Saturday Arvo Football

Seven Sport is the brand and production department under which all sporting events on the Seven Network are broadcast. It broadcasts some of Australia's most prominent sporting events, such as the AFL, cricket, the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as horse racing and motor racing.

In late September 2019, it was announced that Head of Sport Saul Shtein (who had been in the position since 2004) would be leaving the company after the AFL Grand Final, reportedly as a result of widespread company cost cutting and restructuring. He was replaced by long-time Seven Melbourne managing director Lewis Martin.

History

The Seven Network is a major player in Australian sports broadcasting.

Australian rules football

From the first year of television in Australia in 1956 to 2001, Seven was the main broadcaster of the VFL/AFL. From the early 1970s to 1986 Seven was along with the ABC the main broadcaster of the VFL showing replays and highlights of matches played that Saturday. In 1977 Seven paid the VFL $500,000 to broadcast the Grand Final and a further $500,000 to broadcast the Grand Final Replay also live with the drawn match watch by 1.2 Million viewers at the time the biggest daytime audience in Australia television history. In 1987, after taken over by new ownership from Sydney, HSV-7 lost the VFL rights to Broadcom who on sold the rights in Victoria to the ABC (Broadcom also sold the rights to TVW-7 in Perth) after offering less money compared to the previous year, the rights were regained the next year.

In 2001 the Seven Network announced that after 45 years as the official broadcaster of the VFL/AFL that it would finished its partnership at the end of the season. Nine and Ten entered a joint rights deal with pay TV provider Foxtel to ensure that all eight matches of each round were televised, starting in 2002 and concluding in 2006. At the time and being the only broadcaster, Seven broadcast only one match at a timeslot at a time and showed highlights of other matches that were not broadcast.

On 5 January 2006, Seven regained the rights to the AFL in the following broadcast deal, covering the period between 2007 and 2011 inclusive, in a joint contract with Ten and Foxtel. The cost of the deal was A$780 million, an A$280 million increase on the Nine/Ten/Foxtel 2002-2006 joint broadcast venture. Under the deal, Seven and Ten alternated the Brownlow Medal ceremonies and the AFL Grand Final; Seven televised the Friday night and Sunday afternoon Premiership season matches, while Ten televised the two Saturday matches and Foxtel televising the rest. Both Seven and Ten alternate in show the NAB Cup Grand Final, the Brownlow Medal count (2007, 2009 and 2011 were shown on Seven) and the AFL Grand Final (2008 and both in 2010).

In 2011, it was announced that Seven and Foxtel would share the football broadcast rights from 2012 to 2016, bringing Ten's 10-year run to an end. Under the new deal, Seven would televise four games per week, and Foxtel would simulcast coverage of Seven's games and broadcast the other five weekly games live and exclusive. Seven televised the entire finals series, with Foxtel simulcasting all finals except for the Grand Final, which was televised live and exclusively by Seven. The deal required Seven to televise all but the Saturday afternoon match live into Victoria and Tasmania; all four games were shown live into the northern states on 7mate and games were shown live or on delay into Western Australia (night matches on 7mate, day matches on Seven) and South Australia (all on Seven) depending on Seven's television schedule.

In 2015, Seven commenced broadcasting the WAFL and VFL showing one match a week and all finals from both competitions that did not clash with AFL games in each market, this followed the previous year where SANFL were being broadcast on under the same agreement. For both the WAFL and SANFL, it was the first time since 1987 that each league were broadcast on Seven with all three being on Seven after long association with the ABC ending the previous year.

Also announced in 2015 that Seven would again be the sole free-to-air broadcaster of AFL matches, for the period between 2017 and 2022. Under the deal, Seven no longer televises the Saturday afternoon match into Victoria, however, matches in this timeslot involving interstate teams continue to be televised into their respective markets. Controversially, however, up to three matches involving each of all four of the Western Australia and South Australia clubs (the West Coast Eagles, , and ) are televised on a significant delay, with the telecast starting after the final siren has gone in real time.

Under a revised deal (post COVID-19) agreement, Channel Seven will show up to five matches per week live on their networks, with Fox Sports broadcasting each and every game on either a Fox Footy or Fox Sports 503. Two matches of both the Eagles and Dockers in WA and one match of both the Crows and Power in SA was shown on a significant delay in the shortened 2020 season. On June 11 the AFL and the Seven Network extended its current agreement until 2022 for an extra two until the end of 2024 with the deal virtually the same as the original one signed prior to 2017.

Olympics

The network's coverage of the 2000 Sydney Olympics attracted a TV audience of over 6.5 million Australians for the opening and closing ceremonies. The broadcast also ran on the short-lived C7 Sport subscription channel.

