Seven commits to the Rolex Sydney Hobart

by Di Pearson on 31 Mar 2015 The Seven Network and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia today announced the signing of a long-term partnership that will see an expanding coverage of the Rolex Sydney Hobart across Seven’s broadcast television and online, mobile, social and digital platforms.

Under the new agreement, Seven has also secured global online rights and mobile rights to live stream the race start.

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore, John Cameron, said at the time of signing the extension of the exclusive rights agreement, “The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is delighted to extend the exclusive broadcast and internet rights to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race start to the Seven Network for a further five years from the 2016 race.

“Seven has been our broadcast partner since 2005 and since that time has demonstrated outstanding production values and techniques which have allowed the Australian public and worldwide internet audience the ability to watch the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, a race that is regarded as the greatest and most challenging ocean race in the world.”

Commenting, Seven Network’s Head of Sport, Mr Saul Shtein said: “Seven has a long association with yachting – with our coverage of the America’s Cup and for many years, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, along with our commitment to our world championship winning 18’ skiff campaign and partnership with the Oatley family and the remarkable Wild Oats XI.

“The blue water classic is one of the great sports events in Australia and we are looking forward to delivering a world-class coverage to all Australians across our broadcast television and digital platforms along with expanding our coverage of the race in Sunrise and Seven News,” Mr Shtein added.

Over the past 70 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of Australia's summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Australian Open tennis and the cricket tests between Australia and England. No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage than does the start on Sydney Harbour.

Over the years, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has had a marked influence on international ocean yacht racing. The club has influenced the world in race communications and sea safety, maintaining the highest standards for yacht race entry.

Seven Delivers Leadership in Sports

Today’s agreement further confirms Seven’s leadership in sports television with the network continuing to dramatically expand its coverage of major sports across its three digital broadcast television channels and accelerate coverage across online, IPTV, HbbTV, mobile and other emerging forms of content delivery.

Seven’s commitment to an expanding presence in sports builds on the network’s unprecedented new agreement with the International Olympic Committee encompassing the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo in 2020, and the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014. Underlining this new partnership is an option which, if exercised, extends the rights to include the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in 2022 and the XXXIII Olympic Games in 2024.

Seven is focused on delivering the biggest sports events to all Australians.

The agreements for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast builds on the company’s long-term commitment to, the National Football League, including the Super Bowl, The US Masters and Wimbledon as major international sports franchises for Seven.

Seven also has all-encompassing agreements for coverage of the Australian Football League Premiership Season, Finals Series, the Grand Final and Brownlow Medal, and the local Australian Rules Football competitions the West Australian Football League, the Victorian Football League and the South Australian National Football League, the Bathurst 12 Hour Endurance Race, all major horse racing events including the Sydney Easter Carnival, the Melbourne Spring Carnival and the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, all major Australian golf tournaments, the Stawell Gift, the New South Wales Shute Shield in Rugby, all major iron man and triathlon events, and all major tennis tournaments in Australia including The Australian Open and The Davis Cup.