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Ten secures Rugby World Cup rights
Network Ten has secured the free-to-air rights to the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
"Securing the rights to an international tournament on the scale of the Rugby World Cup gives Ten even further credibility as a major sports broadcaster," Ten's chief executive officer Grant Blackley said today.
The rights to the tournament, which will be held in France (with some games in Wales and Scotland) from September 7, reportedly cost $10 million.
While the network wouldn't confirm the final cost, Ten's general manager of sport, David White, said the network expected solid commercial returns from the event.
"We've carefully assessed potential revenues and likely production costs and we're comfortable with the margins we expect to deliver," Mr White said.
"The sport attracts a strong 'AB' demographic [high-end professionals], and in particular hard-to-catch younger male viewers, and also appeals to high calibre domestic and international advertisers."
Over the past decade, Ten has successfully broadcast the AFL and motor sport franchises.
Securing the World Cup tournament is a major coup for Ten, which lost the rights to screen the V8 Supercars to Seven.
The network also shares joint rights with Seven to screen the AFL from 2007 to 2011, which sold for a record $780 million.
The last World Cup tournament was played four years ago in Australia with the event broadcast on the Seven Network.
The gripping final between Australia and England was Australia's most-watched television program that year, with an average national audience of 4.02 million viewers.
Comparatively, Nine's March coverage of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony attracted an audience of 3.47 million viewers and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony secured an audience of more than 6.5 million.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive officer, Gary Flowers, said he was happy to work with Ten.
"Network Ten's commitment to broadcast the Rugby World Cup live around Australia is great news for rugby fans and will give our sport a major profile boost," Flowers said.
"As we have seen in previous World Cups, the Wallabies will enjoy the support of all Australians, not just our core rugby supporters.
"The fact that Network Ten will be taking the Wallabies Tests into the living rooms of most Australians will allow the whole country to get behind the team."
Ten will host all its broadcasts and associated programming from France as well as provide an independent Australian commentary team, which will be announced next year.
Sports Tonight will also have a full-time crew with the Wallabies touring party.
While this victory is Ten's, Seven holds the rights to the domestic and Tri Nations Tests, and Fox Sports to the Super 14 competition with both deals running until 2010.
After a decade's absence, Ten this year also negotiated the rights to the four northern hemisphere Tests, two of which have already been played and screened.
Rugby last screened on Ten in 1995 with the World Cup played in South Africa.
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/11/15/1163266614941.html
Network Ten has secured the free-to-air rights to the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
"Securing the rights to an international tournament on the scale of the Rugby World Cup gives Ten even further credibility as a major sports broadcaster," Ten's chief executive officer Grant Blackley said today.
The rights to the tournament, which will be held in France (with some games in Wales and Scotland) from September 7, reportedly cost $10 million.
While the network wouldn't confirm the final cost, Ten's general manager of sport, David White, said the network expected solid commercial returns from the event.
"We've carefully assessed potential revenues and likely production costs and we're comfortable with the margins we expect to deliver," Mr White said.
"The sport attracts a strong 'AB' demographic [high-end professionals], and in particular hard-to-catch younger male viewers, and also appeals to high calibre domestic and international advertisers."
Over the past decade, Ten has successfully broadcast the AFL and motor sport franchises.
Securing the World Cup tournament is a major coup for Ten, which lost the rights to screen the V8 Supercars to Seven.
The network also shares joint rights with Seven to screen the AFL from 2007 to 2011, which sold for a record $780 million.
The last World Cup tournament was played four years ago in Australia with the event broadcast on the Seven Network.
The gripping final between Australia and England was Australia's most-watched television program that year, with an average national audience of 4.02 million viewers.
Comparatively, Nine's March coverage of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony attracted an audience of 3.47 million viewers and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony secured an audience of more than 6.5 million.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive officer, Gary Flowers, said he was happy to work with Ten.
"Network Ten's commitment to broadcast the Rugby World Cup live around Australia is great news for rugby fans and will give our sport a major profile boost," Flowers said.
"As we have seen in previous World Cups, the Wallabies will enjoy the support of all Australians, not just our core rugby supporters.
"The fact that Network Ten will be taking the Wallabies Tests into the living rooms of most Australians will allow the whole country to get behind the team."
Ten will host all its broadcasts and associated programming from France as well as provide an independent Australian commentary team, which will be announced next year.
Sports Tonight will also have a full-time crew with the Wallabies touring party.
While this victory is Ten's, Seven holds the rights to the domestic and Tri Nations Tests, and Fox Sports to the Super 14 competition with both deals running until 2010.
After a decade's absence, Ten this year also negotiated the rights to the four northern hemisphere Tests, two of which have already been played and screened.
Rugby last screened on Ten in 1995 with the World Cup played in South Africa.
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/11/15/1163266614941.html
