Photograph: AAP
The Ten network has pulled out of bidding for the Melbourne Cup, citing the new focus on gambling by rights-holder Tabcorp as a reason.
Ten has been the Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcaster since 2019 after signing a five-year deal reportedly worth $100m which saw the cup move from Seven, where it had been broadcast since 2002.
The in-store betting giant Tabcorp secured a deal earlier this month with the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) which sees a wagering company control all the broadcast rights for the first time, including free-to-air television, digital and pay-television.
Sources say potential sponsors were uncertain they wanted to advertise during the cup if the programs were dominated by gambling ads.
“Network 10 has declined Tabcorp’s and the Victoria Racing Club’s invitation to progress further in the process to secure broadcast rights for the Melbourne Cup Carnival after the current agreement finishes with this year’s carnival,” Ten said.
“Throughout the course of the current negotiations, it became clear that the nature of the agreement between Tabcorp and the VRC would require a move towards a core racing and wagering-focused broadcast product.
“Given this likely change in focus combined with commercial constraints of the future agreement, Network 10 considered the preferences of its viewers and advertisers, and politely declined to move forward with the process.”
Seven West Media and Nine Entertainment remain in the bidding process although Tabcorp’s involvement and the dominance of the company’s commercials as part of the broadcast has raised concern.
Ten prided itself on providing all the colour and movement from the day rather than focusing on the racing and wagering only, sources said.
The Sydney Morning Herald, owned by Nine Entertainment, reported the two remaining broadcasters are expected to make their pitches as early as next week.
News Corp reported Ten had been dropped because Tabcorp wanted a network with higher ratings, but Ten has denied that was the case.
Under Australia’s anti-siphoning laws, Tabcorp must sub-licence the rights to a free-to-air broadcaster.
Other events subject to the current anti-siphoning laws include the summer and winter Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, the Melbourne Cup, AFL, NRL, the Australian F1 grand prix, Bathurst 1000 and significant cricket, tennis and netball competitions, meaning pay TV broadcaster Foxtel can only bid to show those events after free-to-air channels pass.
