Australia

Cricket is Australia's number one TV sport, says poll - 8 May 08

Cricket is the most-watched sport on television in Australia, according to a poll by Melbourne-based market research company, Roy Morgan.

Fox Sports and Nine secure ICC rights - 6 May 08

Australian broadcasters, Fox Sports and the Nine Network, agreed a four year deal with ESPN STAR Sports for TV rights for International Cricket Council cricket events from 2008 until 2011.

Rugby's Super 14 set for revamp - 29 Apr 08

The 2009 edition of Rugby’s Super 14 competition is likely to be the last to be played under the existing 13 match format.

Sydney considers F1 hosting plan - 29 Apr 08

A leading Australian motor racing association will investigate whether a Sydney race track can be upgraded to host a Formula One grand prix.

ARU looks for private investment - 17 Apr 08

The Australian Rugby Union is to consider private investment in its Super 14 franchises, the sport’s governing body has said.

FOX Sports to show Australian test matches - 16 Apr 08

Australian sports network, FOX Sports, agreed a deal with Indian sports marketing agency, Nimbus Sport International, for the rights to show exclusive live coverage of Australia’s four Test matches during their tour of India in October 2008.

Socceroos games to be added to anti-siphoning list - 8 Apr 08

The World Cup qualifying matches of the Australian national team, the Socceroos, will be shown on free-to-air television after the Australian government agreed to add them to the anti-siphoning list.

Melbourne retains title as Ultimate Sports City - 31 Mar 08

Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria in Australia, has retained its status as the best location in the world to hold a sports event and has been declared Ultimate Sports City 2008.

Telstra acquire share of Olympic rights - 27 Mar 08

Australian telecommunications provider, Telstra, agreed a $9 million deal with the Seven Media Group to show exclusive live coverage of the Beijing Olympics on its BigPond mobile service.

Australian government opens anti-siphoning talks - 19 Mar 08

Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said discussions have begun about which sports should be made available to subscription broadcasters.

Perform and Bigpond launch global Australian sports portal - 12 Mar 08

Perform and Telstra’s BigPond, Australia’s largest internet provider, agreed a deal to launch a global sports portal, Aussie Sport TV, broadcasting top Australian sports.

Ecclestone dismisses Australian GP proposals - 12 Mar 08

Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone, dismissed proposals by Australian Grand Prix organisers to push back the start the race at 1700 local time (0600 GMT).

Australian Grand Prix bows to start pressure - 10 Mar 08

Organisers of the Australian Grand Prix hope to have secured the future of the event after agreeing a compromise plan for the race start time after demands from Bernie Ecclestone to stage the race at night.

Sponsorship boosts Australian Olympic team - 3 Mar 08

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and financial services company AXA announced a five-year deal which will cover the next two summer Games and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Crocs snaps up beach volleyball sponsorship - 27 Feb 08

Professional beach volleyball operator, AVP, has signed footwear company Crocs as the official tour title sponsor and exclusive footwear sponsor of the newly formed Crocs Tour Australia through 2012.

Foxtel looks to expand online presence - 21 Feb 08

Australian pay-television broadcaster Foxtel will use its exclusive internet rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Beijing Olympics to substantially expand its online presence.

FFA and MP & Silva agree strategic partnership - 21 Feb 08

Football Federation Australia (FFA) appointed the MP & Silva agency, to market and distribute its media rights internationally.

Calls for Australia's NRL to expand - 18 Feb 08

National Rugby League team Melbourne Storm’s chief executive Brian Waldron called on the NRL to put expansion on its immediate agenda.

Australia rules out Premier League plans - 14 Feb 08

The Football Federation of Australia said it would oppose The Premier League's plan to play club matches overseas in order to protect its own domestic A-League.

New South African TV deal hits NZ and Australia rugby unions - 12 Feb 08

New Zealand and Australia expressed disappointment at the South African Rugby Union’s decision to sell of some of its TV rights previously included in the Sanzar (South African/New Zealand/Australia) agreement.

Australia's network Ten wins IPL Rights - 11 Feb 08

Australian commercial broadcaster Ten Network acquired the live television rights for all the Twenty20 cricket matches in a five-year deal with the Indian Premier League. Ten is believed to have paid between $10 million and $15 million for the rights.

