Post by Aussie on Mar 24, 2005 23:08:33 GMT -5
Blow to Games prestige
By Peter Ker
Commonwealth Games reporter
March 25, 2005
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The Melbourne 2006 Games have been abandoned by the traditional broadcaster of the Commonwealth Games in Canada, in what prominent Australian sports figures have described as a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth movement.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has decided to overlook the Melbourne 2006 broadcast rights in favour of televised curling, ice skating and Winter Paralympics action next March.
CBC director of sport Nancy Lee said the network would not bother bidding for the 2006 Games, ending an association spanning several decades.
With Games television rights proving difficult to sell to Asian broadcasters, the comments from Canada are a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth Games, and raise fears that Melbourne 2006 action may not be seen on Canadian TV.
In a twist to the TV rights saga, The Age believes Games organisers are negotiating with broadcasters in the United States, in a bid to become the first Commonwealth Games to be screened to US viewers.
Ms Lee said the Games timing was designed to suit broadcasters and organisers in Australia, but coincided with sporting events of greater interest to Canadian audiences.
"On our sports broadcast schedule we have three things already: we have World Figure Skating championships, we have our national curling . . . and the Paralympics from Torino (in Italy)," she said.
"So when the Commonwealth Games come up at the exact same time over that two-week period, there is no room on our schedule to put the Games on, none whatsoever."
Ominously for Fastrack - the agency trying to sell the Melbourne 2006 TV rights around the world - Ms Lee said the CBC had traditionally encountered no rival bids when buying Canadian rights to the Commonwealth Games.
"We have never had any competition to acquire the rights fees to the Commonwealth Games: it's not an event that any of the private networks have ever been interested in showing... it's just not on the radar screen," Ms Lee said.
"If the CBC does not air the Commonwealth Games, there's no certainty that anyone else would pick it up.
"Australian broadcasters look on the Commonwealth Games as they look at the Olympics - it's really, really important. It has never been that in Canada."
Melbourne 2006 chairman Ron Walker played down the chances that the Games would not be seen in Canada.
"We are already dealing with two other channels in Canada," he said. He refused to name them.
Mr Walker rejected suggestions that THE CBC's preference for sports such as the winter paralympics, curling and ice skating was a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth Games.
"It's much easier to go and buy lesser sports for very cheap prices," he said. "We are offering a 16-sport package, including one of the world's most popular sports; swimming."
But Rick Mitchell - an Olympic silver medallist, Australian team captain and flag-bearer at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games - said CBC's preference for the other sports was a "slap in the face" for the Commonwealth movement, and proved the concept was losing its lustre.
"There's no doubt the Commonwealth Games are not as important as they used to be," he said.
"The heads of Canadian networks know what puts bums on seats in the Canadian winter.
"Their athletes will rightly be focusing on the bigger events in the northern hemisphere."
Former Australian Commonwealth Games chief Arthur Tunstall agreed the move reflected poorly on the Commonwealth Games' world standing.
Ms Lee said the time difference between Canada and Melbourne would have further diminished Canadian interest in the Games had CBC pursued the rights.
"People don't get up to watch the Commonwealth Games in the middle of the night... they don't do that in Canada," she said.
The Age believes organisers hope to recoup about $70 million from the sale of TV rights. Channel Nine is believed to have paid about $50 million for the Australian rights.
Mr Walker said he was confident the Games would be shown in the US. "We are confident the Games will be shown on an American cable network," he said.
Games organisers are adamant that Melbourne 2006 action will be seen on Asian TV screens, despite recent tough talking from broadcasters in India and Malaysia.
Rights deals have been completed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Curling is a sport of Scottish origin - similar in principle to lawn bowls - where competitors propel a large "stone" along an ice surface, while vigorously brushing the ice in front of the stone with large brooms to control its direction and speed.
www.theage.com.au/news/Commonwealth-Games/Blow-to-Games-prestige/2005/03/24/1111525290735.html
________________
Dissapointing I have to say -> but well, surely its rather slack on the Victorian part only organising TV broadcasts now!!!
The Victorian Government are a slack mob of tossers!
