Foxtel to give Commonwealth Games coverage to its sports subscribers
In a change of strategy from the Winter Olympics, Foxtel is to provide access to its extensive Commonwealth Games coverage to all of its sports subscribers at no further charge.
The company announced that it would be providing 500 hours of live events and 1700 hours of total coverage on six dedicated channels which will be available in both standard and HD.
During the Winter Olympics, Foxtel provided four dedicated channels, which is charged an additional subscription fee for. While it has not disclosed how many people signed up for it,most assumptions in the industry were that numbers were low.
Announcing the Commonwealth Games move, Foxtel CEO Kim Williams said: “We will offer our customers even more value for their Foxtel subscription by offering them – for free to all sports subscribers – the most comprehensive coverage of any sporting event ever in Australian television history.
“Foxtel will broadcast, live and in full, every single session of the swimming (heats and finals), diving, track athletics, track and road cycling, Rugby 7s and gymnastics. And, we’ll also broadcast live and in full every single Australian men’s and women’s hockey match and every Netball match featuring our Australian team.”
The channels:
- DELHI 1 GOLD – Highlights channel hosted by Steve Liebmann. It will also include live Gymnastics.
- DELHI 2 – Swimming and Diving
- DELHI 3 – Athletics (Track)
- DELHI 4 – Athletics (Field)
- DELHI 5 – Cycling and Rugby Sevens
- DELHI 6 – Hockey and Netball
Foxtel will use the offering as a means of winning new subscribers to its sport channels who would otherwise be charged $85 for the standalone package.
The announcement emphasised – twice – that the channels will not be Fox Sports channels.
The Commonwealth Games are also being screened on free TV by Ten.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
topics
Commonwealth Games
Delhi
Fox Sports
Foxtel
Kim Williams
pay TV
sport
television
Ten
TV
Winter Olympics
Sick! Glad they are not charging for this.
User ID not verified.
Commonwealth Games for free? That’s still overpriced!
User ID not verified.
Another “major event”? After the world cup, winter Olympics etc etc, i just couldn’t care.
User ID not verified.
Maybe because they couldn’t sell it? Given TEN is also broadcasting?
User ID not verified.
They are also streaming all channels simultaneously online which is kinda cool http://www.foxtel.com.au/delhi-2010
User ID not verified.
I bought the Winter Olympics package… ZzzzzzzZ! No way I’ll ever buy a major events package again -> long live online!!
User ID not verified.