With a new sports-dedicated channel planned, Australia’s Ten Network is buying up sports rights, yesterday announcing it would be sole broadcaster of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Ten is already broadcast rights holder for the 2010 event, in Delhi,
and now adds all rights, both free-to-air and subscription plus all new
media and radio rights for the 2014 Glasgow event.
Ten is seeking to fill an entire schedule – it will launch a
free-to-air, 24-hour sports channel, which will be called One, with
both standard and high-definition versions. The Commonwealth Games will
air both on the main network, Ten, in standard-definition, and on One
in high definition.
Other recent sports rights deals include new long-term partnerships with Swimming Australia and Netball Australia.
Grant Blackley, Ten’s CEO, said: “Acquiring the rights to the Glasgow
Commonwealth Games will build on our much-anticipated broadcast of the
Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010. It also adds to our credentials as
the leading Australian broadcaster of premium sporting events in high
definition.
“In addition, having secured all broadcast, web, mobile, radio and
telephony rights, presents the Network with an exciting and valuable
opportunity to engage viewers and sponsors in a comprehensive way.”
One launches in the second quarter next year. Other sports will include
Australian Rules (AFL) football, Indian Premier League cricket, Formula
One motor racing, and NBA basketball.
With a new sports-dedicated channel planned, Australia’s Ten Network is buying up sports rights, yesterday announcing it would be sole broadcaster of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.