By Peter Ker
Commonwealth Games reporter
March 25, 2005
Page Tools
Email to a friend Printer format
The Melbourne 2006 Games have been abandoned by the traditional broadcaster of the Commonwealth Games in Canada, in what prominent Australian sports figures have described as a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth movement.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has decided to overlook the Melbourne 2006 broadcast rights in favour of televised curling, ice skating and Winter Paralympics action next March.
CBC director of sport Nancy Lee said the network would not bother bidding for the 2006 Games, ending an association spanning several decades.
With Games television rights proving difficult to sell to Asian broadcasters, the comments from Canada are a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth Games, and raise fears that Melbourne 2006 action may not be seen on Canadian TV.
In a twist to the TV rights saga, The Age believes Games organisers are negotiating with broadcasters in the United States, in a bid to become the first Commonwealth Games to be screened to US viewers.
Ms Lee said the Games timing was designed to suit broadcasters and organisers in Australia, but coincided with sporting events of greater interest to Canadian audiences.
"On our sports broadcast schedule we have three things already: we have World Figure Skating championships, we have our national curling . . . and the Paralympics from Torino (in Italy)," she said.
"So when the Commonwealth Games come up at the exact same time over that two-week period, there is no room on our schedule to put the Games on, none whatsoever."
Ominously for Fastrack - the agency trying to sell the Melbourne 2006 TV rights around the world - Ms Lee said the CBC had traditionally encountered no rival bids when buying Canadian rights to the Commonwealth Games.
"We have never had any competition to acquire the rights fees to the Commonwealth Games: it's not an event that any of the private networks have ever been interested in showing... it's just not on the radar screen," Ms Lee said.
"If the CBC does not air the Commonwealth Games, there's no certainty that anyone else would pick it up.
"Australian broadcasters look on the Commonwealth Games as they look at the Olympics - it's really, really important. It has never been that in Canada."
Melbourne 2006 chairman Ron Walker played down the chances that the Games would not be seen in Canada.
"We are already dealing with two other channels in Canada," he said. He refused to name them.
Mr Walker rejected suggestions that THE CBC's preference for sports such as the winter paralympics, curling and ice skating was a blow to the prestige of the Commonwealth Games.
"It's much easier to go and buy lesser sports for very cheap prices," he said. "We are offering a 16-sport package, including one of the world's most popular sports; swimming."
But Rick Mitchell - an Olympic silver medallist, Australian team captain and flag-bearer at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games - said CBC's preference for the other sports was a "slap in the face" for the Commonwealth movement, and proved the concept was losing its lustre.
"There's no doubt the Commonwealth Games are not as important as they used to be," he said.
"The heads of Canadian networks know what puts bums on seats in the Canadian winter.
"Their athletes will rightly be focusing on the bigger events in the northern hemisphere."
Former Australian Commonwealth Games chief Arthur Tunstall agreed the move reflected poorly on the Commonwealth Games' world standing.
Ms Lee said the time difference between Canada and Melbourne would have further diminished Canadian interest in the Games had CBC pursued the rights.
"People don't get up to watch the Commonwealth Games in the middle of the night... they don't do that in Canada," she said.
The Age believes organisers hope to recoup about $70 million from the sale of TV rights. Channel Nine is believed to have paid about $50 million for the Australian rights.
Mr Walker said he was confident the Games would be shown in the US. "We are confident the Games will be shown on an American cable network," he said.
Games organisers are adamant that Melbourne 2006 action will be seen on Asian TV screens, despite recent tough talking from broadcasters in India and Malaysia.
Rights deals have been completed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Curling is a sport of Scottish origin - similar in principle to lawn bowls - where competitors propel a large "stone" along an ice surface, while vigorously brushing the ice in front of the stone with large brooms to control its direction and speed.
www.theage.com.au/news/Commonwealth-Games/Blow-to-Games-prestige/2005/03/24/1111525290735.html
________________
Dissapointing I have to say -> but well, surely its rather slack on the Victorian part only organising TV broadcasts now!!!
The Victorian Government are a slack mob of tossers!
