first ball is kicked at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, Optus Sport has announced its broadcasting plans for the tournament.

Optus Sport will be the only place to watch all 52 matches live; with 40 of these matches exclusive. The live coverage will be complemented each day by a live preview and review show plus every match available on demand.

Optus Sport will have three crews in France during the tournament, one which will be dedicated to covering the Matildas, in addition to a main hosting studio.

“Optus is committed to taking the investment in women’s sport to a new level for Australian broadcasters when the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup gets underway in June,” Optus’ Head of TV and Content, Corin Dimopoulos said.

“There will be more than 100 live programs on Optus Sport, plus we anticipate adding over 1000 pieces of content, including the popular mini matches, news updates, feature stories and behind the scene moments from France.

“We are committed to showcasing not only a high-quality production but delivering the best Women’s World Cup broadcast experience for all of our customers.”

Customers with an Optus Sport subscription will be able to access:
*All 52 games of the FIFA Women’s World Cup live and on demand
*40 matches exclusively
*Preview show and review show produced and delivered live by Optus Sport
*Mini matches from every match
*All games available on the big screen or on-the-go

Optus Sport’s broadcast team will be announced in the lead up to the tournament.

The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup commences on June 7, when France take on Korea Republic in Paris, and concludes on July 7.

The Matildas, under new Head Coach Ante Milicic, have drawn Group C alongside Italy, Brazil and debutant Jamaica and will play their first match on June 9 against Italy.

Key matches exclusive to Optus Sport include:

England v Scotland – Monday June 10 at 2am AEST. These countries have a steeped sporting history. This will be Scotland’s first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance, and they face a tough ask against the world’s fourth ranked side. Expect plenty of passion and noise as border neighbours renew hostilities.

New Zealand v Netherlands – Tuesday June 11 at 11pm AEST. New Zealand qualified France 2019 without conceding a goal, however their first match against European Champions the Netherlands will be a big step up in class. The Football Ferns are coached by Tom Sermanni, the former Matildas coach who is embarking on his fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Germany v Spain – Thursday June 13 at 2am AEST. European powerhouses collide in a match that could prove decisive in Group B. Germany are two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions, and many expect them to go all the way this year, however Spain will prove a stern test, having qualified for France 2019 without dropping a single point.

Japan v England – Thursday June 20 at 5am AEST. The final match of Group D is a re-match of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Semi-Final, which Japan won thanks to a stoppage time winner. Fast forward four years and Japan are Asian Champions, while the weight of expectation is on an England side coached by Manchester United great Phil Neville.

Netherlands v Canada – Friday June 21 at 2am AEST. Featuring two teams ranked in the world’s top 10, this match should decide top spot in Group E. Netherlands are the European Champions, while Canada boast Christine Sinclair, the second most prolific scorer in women’s international football with 178 goals.

USA v Sweden – Friday June 21 at 5am AEST. These teams have played a record five times at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, ensuring a healthy rivalry between two genuine title contenders. USA are the reigning champions and the most successful nation at the event, having won the title three times.

Jeffmister · March 1, 2019, 4:44am

If I was to have a guess, SBS’ 12 games will consist of all 3 Matildas group games, 4 Round of 16 matches, 2 quarterfinals, both semifinals and the final

JohnsonTV · March 8, 2019, 8:57am

Optus Sport assembles female-led team for FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage

left to right: Michelle Escobar, Amy Duggan, Niav Owens

Optus Sport has brought together some of Australia’s best female journalists and football talent to lead the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage when the tournament gets underway this June.

Respected presenter and former Matilda, Amy Duggan, is the first host to be announced for Optus Sport’s match coverage, while Heather Garriock, Alicia Ferguson, and Niav Owens will also join the team.

Optus Sport is the only place to watch all 52 matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament live, and the broadcast team will provide extensive match coverage, expert opinion, in-depth analysis and behind the scenes access from France.

“We are extremely proud of the team we are assembling for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Optus’ Head of TV and Content Corin Dimopoulos said.

“Optus Sport will not only deliver Australia’s most comprehensive coverage of a Women’s World Cup, but our team will also provide greater coverage from within the Matildas camp than ever before.”

