McDonald’s headlines A-Leagues broadcast partners for launch on Ten ViacomCBS
Ten ViacomCBS has revealed to Mumbrella its commercial partners for its Isuzu Ute A-League Men’s competition 2021-22 coverage, set to launch this Friday, 19 November on Network Ten and Paramount+.
Fast food giant McDonald’s headlines the brands onboard to support the network’s launch of the competition in its move to free-to-air. The previous A-League season was broadcast on Foxtel and ABC.
The A-Leagues last month announced its new naming rights partner, Isuzu Ute, for the men’s competition, while ViacomCBS has now added Harvey Norman, betting firm, Neds, new telco, Mate and McDonald’s to the line up of brands backing the competition.
McDonald’s, Harvey Norman, Mate and Neds join Isuzu Ute as A-Leagues partners
This adds to Commonwealth Bank of Australia as the broadcast partner for all Matilda’s games on the network.
Sports sales director at Ten ViacomCBS, Nick Bower told Mumbrella that this ushers in an exciting new opportunity for Ten, after proving itself with its Big Bash coverage previously.
“Knowing how to make a pay TV sport big is something that Ten has done very well in the past. The pedigree is there to be able to do that, and the Big Bash is probably the best example of that.”
Bower said that Ten ViacomCBS has been very fortunate with the support its football coverage has received so far. Last week’s coverage of the Socceroos v Saudi Arabia drew 447,000 metro viewers, and topped the 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s demos for Ten.
Sports sales director, Nick Bower
“I think it’s a testament to our team getting an understanding of the value of the product right now and understanding that it really does talk to a new audience that perhaps some other sports brands, cricket or rugby league for example don’t talk to.”
Ten ViacomCBS chief of sales, Rod Prosser, added: “We are extremely proud to be the home of football, and we aren’t taking this responsibility lightly. Football has been reimagined in this country and now all Australians have more access to the game than ever before.”
Last month, Prosser said on the Mumbrellacast that the network was “really, really pleased with the uptake”, after securing support across all major categories that lean into sport.
With the coverage for the previously named A-League being behind a paywall on Foxtel, and one A-League and W-League game per week being broadcast on ABC, both Bower and Prosser believe bringing the sport to free-to-air will be the moment the sport kicks on in Australia.
Prosser at last month’s Upfronts
“When you look at football transitioning into our world free to air, I believe hasn’t got the love that it deserves previously,” said Bower.
With exclusive coverage of Matilda’s games, as well as the rebranded A-League Women’s competition, Bower said Ten and Paramount+ is now the home for the women’s game.
“Our female football credentials on the world stage at the moment are enormous in that Matilda’s world, and then you add in the growing excitement of A-Leagues Women, which I think is going to be fantastic and we can start to build a home on 10 Bold on a Sunday afternoon.
“This is where it starts to get really exciting for fans out there, knowing the destination to watch their favorite female players and teams from the league compete every Sunday.”
Prosser said that football is “diverse and inclusive with mass reach and vast appeal” which has “unsurprisingly” led the market to respond accordingly.
“The passion that football evokes in the community and in the market, has translated to huge success in both the ratings and monetisation of the sport.”
Last month Ten ViacomCBS finalised its on-screen talent line up, with includes presenter Tara Rushton alongside Simon Hill and Andy Harper, as well as an array of ex-Matilda’s and Socceroos players.
Commentary and presenter lineup
When asked if he felt like the network missed out on anyone, Bower said that he couldn’t be happier with commentary and presenter roster.
“I think our lineup is absolutely absolutely stellar. Simon hill and Andy Harper are the voices of football in this country, and to bring them into our world being been fantastic.”
Bower continued: “People are starting to really value, find and understand that Ten ViacomCBS is the new home of football. We’re seeing fantastic uptake now in our 10 Play environment, which has hosted some football so far already, which is fantastic, and they’re getting close to five million people on 10 Play at the moment, which is a huge number.”
The A-League Men’s kicks off this Friday 19 November. The A-League Women’s begins on 3 December.
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Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
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topics
A-League Mens
A-Leagues
Channel Ten
Harvey Norman
Mate
Matildas
McDonald's
Neds
Nick Bower
Rod Prosser
Ten ViacomCBS
