Supercars has announced it has signed a new five-year broadcast deal with Foxtel and the Seven Network worth over $200 million in cash and advertising.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Supercars has signed a deal which is worth almost as much per annum as its last six-year agreement between Foxtel and Network 10 that was worth $241 million.
The new deal to run from 2021 to 2025 will see the soon-to-be-known Repco Supercars Championship broadcast via subscription service Foxtel, Foxtel GO, and Kayo.
Fox Sports will continue to broadcast every practice, qualifying, and race session live and ad-free.
The Seven Network will carry free-to-air coverage of six rounds each year, including the Repco Bathurst 1000 plus a seventh event in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Details of which events will be broadcast by the Seven Network have not yet been announced, but all events not shown live will be covered in a post-event highlights package.
The new deal comes a year out from the long-awaited introduction of Gen3, which is set to debut in 2022.
Supercars Chief Executive Officer Sean Seamer said the new deal was a major coup for the championship as it approaches a new era.
“This deal is the product of a significant body of work to ensure we have the best team possible to take us forward in to the future,” said Seamer.
“It provides certainty for our teams, fans and commercial partners that Supercars is here to stay as the top motorsport category in Australasia.”
It will mark a return to the Seven Network for Supercars, which last broadcast the championship in 2014.
Channel Seven was the first network in the country to broadcast the Australian Touring Car Championship some 60 years ago.
“We’re also thrilled to welcome back the Seven Network which helped bring motorsport to Australian living rooms way back in the early 1960s as the original broadcast partners of the Australian Touring Car Championship and the early days of Supercars,” Seamer added.
“Seven is internationally renowned for its motorsport coverage so we’re excited to see them welcome a new generation of fans.
“2021 will be the start of a new era with some old friends and I know everyone in Supercars is excited about what lies ahead.”
Seven West Media Managing Director and CEO James Warburton said, “Seven and Supercars have so much shared history, so we’re excited to begin the next part of our story together with this multi-year deal.
“Seven has long been a pioneer in motorsport coverage; our world-leading innovations include the iconic RaceCam, which made its debut in our coverage of the 1979 Bathurst 1000.
“I want to thank Sean, the Supercars Board and the Supercars team for this outcome, which is a
great result for Seven, Supercars, and most importantly, the fans.
“It will help fuel the growth of the sport into the future. We can’t wait to bring Supercars home to Seven from next year.”
Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany said the network has enjoyed growth with Supercars among its portfolio of motor racing categories alongside Formula 1 and MotoGP.
“Motorsport has never been more popular in Australia,” said Delany.
“Overall our motorsport audiences are up by 35 percent this year compared to 2019, with streaming growth for the category on Foxtel Now, Foxtel GO and Kayo up 82 percent.
“Supercars are quintessentially Australian, and the Championship is a core part of our motorsport offering attracting huge audiences in its own right.
“The iconic Bathurst 1000 recorded the highest rating day in subscription television history in 2019.
“While the 2020 season has faced disruptions from COVID-19, the team at Supercars have done an outstanding job of keeping their loyal and passionate fan base entertained and most of all producing world-class competition.
“We are looking forward to bringing Supercars to our growing legion of motorsport fans like no one else can over the next five years.”
Seamer added, “I am delighted to continue working with Patrick Delany (Foxtel CEO) and his team at Fox Sports and Foxtel.
“Their commitment to the sport and standard of coverage is world-class and we’re looking forward to watching on as they showcase the future of Australian motorsport.”
The announcement comes on the eve of this weekend’s OTR SuperSprint The Bend, which takes place on September 26-27 at The Bend Motorsport Park.
Discussion about this post