Leading an expert panel of current and former players will be ex-Matildas player Heather Garriock, who after representing her country on 130 occasions, is now Canberra United W-League coach.

Alicia Ferguson, another former Matilda, will be providing insight as the national team’s campaign unfolds in France, while experienced reporter Niav Owens will bring viewers the latest news from pitchside as well as from inside the Matildas camp.

Alongside Alicia and Niav, Optus Sport reporter Michelle Escobar will bring viewers a behind-the-scenes look at all the colour and noise of the tournament, along with daily news updates.

“It is an incredible honour to be part of the Optus Sport team that will bring all the action from one of the biggest women’s standalone sporting events,” said Amy Duggan, who played 33 games for the Matildas between 1997 and 2005.

“I will be working alongside some amazing talent, and talent that have been there before and know what it’s like to be a part of a national team.

“I’m really looking forward to a month of non-stop football, every game live and following each team’s journey, especially our golden girls the Matildas.”

With extensive coverage planned around all 52 matches during the tournament, Optus Sport is planning further talent announcements including additional hosts, along with more detail around the on-air presentation, over the coming months.

“We will place the Women’s World Cup on the pedestal it deserves, and it’s no coincidence we are announcing our line-up today, being International Women’s Day,” Mr Dimopoulos added. “I know we will have succeeded if my young daughters wish to emulate the stars of the tournament.”

JohnsonTV · March 21, 2019, 8:31am

Optus Sport will stream every match of Euro 2020 qualifiers, starting tomorrow (Friday) morning with Kazakhstan v Scotland. The fixture can be found here

sammy123 · April 4, 2019, 10:05am

Another Optus Sport Twitter stream:

JohnsonTV · April 9, 2019, 11:14am

JohnsonTV · April 16, 2019, 12:14pm

JohnsonTV · April 18, 2019, 2:08am

https://community.foxtel.com.au/t5/Foxtel-Announcements/EPL-Club-Channels-Unavailable/m-p/270516
Maybe Optus should consider picking up these channels to complement its EPL coverage.

bubandbob · April 18, 2019, 2:11am

I’m not sure they’d add much value to the service. They’re pretty hard to watch even when you’re a fan of the club in question.

stilesykenny · April 18, 2019, 3:04am

Well I have enjoyed Chelsea TV, especially watching classic matches from years gone by.

JohnsonTV · May 10, 2019, 12:20pm

While catching up on my recordings on Fetch tonight, I saw this notice regarding Optus Sport cutting back some spare channels from next week. This will affect Optus’ Premier League and UEFA Champions League coverage from next season.

Jeffmister · May 10, 2019, 1:21pm

Not really - those channels would only have been used a handful of times since they launched (mainly for the last day of the Premier League season when 10 games are played at the same time)

Radiohead · May 10, 2019, 5:41pm

Yes, I was thinking where/how could they possibly get 11 full time channels of sport from (particularly when FOXTEL have the major Australian sports sown up).

BigVic · May 13, 2019, 10:56am

Waste of space and bandwith having 11 channels if you have an app on Fetch playing matches live and on-demand. Only time Optus Sport 7-11 were used was during the final day of the Premier League today as well as the app on Fetch and on mobile devices.

WAtvVideos · May 13, 2019, 11:51am

The 11 channels are on their linear satellite platform, so they do have a purpose despite being dead 99% of the time. Good to see they will utilise their on-demand platform more effectively, but I imagine all 11 will still exist into the future.

JohnsonTV · May 14, 2019, 2:49am

European Football scores for Optus Sport

Premier League and UEFA Champions League fever fuels huge Optus Sport growth

Optus Sport’s coverage of the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League has scored with viewers, with both seasons’ gripping action fuelling record audience numbers for Optus Sport.

Must-see matches in both Leagues, including Liverpool’s incredible 4-0 victory against Barcelona and Tottenham’s equally historic away-win at Ajax, has seen Optus Sport’s activated customer numbers soar 50% year-on-year.

This morning’s final round of the Premier League saw the highest ever viewing numbers for Optus Sport, eclipsing last year’s FIFA World Cup, with customers streaming to watch Manchester City pip Liverpool to the title.

