MOTORSPORT: V8 Supercars on Seven another two years

V8 Supercars finally has announced a deal for its championship to be telecast, with its races remaining on the Seven Network for another two years.

Most importantly it is good for the sport’s fans, with the races remaining free to viewers.

“The new deal ensures that live free-to-air coverage of all championship races continues in all metropolitan and regional markets,” the announcement says.

The deal is probably not so good financially for the V8 Supercar owners – private equity company Archer Capital, which owns 60 per cent, the teams (35 per cent) and former executive chairman Tony Cochrane (5 per cent) – as it’s thought to be for less money annually than under the previous six-year deal.

No mention of the value of the contract is made in the announcement.

Even if Seven hives off many of the rounds to its digital channel 7mate it is a plus for viewers that they remain on free-to-air.

While teams and sponsors may not be so happy being on 7mate the vast majority of Australians now have access to digital channels – it is just that they need to get into the habit of flicking beyond the traditional channels.

The full telecast details of the championship starting in Adelaide in little more than six weeks – with four Nissan Altimas and three AMG Mercedes-Benz E63s competing against Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons under the new ‘Car of the Future’ rules - are not yet known.

Nor does today’s announcement make specific mention of coverage of the races via the internet, of pay television – either simulcasts or replays - nor of telecasts in the key New Zealand market or in other countries.

But on what has been arranged for Australian television V8 Supercars chief executive David Malone said it was “an excellent outcome for the sport and fans”.

“The extension gives great continuity heading into a very exciting 2013 season,” Malone said.

“Seven has been a great partner and we look forward to their ongoing commitment to the highest level of coverage and promotion.”

V8 Supercars will continue to produce the telecasts itself.

Seven’s television chief executive Tim Worner said the network was “pleased to extend our partnership with V8 Supercars” and “looking forward to continuing to work with V8 Supercars to build on the sport's success across our media platforms”.

“We have a deep connection with the sport - in particular the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, which Seven first broadcast in 1963,” Worner said.

“We're ready for the launch of our new agreement and with V8 Supercars we're looking forward to this year's championship."

The announcement then said, without explanation, that “the overall content package significantly enhances the sport’s exposure and provides exciting new levels of engagement and experience”.

One important clash now that Seven has become the telecaster of Melbourne’s entire spring horse racing carnival will be with the Cox Plate meeting on Saturday, October 26 – the weekend of the Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercar round.

Today’s announcement said V8 Supercar TV ratings and event attendances were up last year, although it is now well known that TV audiences for the races are not what they once were.

However, Malone claimed V8 Supercars was “well placed for the future”.

“The certainty of a substantial television package for the next two years enables us to move forward with great clarity,” he said.

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