Australia considers changes to anti-siphoning law - 7 Feb 08

The Australian government is considering making changes to the laws that protect big-ticket sporting events for free-to-air coverage in a bid to drive the take-up of free-to-air digital channels.

New trial date set for Seven Network case - 7 Feb 08

Australia's Seven Network will appeal the ruling in the $200 million C7 practice suit in a three-week hearing in November.

Ecclestone warns Australia over Grand Prix - 4 Feb 08

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone warned that Australia could lose its Formula One Grand Prix and said he was under "quite a lot" of pressure from other countries to take the Melbourne Grand Prix elsewhere.

Key TV deals for Commonwealth Games - 28 Jan 08

The Fast Track agency has agreed exclusive TV deals for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games in Australia and New Zealand.

Ten and Foxtel win 2010 Commonwealth Games rights - 16 Jan 08

Australian Commercial broadcaster Ten and Pay-TV group Foxtel acquired the Australian TV rights for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

Perform serves up winning formula for Australian open - 15 Jan 08

Premium TV/Inform Group officially unveiled the company’s new name, Perform and launched a new broadband service for tennis’ opening Grand Slam of 2008, the Australian Open.

ESPN STAR Sports signs mobile rights deal - 4 Jan 08

Asian broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports has acquired the mobile rights for India's ongoing tour to Australia from Cricket Australia.

Argentina could reinvigorate Super 14 and Tri-Nations competitions - 3 Jan 08

The Australian Rugby Union said that Southern Hemisphere rugby’s flagship competitions, the Super 14 and Tri-Nations, could be reinvigorated in quality and financially by the introduction of Argentina.

Tennis Australia sets up broadband channel - 20 Dec 07

Tennis Australia has launched an on-demand broadband television channel for next year's Australian Open.

Telstra stadium becomes the ANZ Stadium - 17 Dec 07

Sydney’s Olympic stadium has been renamed the ANZ Stadium in Australia's biggest ever naming rights sponsorship deal.

Telstra to end Sydney naming rights deal - 12 Dec 07

Australian telecoms company Telstra is to cut short its naming rights sponsorship of Sydney's Olympic stadium according to Australian media reports.

V8 Supercars signs up new sponsorship - 12 Dec 07

Beer brand XXXX GOLD agreed a three-year deal with V8 Supercars Australia to become a Platform sponsor of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Channel Seven launches HD channel - 10 Dec 07

Australian broadcaster Channel Seven launched a high-definition (HD) channel will broadcast live sport and US programming.

Japanese and Australian Golf Tours plan Asia Circuit for 2009 - 6 Dec 07

The Japanese Islands Golf Tour Organisation and the PGA Tour of Australasia are reported to have signed a memoranda of understanding to create a OneAsia Tour.

Expanded rugby World Club Challenge ruled out - 4 Dec 07

Plans for an expanded 16-team World Club Challenge have been dismissed by the Rugby Football League.

Tour Down Under is granted a UCI ProTour licence - 30 Nov 07

The UCI License Commission awarded Australian cycling’s Tour Down Under a four-year licence for the UCI ProTour series.

Seven extends Australian Open rights deal - 13 Nov 07

The Seven Network and Tennis Australia agreed a deal to extend Seven's coverage of the Australian Open until 2014.

Hyundai baulks at price of A-League sponsorship - 8 Nov 07

Professional soccer in Australia is facing a cash crisis after the A-League’s major sponsor Hyundai baulked at renewing its contact extension at Football Federation Australia's (FFA) asking price.

Australian media threatens cricket boycott - 8 Nov 07

Australian media companies are threatening to boycott the international cricket season in a row with Cricket Australia over media access.

Toshiba title sponsors Australia’s national cycling team - 5 Nov 07

Australia’s national cycling team, The Cyclones, will be title sponsored by Toshiba who will fund the team up to and including next year’s Olympic Games.

WA calls on federal funding for Perth stadium - 29 Oct 07

The Western Australian state government is calling the federal government to support funding of a major Au$1 billion sports stadium in Perth.