Optus Sport has also enjoyed its biggest ever week, with unique weekly viewers up +130% in the past week compared to the same week last season.

Corin Dimopoulos, Optus’ Head of TV and Content, revealed that European football fever is gripping Optus fans with sign-ups to Optus Sport swelling dramatically ahead of an all-English Champions League final and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France next month.

“We’re thrilled with the strong growth of Optus Sport viewers this year and the fantastic feedback we’ve received from fans across the country,” Mr Dimopoulos said.

“This season has delivered non-stop, jaw-dropping moments from the world’s most popular game, and we’re delighted to see a record number of fans signing up to Optus Sport ahead of the must-see Champions League final on Sunday June 2 and the launch of the spectacular FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 on Saturday June 8 (AEST).

“I’m proud of our coverage and the work of our excellent production crew and very dedicated on-air hosts and commentators, such as Mark Schwarzer, Michael Bridges, Mel McLaughlin, Ned Zelic and Richard Bayliss.”

Optus holds the rights to Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, and in the last year has streamed over 1,000 hours of football.

• Audience numbers are up more than 100% year-on-year, thanks to addition of UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Nations League content
• Sign-ups to Optus Sport are up +50% year-on-year
• Volume of games on Optus Sport has almost tripled – almost 3x games a day on average

And the numbers are soaring across social media too. The Optus Sport social platforms have had a 65% year-on-year increase in followers, while in the last fortnight alone a Lionel Messi goal posted on the Optus Sport Facebook page recorded a massive 300,000 organic views and a Vincent Kompany goal 292,000 organic views.

All the Optus Sport action can be viewed on the big-screen via Fetch, Apple TV, Apple Airplay, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV or Xbox, or on-the-go via tablets, mobile, desktop or laptop.

Optus Sport is available as an optional extra on eligible Optus plans for no extra cost. Non-Optus customers, and Optus customers who are ineligible for a monthly subscription at no added cost, may subscribe to Optus Sport for $14.99 per month.

JohnsonTV · May 28, 2019, 5:16am

Record audience numbers expected for highly anticipated European football finals

Optus Sport is set to break its own live streaming records when it delivers a spectacular 10-day schedule of unmissable sport, starting Thursday 30 May.
Four of the biggest football events in the world are all coming soon to Optus Sport, with subscriptions to the platform spiking ahead of the hotly anticipated action.
Corin Dimopoulos, Optus’ Head of TV and Content, revealed that the upcoming extravaganza of football action promises to deliver a sensational experience for fans.
“European football has delivered us phenomenal audiences this year that have easily beaten our internal forecasts. The dedication of loyal football fans to this season has been unwavering and we’re delighted that our first-class viewing experience has been enjoyed by fans of all ages,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
“The accelerated growth of Optus Sport’s industry-leading app highlights the power of our premium and engaging content and further demonstrates the unique power of streaming on mobile devices that gives viewers a way to consume their favourite content on the go.
“User experience is our top priority and during this very exciting time for football fans, our bumper schedule means Australian audiences will not miss a moment of the action.”
In addition, to celebrate the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, in which all 52 games are available live and on-demand on Optus Sport, Optus is providing complimentary access to Optus Sport to school-aged children throughout the tournament. The complimentary offer aims to give women’s sport greater visibility and change the future Australian school children see. More information can be found at yesopt.us/sportforkids.
All the Optus Sport action can be viewed on the big-screen via Fetch, Apple TV, Apple Airplay, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV or Xbox, or via tablet, mobile, desktop or laptop.
Optus Sport is available as an optional extra on eligible Optus plans for no extra cost. Non-Optus customers, and Optus customers who are ineligible for a monthly subscription at no added cost, may subscribe to Optus Sport for $14.99 per month.