During its time as the broadcaster of the Olympic Games, it has won the Olympic Golden Rings for the Best Television coverage for the best television programme during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Seven and NBC Universal were the major recipients of the Golden Rings; with Seven taking the Golden Rings for the best Olympic Programme, the Silver Rings for the best Olympic feature (NBC Universal received the Golden Rings), and the Bronze Rings for the Best Sports Coverage (behind SRG Switzerland and YLE Finland).

During Seven's coverage of the XXIX Olympiad, numerous complaints by the general Australian public were made to the Seven Network for several reasons, including the lack of a broadcast of events to which Australia is not competing in, too many advertisements and at inappropriate times during events and poor commentating of events. There has also been media speculation about the editing of Olympic events by Seven; how live sound from events is faded and the commentary sound is the prominent sound feature.

Seven had exclusive Australian free-to-air, pay television, online and mobile telephony broadcast rights to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The live telecast of the XXIX Olympiad was shared by both the Seven Network and SBS Television. Seven broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies and mainstream sports including swimming, athletics, rowing, cycling and gymnastics. In stark contrast, SBS TV provided complementary coverage focused on long-form events such as soccer, road cycling, volleyball, and table tennis.

Seven's coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics was widely criticised by viewers, with many angry at the networks contractual obligation to show AFL football over the Olympics. Viewers also complained that many team sports were delayed, with the absence of Roy and HG and with seemingly large amounts of advertising breaks during live events upsetting some viewers. Despite this, the International Olympic Committee awarded Seven the 'Golden Rings' award for "Best Olympic Programme". The award is given for the best overall Olympic coverage.

From 2016, Seven once again became the home of the Summer Olympic Games, Winter Olympic Games and the Summer Paralympic Games. In October 2020, the Seven Network announced it would be the home of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

Commonwealth Games

Seven screened the 2002 Commonwealth Games from Manchester and were the official broadcaster of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on home soil on the Gold Coast in April 2018. In July 2022, Seven also broadcast the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Motor racing

From 1963 to 1997, Seven was the home of motor sport in Australia as they broadcast the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) and the Bathurst 1000. Seven were the first broadcasters to use race cam in the 1979 Bathurst 1000, which allowed them to talk to the drivers mid-race.

The Seven commentary team included Evan Green, Will Hagon and Geoff Stone (late 60s to the mid 70s). It included Mike Raymond from 1977 to 1995 and Garry Wilkinson from 1978 to 1996 (V8 1000). Neil Crompton reporting from the pits from around 1985, Mark Oastler (1989–1996), Doug Mulray (1988–1994), Allan Moffat (1985–1996, V8 1000) and as a pit reporter Andy Raymond (early 90s). At the Bathurst 1000, Sandy Roberts or Bruce McAvaney would be the host during the early to mid 1990s.

In 1997, Seven lost the rights to the ATCC to Network Ten, but still broadcast the Australian Super Touring Championship until the series' demise in 2001. In 2003, Seven Sport broadcast the Nations Cup and V8 Utes, before Network Ten broadcast the V8 Utes in 2005 after the collapse of organising body Procar Australia.

From 2007 to 2014, Seven regained the rights to V8 Supercars. The commentary team included Neil Crompton, Mark Skaife and Mark Larkham. From 2015, Seven Sport broadcasts the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race.

In 2020, Seven regained the TV rights to the Supercars Championship, sharing the rights with Foxtel in a deal worth $200 million for 5 years (2021-2025). The new deal has Seven Sport show seven rounds of the Supercars Championship live and showing highlights of the rounds it is not able to televise.

Cricket

On 13 April 2018, Cricket Australia announced that the Seven Network had acquired free-to-air media rights to a package of events beginning in the 2018–19 season, under a six-year contract as part of a consortium with Foxtel. Seven would broadcast coverage of all test matches, Women's internationals, 43 Big Bash League matches per-season, and 23 Women's Big Bash League matches per-season. All events would be shared with the newly established Fox Cricket channel. This ended Nine's 45-year run as television rightsholder of international cricket in Australia.

In September 2020, it was reported that Seven was attempting to exit its contract, citing an alleged breach of contract surrounding the scheduling of the 2020–21 season, and that the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia would diminish the quality of the 2020–21 Big Bash League season (violating a contractual obligation for the quality of events carried by Seven to meet that of the previous season). In November 2020, Seven lodged an affidavit in the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne, seeking access to communications with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in regards to scheduling changes for India's 2020–21 tour of Australia. Seven took issue with the ODIs being moved to the start of the series rather than the test matches (which will be the final event of the series) as they would be exclusive to Fox Cricket, and the final test would overlap the end of the holiday season, reducing potential viewership. Seven West Media CEO James Warburton argued that "there aren't many sports that would launch their season behind a paywall", and that the broadcaster wanted to be "fairly compensated for the value reduction caused by the changes to the schedule and other changes."

Rugby League

In 2016, the Seven Network won the broadcasting rights deal to be the main broadcaster of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup in Australia, beating the other regular rugby league broadcasting channels of Fox League and the Nine Network to secure the deal.