Australia will not host World Rally round - 25 Oct 07

Australia will not host a round of the World Rally Championship until 2009 at the earliest.

Appeal extends Australia's C7 court case - 23 Oct 07

Australia’s Seven Network has appealed the decision to dismiss its lawsuit alleging Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and others colluded to win TV rights for the Australian Football League, forcing the closure of its C7 sports channel.

Nine and Foxtel win Olympic rights - 15 Oct 07

Nine Network (Nine) and Foxtel have won the broadcast rights within Australia for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

Australia out of Women's World Cup 2011 bid race - 15 Oct 07

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has withdrawn from the formal bidding process for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011.

Australasian Netball Championship secures sponsorship - 10 Oct 07

Trans Tasman Netball Ltd, the company running a new elite Australasian netball competition signed up ANZ Bank as the league’s title sponsor.

Setanta Sports to launch Australian channel - 3 Oct 07

Setanta Sports is launching a pay-TV sports channel on the Foxtel platform in Australia.

Nimbus Sport signs up Fox Sports for India v Australia ODI series - 28 Sep 07

Nimbus Sport International agreed a deal with Fox Sports Australia to provide exclusive live coverage of the seven ODIs and one Twenty20 match to be played during Australia’s upcoming tour of India.

Emirates sponsors Australian PGA Championship - 24 Sep 07

Emirates Airline,will be the official airline and major sponsor of the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship.

SBS rights for Barclays Premier League on-demand clips - 18 Sep 07

Nimbus Sport has sold the non-exclusive rights to provide on-demand internet clips of the Barclays Premier League for the next three seasons to Australian free TV broadcaster, Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).

ESPN STAR Sports renews TV deal with Cricket Australia - 6 Sep 07

ESPN STAR Sports agreed a new four-year contract for the exclusive rights to broadcast Cricket Australia’s domestic and home international matches across various platforms including TV, internet, mobile and radio covering the entire Asian region.

AUSTRALIA SET TO ENTER TEAM FOR 2009 TOUR DE FRANCE - 15 Aug 07

An Australian team could compete in the 2009 Tour de France, financed by Gold Coast internet entrepreneur Tony Smith, according to Australian press reports.

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTERS SET FOR OLYMPICS BATTLE - 9 Aug 07

Australia’s broadcasters are reported to be gearing up for a battle to land the rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games.

COMPERIO RESEARCH OPENS FOR BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA - 7 Aug 07

Comperio Research, the media and market research arm of IMG, extended its global footprint with the opening of a new office in Melbourne, Australia.

SYDNEY FC AGREES SHIRT SPONSORSHIP - 7 Aug 07

Australian Hyundai A-League club, Sydney FC, agreed a major sponsorship deal that will see Bing Lee and JVC on the front of the club’s shirts for the next seasons.

VICTORIAN MAJOR EVENTS COMPANY CHIEF EXECUTIVE MOVES ON - 3 Aug 07

Peter Abraam, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Major Events Company (VMEC) will leave the company to take up an executive role with the United Arab Emirates based Royal Group in Abu Dhabi.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN APPOINTS IMG MEDIA FOR NEW BROADCAST DEAL - 3 Aug 07

Tennis Australia appointed IMG Media to sell its Australian Open broadcast rights throughout the Asia Pacific region.

AUSTRALIA’S SEVEN NETWORK LOSES LAWSUIT - 27 Jul 07

Kerry Stokes's Seven Network Ltd. lost a lawsuit alleging Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and others colluded to win TV rights for the Australian Football League, forcing the closure of his C7 sports channel.

SANZAR RUGBY UNIONS FEEL WRATH OF BROADCAST PARTNERS - 13 Jul 07

According to reports the SANZAR rugby unions have been warned by their national broadcast partners that a repeat of this season’s selection policy – in which under-strength sides were fielded - would not be tolerated.

CALTEX TO END V8 TEAM SPONSORSHIPS - 9 Jul 07

Oil firm Caltex has confirmed it will be pulling its sponsorship from Australia’s V8 Supercar teams at the end of 2007.

IMG MEDIA WINS RIGHTS FOR 2008 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP - 27 Jun 07

The Rugby League International Federation appointed IMG Media to act as exclusive sales agents for the international TV rights to the Rugby League World Cup, 2008.

