Athletics Australia – News – Nine Network & Fox Sports confirmed as Australian Athletics Tour broadcast partners

Athletics Australia is excited to announce that in 2013 both the Nine Network and Fox Sports will return as broadcasters of the Australian Athletics Tour.

Following a successful partnership in 2012, when the Nine Network aired five highlights packages of the Australian Athletics Tour (AAT), the Network has confirmed it will showcase the sport once again even though calendar changes see the AAT lead into NRL and AFL seasons.

A similar appetite for the broadcast rights is expected internationally after the 2012 season saw 62 countries in Pan Asia alone acquire the rights as well as networks in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Dallas O’Brien, Athletics Australia Chief Executive, said: “The Nine Network were a brilliant partner to us this year and their coverage allowed our sport to showcase itself before it climaxed with the Olympic Games. 

“It’s important that we have the ability to continue to showcase our elite athletes to a mass audience through TV to give the next generation, specifically Little Athletics kids, something to aspire to.

“Their commitment to us is a big coup and a demonstration of athletics’ rising prominence on the Australian sporting landscape.

“The addition of Fox Sports’ coverage this season allowed us to penetrate both the free-to-air and digital space and we are delighted that they have confirmed their involvement again. As the broadcaster of the IAAF World Challenge it is also a good fit, given the IAAF Melbourne World Challenge is the opening event of that series.”

The Nine Network’s coverage will see a one-hour highlights package, produced by Jam TV, from each Australian Athletics Tour event being aired less than 24-hours after its conclusion.

The 2013 schedule will also include a highlights package of the Australian Athletics Championships and World Championships Selection Trials, to be played a week after conclusion.

NINE NETWORK – AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS TOUR BROADCAST DATES
Sydney Track Classic – 13:00 (1:00pm) AEST, Sunday 10 March, 2013
Perth Track Classic – 13:00 (1:00pm) AEST, Sunday 17 March, 2013
Melbourne World Challenge – 13:00 (1:00pm) AEST, Sunday 7 April, 2013
Australian Athletics Championships
& World Championships Selection Trials – 13:00 (1:00pm) AEST, Sunday 21 April, 2013

FOX SPORTS – TIMES and DATES to be confirmed

Please note that the programming schedule is subject to late change.
  
NATIONAL ATHLETICS SERIES:
The National Athletics Series, incorporating the 2013 Australian Athletics Tour, is an eight-stop nationwide tour that sees international athletics descend on every state.

The Australian domestic season also features the 4th Australian Junior Athletics Championships, to be held in Perth (WA) for the first time and the 91st Australian Athletics Championships & IAAF World Championships Selection Trial in Sydney (NSW) for the first time since 2006.
 
30 Nov – 2 Dec 2012 Australian All Schools Championships – Hobart (Tas)
3 Dec 2012 Australian Schools Knockout Championships – Launceston (Tas)
8 Dec 2012 Zatopek:10 – Melbourne (Vic)
9 Dec 2012 Australian 50km Race Walking Championships – Melbourne (Vic)
20 Jan 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Selection Trial – Canberra (ACT)
2 Feb 2013 Hunter Track Classic – Newcastle (NSW)
16 Feb 2013 Adelaide Track Classic – Adelaide (SA)
16-17 Feb 2013 Aust. Junior Combined Event Championships -Adelaide (SA)
23 Feb 2013 Briggs Athletics Classic – Hobart (Tas)
24 Feb 2013 Oceania & Aust. 20km Race Walking Championships – Hobart (Tas)
9 Mar 2013 Sydney Track Classic – Sydney (NSW)
12-17 Mar 2013 Australian Junior Athletics Championships – Perth (WA)
16 Mar 2013 Perth Track Classic – Perth (WA)
23 Mar 2013 Queensland Track Classic – Brisbane (Qld)
6 Apr 2013 Melbourne World Challenge – Melbourne (Vic)
11-14 Apr 2013 91st Australian Athletics Championships & IAAF World Championships Selection Trial – Sydney (NSW)

Athletics Australia – News