Leckie’s unexpected AFL axe
One of the highlights of yesterday’s press conference to announce the AFL’s mega TV rights deal was Seven boss David Leckie’s appearance – and repeated assertion that he wasn’t dead.
But rather more odd was the announcement on the AFL’s website, bylined to former The Age journalist Ashley Browne, that Leckie was going to retire.
According to the article, headed “farewell deal for TV veteran”:
“THE PURCHASE by the Seven Network of the AFL’s free-to-air TV rights will also prove to be one of the final achievements of one of the giants of the Australian TV industry.
“Seven Network chief executive officer David Leckie has announced his retirement from the network immediately after inking the deal that will confirm that Seven will screen four matches a week plus finals, Grand Finals and Brownlow Medal counts from 2012 to 2016.
“The deal marks the continuation of the long partnership between Seven and the League. Since the introduction of TV into Australia in 1956, Seven has been an AFL broadcaster for all but six years.
“Leckie, 60, spent 23 years with the Nine Network, rising from the sales department to managing director. He was axed from that position in 2002 but surfaced at Seven 12 months later and steered the network out of the doldrums to become the most watched in Australia.
“Under his watch, Seven’s standing as a sports network was reinforced. It regained the AFL rights in partnership with Network Ten in 2007 and is also the home of the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Open tennis championships.”
Oddly, this was later replaced with the following “footnote”:
“During the hubbub surrounding the announcement of the AFL’s new broadcast rights, a story appeared on afl.com.au suggesting that Seven Network’s boss David Leckie was to retire following the conclusion of this historic agreement.
“This story was incorrect, and afl.com.au apologises for the error.”
Odder yet, the original story still appears on AFL’s mobile site.