‘TEAMELBOURNE’ PROMOTES SPORT IN VICTORIA - 14 Jun 07

Melbourne, the world’s leading host city for sporting events according to a recent report, has unveiled an alliance between its top sports clubs to promote business and strengthen membership, partnerships and community relationships.

ING AGREES SPONSORSHIPS FOR BELGIAN AND AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - 13 Jun 07

ING reinforced its commitment to Formula One with the announcement of the title sponsorship of the Belgian Grand Prix, to be held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on September 14-16th.

IEC SERVES UP AAMI CLASSIC - 4 Jun 07

IEC in Sports was appointed by Colin Stubs Enterprises to handle worldwide television distribution for tennis’ AAMI Classic for 2008 and 2009.

AFL TO BACK WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE - 4 Jun 07

The Australian Football League is looking to stage an Australian Rules World Club Challenge in 2009.

SONY PARTNERS WITH FFA TO BOOST AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL - 21 May 07

Sony has become an official supplier to Football Federation Australia and its national teams.

AUSSIE GRAND PRIX IN DANGER - REPORT - 21 May 07

Australia could lose it Formula One Grand Prix unless it moves to an evening time slot, according to local press reports.

AUSTRALIA SECURES BID TO EDUCATE FUTURE OLYMPIC LEADERS - 18 May 07

The International Olympic Committee, Olympic Solidarity and the European Olympic Committees'have chosen Australia to host the Executive Masters in Sport Organisation Management programme (MEMOS) in 2008.

AUSTRALIA COULD BID FOR 2011 ASIAN CUP - 16 May 07

Australia is reported to be considering bidding to host football’s 2011 Asian Cup.

NEW BLOOD FOR FFA BOARD - 14 May 07

Two former national team players and one of Australia’s most experienced businessmen have been nominated to join the board of Football Federation Australia (FFA).

CRICKET IS NUMBER ONE IN AUSTRALIA - 10 May 07

Cricket heads the table of sports that Australians are most interested in, according to sports research consultants Sweeney Sports.

IMG LAUNCHES AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL MEDIA UNIT - 9 May 07

IMG Media is to launch a new digital media production facility in Sydney, Australia.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IN TALKS WITH CRICKET AUSTRALIA OVER ZIMBABWE TOUR - 8 May 07

Australia could avoid paying compensation to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union if the Australian federal government bans the Australian team from touring there later this year.

NIKE AND BILLABONG TOPS FOR AUSSIE AWARENESS - 2 May 07

Nike and Billabong have consolidated their positions at the head of Australia’s sports sponsorship awareness ladder largely because of a slide in the ratings by former long-time leader, Uncle Tobys, according to Sweeney Sports latest report.

NATION IN WORLD CUP BOYCOTT THREAT - 1 May 07

The organisers of the Rugby League World Cup in Australia next year have been given a potential headache after Papua New Guinea threatened to pull-out.

TELSTRA LOSES ROUND ONE IN NRL RIGHTS ROW - 19 Apr 07

Australian telecoms company Telstra lost round one of its legal battle to prevent pay-broadcaster Fox Sports from screening rugby league rights on mobile phones and the internet.

FEDERAL COURT DENIES TELSTRA DAMAGES CLAIM - 17 Apr 07

In a landmark media case over rugby league media rights, an Australian Federal Court ruled that telecoms company Telstra cannot claim substantial damages from the pay-TV operator it claims is breaching its copyright.

THE AFL SIGNS OVERSEAS TV DEAL - 11 Apr 07

The Australian Football League signed a five-year international TV rights deal with Setanta.

TELSTRA SET TO SUE PARTNERS OVER DIGITAL RIGHTS - 4 Apr 07

Australian telecoms company Telstra is to sue Fox Sports in a battle over rugby league media rights.

SEVEN, SBS TO BROADCAST BEIJING OLYMPICS - 4 Apr 07

Australian free-to-air broadcasters Seven Network and SBS said they would continue their dual free-to-air television broadcast deal for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

THREAT TO AUSSIE TOUR OF ZIMBABWE - 20 Mar 07

Cricket Australia is to hold talks with government chiefs over plans to tour Zimbabwe later this year, amid renewed fears over security after a new wave of political violence in the African nation.

