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The Paris Olympic Games has emerged as a factor in the 2024 Supercars calendar, the assembly of which is now in its final stages.
Speedcafe understands that the championship is looking to avoid scheduling events during the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, which run for the ‘fortnight’ (17 days including opening ceremony) from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11.
While there is no broadcaster clash this time around, with Nine having outbid Supercars’ free-to-air partner Seven for Paris 2024 to Brisbane 2032, there are multiple benefits to sitting out the Olympic period.
The Olympics soak up virtually all of the airtime and column inches not already taken by the AFL and National Rugby League, and hence Supercars could reasonably hope for only significantly diminished mainstream media coverage during the Games.
Furthermore, Supercars’ television crew is comprised of a large number of contractors, who are in high demand at Olympics time.
How exactly the Games will be worked around should be known soon, with teams to be given a briefing on the 2024 Supercars calendar next week, Speedcafe understands.
There has been some slippage relative to the target of a release at last weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000, but the impasse between the state and local governments over the Newcastle 500 persists.
With all of the ‘tentpoles’ otherwise locked in, or near enough to, it is the question of a season-opener which remains the main hold-up.
As revealed by Speedcafe, Bathurst has emerged as the most likely replacement if no resolution is found for Newcastle, given New South Wales is contractually entitled to the season-opener.
As for the Olympics period, this year’s calendar suggests that Sydney Motorsport Park, which hosted Event 7 of the 2023 season on July 28-30, would have to move.
To where is not yet confirmed, although it is worth noting that the NTI Townsville 500 will most likely fall on July 5-7 due to the timing of Queensland school holidays and use of the Townsville State High School grounds as part of the event precinct.
It would not be impossible to squeeze in another event between then and the opening ceremony in Paris, although it would make for a tight turnaround.
Then, the next ‘free’ weekend (after the Olympics) is that of Sunday, August 18, which is where The Bend fell on this year’s calendar (August 18-20, 2023).
Speedcafe understands that, despite whispers about it being dropped, The Bend is now much more likely than not to feature on the 2024 Supercars calendar, but where it and Sydney go remains to be seen.
With the Repco Bathurst 1000 to be held on October 10-13 given the New South Wales Labour Day public holiday jumps back to October 7 next year (from October 2 this year), that means the Sandown 500 should fall on the weekend of either Sunday, September 15 or September 22.
If the latter, then it would seem possible and arguably desirable to squeeze in another sprint event before teams move into enduro prep mode in earnest.
A conscious decision to avoid the Olympics period is consistent with recent history, regardless of television deals.
The original 2021 calendar left a six-week gap around the COVID-delayed Games in Tokyo, and there was a five-week gap around Rio 2016.
Notably, while both of those Olympic Games were broadcast exclusively on Seven, it was Network 10 which held free-to-air Supercars rights in 2016.
Next year’s season looks increasingly like being comprised of 13 events, one up on this year, noting 12 is the minimum to fulfil the television contract.
Added to the calendar will be Taupo, so far the only circuit with a publicly confirmed event and date for the 2023 season, marking a return to New Zealand after the somewhat sudden closure of Pukekohe.
The other 12 circuits will be the same as in 2023, and most seemingly with similar dates, but for the possibility of Bathurst replacing Newcastle.
