That surprised me too!That pessimistic Sydney outlook never fails to get 80k to a Bledisloe in a shit stadium..
THE Ten Network is poised to become the new, dedicated television broadcaster of the Wallabies and Test rugby.
The network will announce today that it has secured the rights to show Wallabies' Tests on free-to-air television from commercial rival the Nine Network, which is primarily a rugby league and cricket channel.
Kronic, you're now going to have a void in your life. Hating Nine has been a part if youF**k yeah!
Channel Ten will be the free-to-air broadcaster of Wallaby Tests until the end of 2015.
Ten will take over the free-to-air broadcasts from Channel Nine.
The channel will cover the British and Irish Lions tour, the Bledisloe Cup matches and the Rugby Championship.
Ten will also screen a weekly highlights show of Super Rugby.
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“We are delighted to deliver live coverage of rugby union to fans over the next three years. The Wallabies showed on the weekend that a new generation of players is emerging and we look forward to helping grow the game by showing Tests live and on free-to-air television for all Australians to enjoy," Ten chief operating officer Jon Marquard said in a statement.
“This agreement for Wallabies Tests represents a new era in rugby union's growth and now cements Ten's position as the place all Australians can follow rugby union on free-to-air television.”
Ten already broadcasts Wallabies Tests as part of the spring tour including upcoming matches against Wales and England.
Australian Rugby Union CEO John O'Neill said: “We are delighted to welcome Ten as the new free-to-air home for rugby from 2013 to 2015."
ARU Press Release said:NETWORK TEN ANNOUNCED AS RUGBY’S NEW FREE-TO-AIR BROADCASTER
Australian Rugby Union today welcomed Network Ten as the new Free-to-Air (FTA) broadcast rights holder for Qantas Wallabies Test matches from 2013-2015.
Following discussions between the primary broadcast rights holder Fox Sports, Network Ten and the original free-to-air rights holder Channel Nine, the FTA rights have now been assumed by TEN.
Network Ten previously held the FTA broadcast rights – as the first commercial TV partner for Rugby – between 1992 and 1995, including the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
From 2013 to 2015, TEN will telecast live all Tests the Qantas Wallabies play in the Southern Hemisphere – including the June internationals, Bledisloe Cup matches and The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship.
TEN also holds exclusive FTA rights to some internationals on the Qantas Wallabies’ Spring Tour Tests in Europe. This year’s four-Test trip will kick off on November 10 against France in Paris.
In joining Fox Sports as the broadcast rights holders for Qantas Wallabies Tests up until 2015, TEN will televise the three Tests built in to next year’s highly-anticipated nine-match tour by the British & Irish Lions.
ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, welcomed Network Ten’s decision to take up the Free-to-Air broadcast rights for Qantas Wallabies Tests until 2015.
“We are delighted to welcome TEN as the new Free-to-Air home for Rugby from 2013 to 2015,” Mr O’Neill said.
“We look forward to working with them knowing Rugby will be the primary football code in the network’s programming stable.
“It’s important for us given the exciting times ahead – including next year’s highly-anticipated tour of Australia by the British & Irish Lions.
“The Lions Tour is a massive occasion. It has been 12 Years in the Making and will be the biggest Rugby event in this country since the 2003 Rugby World Cup.”
For the past two seasons Nine have held the FTA broadcast rights.
“We know there were programming conflicts for Nine over that period,” said Mr O’Neill.
“We also appreciate that Nine not only understood this but the frustration it was causing for many in the Rugby community, and this resolution is certainly a beneficial one from that perspective.
“I would like to thank Channel Nine for the position they have taken on this issue.”
Holy tv siphoning batman, yet again rugby is gonna be shafted. Or maybe i'm just being pessimistic, the packers and murdochs wouldn't do that surely.