Ten to bid for AFL and NRL rights admitting it ‘suffered’ from lack of winter sports
McLennan
Ten has signalled its intention to enter the bidding war for the NRL and AFL rights after admitting it has suffered from not having a major winter sport in its schedule.
While the network had seen its ratings dive in recent years after losing the AFL rights to rival Seven, Ten chief executive Hamish McLennan warned it will only proceed with negotiations if the price is right.
“We have always said we will not blow our brains out,” he said.
with a $264 million loss expected— what are they using? monopoly money?
only chance would be if foxtel get their stake— and even then… it’s probably just a tactic to make 9 or 7 pay more.
… i suppose you could see 9&10 split the games and cost with fox footy included and bump off 7??
No interest in A-League?
Don’t think either the NRL or AFL will chance it with TEN given its financial situation, even if Foxtel does buy a non-controlling interest in TEN.
“… we will not blow our brains out …” snigger.
Re: football fan comment above:
The premise of what he was saying is that TEN suffer from not having a winter sport, and so the whole article was about bidding for a winter sport. A-League has been a summer/autumn sport for a number of years now, doesn’t help them with their winter problems.
Bring Monday Night Football (NRL) to channel 10. Although I doubt Foxtel would let that happen.
“Ten was outperforming its free to air rivals in capturing the pivotal 25 to 54”
yeah, keep dreaming guys
Good move by Ten, but its financial problems would mean in a bidding war they will eventually lose out to the other networks. I also think A-League would be better off remaining on SBS. Every time a commercial station has handled association football, they pushed broadcasts into odd hours including the graveyard shift, had too many adverts, and did little to promote the game. Seven did a botched job of the National Soccer League in the 1990s and didn’t do the game here justice.
@SbM. It is not a case of Foxtel letting it happen, it is a case of TEN making it happen.
Just to point out that since McLennan and his ridiculous theory of the “sports coverage halo” has been in place, Ten has had an operating losses (they had an operating profit before, despite continual interference in the running of Ten by the board) – mostly from the cost of sports coverage.