OPTUS SPORT SCHEDULE:

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL – CHELSEA v ARSENAL
Date: Thursday May 30
Coverage commences: 4am (all times listed AEST)
Match commences: 5am
Experts joining host Mel McLaughlin for Optus Sport’s live and exclusive coverage: John Aloisi, Paul Okon and Luke Wilkshire. Pitchside in Baku will be Mark Schwarzer, Jules Breach, Ned Zelic and Kelly Somers.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL – TOTTENHAM v LIVERPOOL
Date: Sunday June 2
Coverage commences: 4am (all times listed AEST)
Match commences: 5am
Experts joining host Richard Bayliss for Optus Sport’s live and exclusive coverage: Michael Bridges, Craig Moore and Thomas Sorensen. Pitchside in Madrid will be Mark Schwarzer, Jules Breach, Ned Zelic and Kelly Somers.

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
Portugal v Switzerland on Thursday June 6 (4:45am AEST) and Netherlands v England on Friday June 7 (4:45am AEST), before a match for third place will be played on Sunday evening June 9 (11pm AEST), and the final on Monday morning, June 10 (4:45am AEST).

sammy123 · June 2, 2019, 7:52am

The new Optus Sport set introduced for the two European finals.

JohnsonTV · June 3, 2019, 11:20am

UEFA Champions League final breaks previous Optus Sport viewership records

Optus Sport’s coverage of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League final in Madrid has been a hit, with record audience numbers watching Liverpool FC beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0.

The final match broke Optus Sport live streaming records to deliver the highest ever viewership, increasing almost 20% versus the previous record.

The highly-anticipated Champions League final game eclipsed Optus Sport’s most recent audience high of the 2018-19 Premier League season, had 16.5 million* live streamed minutes**.

The UEFA Champions League final audience also helped Optus Sport achieve a massive 150% lift in unique weekly viewers year-on-year.

“We’re delighted with the massive growth of Optus Sport this year and with the amazing feedback we’ve had from viewers,” Corin Dimopoulos, Optus’ Head of TV and Content, said.

“Our broadcast has delivered non-stop thrills and drama and resonated strongly with the large number of football fans in Australia.

“Optus is proud of producing world-class sports coverage and our commitment to deliver must-watch entertainment has seen the volume of football games broadcast on Optus Sport almost triple in the last year.”

Optus holds the rights to Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, and in the last year has streamed over 1,500 hours of live football.

“Our live European football coverage is all about taking viewers to places they’ve never been before,” Executive Producer Richard Bayliss said.

“We’ve had Australian greats Mark Schwarzer, Ned Zelic and John Aloisi alongside world class reporters Kelly Somers and Jules Breach on the pitch, whilst also taking the audience behind the scenes and on the road across our social platforms.

“That access, combined with studio coverage we’re extremely proud of, has given Australian audiences analysis and reaction from across the continent which enhances our live broadcast of every match.

“Mel McLaughlin and I have been fortunate to sit alongside some brilliant pundits in the studio – Michael Bridges, Didi Hamann, Thomas Sorensen, Paul Okon, Craig Moore and Luke Wilkshire just to name a few.

“It’s a privilege to say they’re all part of the Optus Sport journey.”

Optus Sport’s exciting line-up of football continues this week with the finals of the UEFA Nations League followed by the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, where viewers can follow the Matildas’ journey and enjoy access to every single match of the tournament live and on-demand.

All the Optus Sport action can be viewed on the big-screen via Fetch, Apple TV, Apple Airplay, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV or Xbox, or via tablet, mobile, desktop or laptop. Optus Sport is available as an optional extra on eligible Optus plans for no extra cost. Non-Optus customers, and Optus customers who are ineligible for a monthly subscription at no added cost, may subscribe to Optus Sport for $14.99 per month.

Source: Internal Live Streaming statistics across all Optus Sport devices.

** For other live streaming minutes for comparison for most streamed live sporting events 2018-2019 via OzTAM Video Player Measurement: 17 million Melbourne Cup 2019, 13 million AFL 2018 Grand Final, 10 million NFL Superbowl 2019, 7 million Supercars Bathurst, 7 million ODI Australia v India Match 1, 6 million 2018 State of Origin Match 1, 6 million 2018 NRL Grand Final, 6 million 2019 Australian Open Men’s Final.

JohnsonTV · June 6, 2019, 12:55am

Portugal v Switzerland was played this morning and is now available on demand.