MOTORSPORT: A blank on V8 Supercar television
The next V8 Supercar Championship starts in 10 weeks but still no telecaster has been announcedCOMMENT
Twice as many makes of car but where will TV viewers see them in 2013?
Four days before Christmas and little more than two months from the start of its next championship, Australia’s major motor racing series is without a telecaster.
The 2013 V8 Supercar Championship starts with Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 on February 28 to March 3. The season kicks off with twice as many makes participating than previously – Nissans and Mercedes-Benz AMGs joining Holdens and Fords on the grid. A test day for all competitors is scheduled at Sydney Motorsport Park, the circuit formerly known as Eastern Creek, on February 16.
Asked today whether the Seven Network would be telecasting the V8 Supercar Championship next year, and if so what the arrangements were, regular network spokesman, Simon Francis replied: “Don’t know.”
Seven is believed to have an option allowing it to better any competing bid if it wants to continue as the V8 Supercars telecaster. Announcing its 2013 program schedule several weeks ago it said: “Everything that matters when it comes to sport is on Seven. With AFL, Australian Open tennis, the Sydney-Hobart yacht race, the Melbourne Cup carnival, V8s, Australian Open golf and Wimbledon, Seven is the place to be for all your sports action.”
That was taken in some circles as a clue that the V8 Supercars would remain on Seven in 2013. Yet there has been no specific announcement of that.
V8 Supercars chief executive David Malone was quoted in Auto Action magazine last week saying to expect news on next year’s telecaster by Christmas.
After today there is only one business day left before Christmas – if Christmas Eve can be considered a business day.
Long-time V8 Supercar executive chairman Tony Cochrane had long boasted his confidence in securing a bigger television deal beyond the one that ran out this year – perhaps double what it was worth last time, which could have put it in the $300-320 million range for five years. Cochrane has been gone from that chairmanship for some weeks now (replaced by James Strong), although he remains an adviser and small part-owner of V8 Supercars.
My recollection is that, along with the deal under which private equity firm Archer Capital bought 60 per cent of V8 Supercars last year, Cochrane’s long-time associate at Sports and Entertainment Ltd, James Erskine, was retained as an adviser on the next TV deal. Erskine has had a fabulous record in negotiating TV contracts but no more has been heard of him in the V8 Supercar TV context.
Some months ago former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief Graeme Samuel’s firm Greenhill was brought in to assist negotiations. Samuel helped the NRL clinch the mega new TV deal for rugby league.
The AFL and soccer also have concluded lucrative new telecast deals in recent times, while now the cricket televison rights are in play, with incumbent Nine, Seven and Ten all apparently very keen.
Nissan Motorsport is taking over Kelly Brothers Racing for its entry to V8 Supercars with the yet-to-be-launched Altima model, GT racing team Erebus Motorsport is merging with Stone Brothers Racing to field customer AMG Mercedes-Benz E63s, and Pepsi Max recently signed a three-year major sponsorship of Ford Performance Racing – all without the telecast arrangements for next year being known.
A new pace car agreement is just around the corner… Also without television being confirmed… But teams and drivers are muttering about the vacuum, especially those still trying to nail sponsorship arrangements.
David Malone indicated mid-year, in the Australian Financial Review, that he anticipated the deal being done mid-year. It didn’t happen, and it still hasn’t...
After Cochrane’s oft-repeated bravado about the value of V8 Supercar’s television rights, there is no evidence of any stampede by networks to cough up a huge sum to screen the races.
And, as website V8supercars.com.au reminds us today, the new championship gets underway in just 68 days.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
