Seven Signs Multi-Year Broadcast Rights Deal With Australian Racing Group

Commercial free-to-air broadcaster Seven, has finalised a multi-year broadcast rights deal with the Australian Racing Group, and will broadcast a range of its motor-racing properties.

Starting in 2020, the deal will see Seven broadcast the TCR Australia Series touring car championship and open-wheel series S5000, along with feature categories from the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships racing programme.

Seven Melbourne managing director and Seven head of network sport, Lewis Martin, said the deal will include a minimum of six hours of live coverage across the Saturday and Sunday of each event which will also be simulcast on Seven’s on demand service, 7plus.

“We’re thrilled to be broadcasting these great motorsport events from next year,” Martin said.

“Motorsport has long been a passion of ours at Seven, and we’ve led the way with innovative coverage of iconic Australian motorsport for decades.

“This agreement marks the next step in our commitment to motorsport, and we look forward to working with Australia Racing Group to bring these events to Australians live and free from 2020,” he said.

The deal is set to include coverage from the ARG owned Bathurst 6 Hour and the new Bathurst International, which will feature a 500km TCR endure, S5000, Touring Car Masters, TA2 and LMP3 prototypes.

ARG director, Matt Braid, said he is looking forward to working with Seven, after a successful debut season broadcasting on SBS this year.

“The maiden season of TCR Australia has been hugely successful with fantastic feedback from drivers, teams, commercial partners and, most importantly, from fans,” Braid said.

“ARG is extremely pleased to announce our new broadcast partnership with the Seven Network and look forward to continuing to develop the TCR Australia Series, and the new S5000 Championship with the support of Australia’s leading television network,” he said.

The first round to be broadcast on Seven from the TCR Australia and the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships will be at the Sydney Motorsport Park in March 2020.