SPYKER F1 TEAM REBRANDS - 16 Mar 07

The Spyker Formula One team has confirmed a major new title sponsorship deal with two major Middle East brands.

BOOZE SPONSORS UNDERTHE COSH DOWN UNDER - 12 Mar 07

Australia’s former federal health minister Peter Baume has called for sponsorship of elite sports by beer and spirit brewers to be banned if the country is to tackle its problem with alcohol.

CARROLL QUITS FFA - 12 Mar 07

Matt Carroll, the influential Head of Operations at Football Federation Australia has resigned.

DEHRING’S PRIDE AS ICC WORLD CUP GETS UNDER WAY - 12 Mar 07

Chris Dehring, managing director of the ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies has spoken of his pride ahead of the mammoth, 47-day event .

TELSTRA SIGNS $70 MILLION RUGBY LEAGUE DEAL - 2 Mar 07

Australian telecoms company Telstra signed a deal with the National Rugby League (NRL) for its naming rights and a package of internet and mobile rights.

FOXTEL WINS VICTORIAN PREMIER LEAGUE NAMING RIGHTS - 1 Mar 07

Football Federation Victoria agreed a deal with pay-TV broadcaster FOXTEL for the naming rights to the 2007 Victorian Premier League.

CALLS TO BAN V8 RACE'S ALCOHOL SPONSORSHIP - 28 Feb 07

Australian politicians have called for all alcohol sponsorship to be banned at the Clipsal 500 V8 motor race in Adelaide.

MERGER FOR AUSSIE RESEARCH FIRMS - 23 Feb 07

Sports Marketing Surveys has further expanded its existing global research network with the merger of their Australian office with that of S-Comm Australia.

ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA AND HEALTHE JOIN FORCES - 14 Feb 07

Athletics Australia and Healthe, a provider of online health and wellbeing services, have signed a three-year partnership to develop a range of products aimed at assisting all athletes from the elite to recreational levels to improve performance and overall wellbeing.

EMIRATES WINS IN ICC-CRICKET AUSTRALIA DISPUTE - 9 Feb 07

Emirates Airlines will be Australia's team sponsor for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup after Cricket Australia lost out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a dispute over sponsorship rights.

AVIVA APPOINTS FAST TRACK TO SPONSORSHIP TASK - 9 Feb 07

Aviva, the savings, investments and insurance group, appointed Fast Track’s Consulting division to carry out a review of the group’s global approach to commercial sponsorship, with the project initially planned to run through 2007.

DEAL DONE ON AFL BROADCAST RIGHTS - 8 Feb 07

The Australian Football League announced a deal with the Seven and Ten broadcast networks and with pay-operator Foxtel for the TV rights for Aussie Rules after long-drawn out negotiations - just in time for the first pre-season match of 2007.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN EXTENDS DEAL WITH EUROSPORT - 29 Jan 07

Tennis Australia signed an exclusive four-year TV and internet deal for the rights to tennis’ Australian Open from 2008 to 2011.

EVALUATION TEAM VISITS MOSCOW AND BARCELONA - 26 Jan 07

The International Association of Athletics Federations Evaluation Team completed the first part of its on-site tour of candidates for the 2011 and 2013 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

SBS SIGNS UP FOR WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - 26 Jan 07

Australian broadcaster SBS Television agreed a three-year deal with International Sportsworld Communicators (ISC), the global media and commercial rights holder for the FIA World Rally Championship.

PODS TO SPONSOR PGA EVENT - 25 Jan 07

Storage company PODS signed a six-year deal to sponsor Tampa Bay's PGA Tour event.

KIA MOTORS ENHANCES SPORTS SPONSORSHIP - 16 Jan 07

Kia Motors Corporation said it would enhance its association with tennis and sport in 2007, as it enters its sixth consecutive year as the major sponsor of the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament.

BOA EXTENDS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AOC - 15 Jan 07

The British Olympic Association (BOA) and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) agreed to extend the close links between the two organisations in the period running up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.