Theme

Seven Sport has used "Fanfare for the Common Man" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer as its theme since 1989. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Seven used the music piece for Sporting events such as: AFL, Australian Open and Australian Touring Car Championship. Up until 2011, an abridged version of the opening fanfare was used. The music piece returned for introductions of the networks sporting coverage since 2018 AFL Grand Final with a version of the Fanfare for the Common Man being used for all sporting coverage including AFL, Cricket and Horse Racing.

Events

Seven Sport holds broadcast rights to the following events:

Current

Past

Programs

Seven Sport has presented the following recurring programmes:

Current

Past

Staff and commentators

The following network personalities are seen across multiple Seven Sport events:

* Bruce McAvaney (chief commentator, all sports; member since 1989)
* Johanna Griggs (host, Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Australian Open; member since 1994)
* Hamish McLachlan (host, Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Australian Open; presenter AFL, Melbourne Cup, cricket; member since 2008)
* Jason Richardson (host, cricket and Australian Open; presenter Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Melbourne Cup; member since 2014)
* Mel McLaughlin (host, Olympics, cricket and Australian Open; presenter Commonwealth Games, Melbourne Cup; member since 2016)
* Abbey Gelmi (host, Olympics, Cricket, AFL, Horse Racing, Motor Racing; member since 2018)
* James Brayshaw (commentator, AFL, Cricket; member since 2018)

Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020

*Bruce McAvaney (Athletics/Ceremonies Commentator)
*Hamish McLachlan (Prime Time Co-Host)
*Abbey Gelmi (Prime Time Co-Host)
*Matt Shirvington (Afternoons Co-Host)
*Edwina Bartholomew (Afternoons Co-Host)
*Luke Darcy (Mornings Co-Host)
*Johanna Griggs (Mornings Co-Host)
*Andy Maher (Late Nights Co-Host)
*Lisa Sthalekar (Late Nights Co-Host)
*Mel McLaughlin (Tokyo Reporter)
*Annabelle Williams (Paralympics Co-Host)
*Kurt Fearnley (Paralympics Co-Host)
*Mark Beretta (Tokyo Reporter)
*Jason Richardson (Athletics Trackside)
* Nathan Templeton (Swimming Poolside)
* Tamsyn Lewis (Athletics Commentary)
* Dave Culbert (Athletics Commentary)
*Basil Zempilas (Swimming Commentary)
*Giaan Rooney (Swimming Commentary)
*Ian Thorpe (Swimming Commentary)
*Candice Warner (Marathon Swimming/Triathlon Commentary)
*Andrew Gaze (Basketball Commentary)
* John Casey (Men's Basketball Commentary)
*Rachael Sporn (Women's Basketball Commentary)
* Alister Nicholson (Hockey Commentary)
*Georgie Parker (Hockey Commentary)
*Scott McGrory (Cycling Commentary)
* Nick Green (Rowing/Canoeing Commentary)
*Kerri Pottharst (Beach Volleyball Commentary)
*Matt Hill (Rowing, Canoeing, Kayaking Commentary)
*Russell Mark (Shooting Commentary)
* Debbie Watson (Water Polo Commentary)
*Greg Clark (Rugby Sevens Commentary)
* Brenton Speed (Football, Beach Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball Commentary)
* Chris Stubbs (7Mate Host)
*Trent Copeland (7Mate Host)
*Emma Freedman (7Mate Host)

Rio 2016

Most Seven programs, except ''Sunrise'' and ''The Chase Australia'', went on hiatus during Seven's broadcast of the Olympic Games.

*Bruce McAvaney (Host/Main Commentator)
*Hamish McLachlan (Host)
*Mel McLaughlin (Host)
* Bill McDonald (Mixed Zone Reporter, News Host & Table Tennis Commentator)
* Jim Wilson (Host)
*Kylie Gillies (Host)
*Todd Woodbridge (Host)
*David Koch (Olympic Sunrise Host)
*Natalie Barr (Olympic Sunrise Host)
*Johanna Griggs (Host/Reporter/Ceremonies Commentator)
*Rachael Finch (Reporter)
*Edwina Bartholomew (Olympic Sunrise Reporter)
* Mark Braybrook (Commentator)
* Neil Kearney (Reporter)
*Ryan Phelan (Olympic Update Host)
* Amanda Abate (Olympic Update Host)
*Steve Hooker (Athletics Commentator)
* Tamsyn Lewis (Athletics Commentator)
* Dave Culbert (Athletics/Canoeing/Kayaking Commentator)
* Pat Welsh (Trackside Athletics Commentator)
*Basil Zempilas (Swimming Commentator)
*Giaan Rooney (Swimming Commentator)
* Nathan Templeton (Poolside Swimming Commentator)
*Phil Liggett (Cycling Commentator)
*Scott McGrory