The Cricket schedule will determine the outcome of where AO ends up
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So you think Seven will wait until then? That could be months away!
I seriously doubt they will given Nine any advantage and retain the rights. They probably won’t be too worried about upsetting TA as its the last year of the current broadcasting contract. The only catch may be is if anything is specified in the contract that the AO airs on Seven’s main channel
Fed Cup live on 7mate this afternoon (with horse racing on 7, 7Two in Melb later due to VFL).
Todd Woodbridge hosting, from Wollongong (where’s @Zampakid!?)
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If it goes past 3:00pm in Sydney it may have to move to 7flix as the Shute Shield rugby union is scheduled to start then on 7mate.
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But the GWS AFL game is on isn’t it?
What about 7Two at 3pm?
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Great to see Jelena Dokic calling the tennis again.
7TWO in Sydney has horse racing from 3pm.
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GWS was on the main channel in Sydney
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Is that the first time Prime (MediaHub) have switched themselves, between “Live & Free” and “Sport” on their generic sport watermarks?
Usually with tennis / Olympics / Comm Games now, Seven just have the “7” (or whatever channel) with no “sport” attached when it’s delayed. When live, the production adds or removes the “Live & Free”.
But today for metro, BCM were controlling the entire watermark for some reason, meaning MediaHub needed to control Prime/GWN’s, including the add-ons.
Seven Melbourne managing director Lewis Martin told 3AW this evening that the network was still committed to next year’s Australian Open and the tennis unit would start work soon on preparing the telecast.
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Seven will be hoping that CA will allocate BBL matches which are exclusive to Fox Sports, during the Australian Open fortnight, so Seven can concentrate on the tennis.
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Not sure why anyone is surprised 7 are covering both? Unless 9 want to pay more to 7 than 7 paid for it, why would they on sell it?
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It’s odd how Seven’s “home of sport” promo (with Bruce McAvaney standing in front of the wall of screens) removed “Australian Open” from the montage.
Either the producer(s) of the promo weren’t sure whether the network had committed to the final year?
Or the promo is more holistic/towards the future (in which yes, Seven won’t have rights)?
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I also hope (now with the confirmation) that Seven will go ‘all out’ with the Aus Open next summer.
They should put in the effort for a number of ‘40 year highlights’ or something and have former hosts/commentators make guest appearances. I mean they have 9 months to plan!
If they don’t do anything like that and just show the coverage as if normal, including possibly ‘spitting the dummy’, that’ll be a real shame 
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We should be encouraging less self-indulgent rubbish not more.
A simple farewell package after the men’s final and a goodbye is all that is required.
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According to The Australian Financial Review, Tennis Australia has put a deadline to Seven regarding whether it will push ahead with broadcasting the Australian Open in 2019 and clarified it expects the free-to-air broadcaster to show the tournament on its main channel.
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Would their have been a clause in the contract compelling Seven to broadcast it on the main channel or the network? Because of the contract referred to network, Tennis Australia don’t have a leg to stand on. But if Seven signed on the dotted line and said it will be on the main channel — not the network — then Tennis Australia don’t have any right to complain.
This is what TA chief executive Craig Tiley told the AFR:
Just to clarify in terms of some of the public discussion about what will be shown where, Tennis Australia expects Seven to show the Australian Open from first ball to last ball on Channel 7.
If Seven wants to take a different approach, we would need to have that discussion with Seven in the next few weeks. After that time, if no changes have been agreed, we will be focused on delivering a successful
AO broadcast on Channel 7. We have had a long-standing partnership with Seven which has resulted in a domestic ratings winner.
I assume the big matches each day as well as the semi finals and final will be on the main channel.
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