How the Olympic Games really rated and what is next to swamp our screens

THEY call it the “hot wash” — the deep dive, drill down debrief which is set to begin as soon as tomorrow’s Closing Ceremony finishes to decide how the Games really did rate.

Viewers love watching Usain Bolt. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

AT Seven they call it the “hot wash” — the deep dive, drill down debrief which is set to begin as soon as tomorrow’s Closing Ceremony finishes to decide how the Games and its official TV broadcaster in Australia really did rate.

Fronting up to call the action — the hits and the misses — Seven chief executive Tim Worner told TV Insider from Rio the experience “has changed the way Australians are going to consume live sport and will also change the way we will cover live sport.”

Overcoming early issues over access to its Olympics on 7 app; the limits of three channels (after audiences were spoiled by Foxtel’s expansive eight from London); even the awkward exchanges between its studio-bound presenters will all be addressed in the aftermath of the Rio coverage, Mr Worner promised.

“There will be so many learnings, not just from us but also by the Olympic Broadcasting Service out of these Games. I think you will see there will be even more coverage [in Tokyo] and our capacity to consume it will be greater by then.”

Staff at Seven are waiting for the hot wash. Picture: Supplied/Holly Byrnes

The scale of the undertaking — with staff from Redfern, where the coverage was anchored, to Rio — will set the standard for live sport production delivered “down stream” [off site] Mr Worner said, “because you’re able to deliver a far superior product, plus it’s cheaper.”

Make-up rooms and offices at the Eveleigh studios (where Home And Away also films) were converted to recording booths, where some commentators were calling sports “off tube” — a practise which some industry critics said lost atmosphere.

Besides the action itself, the most electric moments came through Seven’s prime positioning trackside, when Seven veteran Pat Welsh could nab interviews with gold medallistUsain Bolt; or on the pool deck, where Australia could meet its newest swim star Kyle Chalmers, or see the disappointment etched on the faces ofCam McEvoy andCateandBronteCampbell.

People stood up and watched when Kyle Chalmers won. Picture: AFP/Odd Andersen

Few may realise Seven provided the vision for the aquatic events for the OBS, giving the network leverage for “that sort of prime real estate” on pool deck, Mr Worner explained.

After the “hiccup” of the app early on, (“that did not just affect us, it affected broadcasters around the world,” Mr Worner argued), the streaming service pulled record numbers for Seven — with 17.5 million Australians watching the Games on mainstream channels; as well as 34.1m online streams and 57.6m social video views.

“From that hiccup early on it has only continued to improve, to the point now where the tide of social media, which I see often as a relentless cesspit of negativity, that tide seems to have turned around now and there’s very positive sentiment for the capacity to provide any sport you want, any time you want,” Mr Worner said. “ To me, this has been the most available Games ever.”

Sunrise correspondent Edwina Bartholomew with Seven sports caller Bruce McAvaney. Source: Instagram

Despite falling short of medal expectations, the swimming delivered the most watched events of the Rio Games, with 2.684m viewers for the Aussie women's’ 4x100m freestyle gold; 2.557m for that medal presentation; and 2.427m for a semi-final of the mens backstroke (featuring our Mitch Larkinand eventual winner Ryan Murphy from the US).

The Boomers first match-up against the US Dream team set the benchmark for streaming figures; bettered only by the 10 seconds it took Usain ‘Lightening’ Bolt to streak to victory in the 100; his 200m gold; Jamaica’s relay win yesterday.

The Boomers didn’t win gold, but people loved watching them. Picture: Alex Coppel

The Seven boss enthused: “when you’re getting audiences that are three and four times the audience that streamed the Melbourne Cup, you know you are on to something. I think this single event [Olympics] will do more to change the viewing behaviour of Australians than any other.”

The biggest miss?

Well, the vast studio set-up in Redfern annoyed audiences, with the scale of presenters to plasmas making some look like the withered figure of Mr Burns from The Simpsons; while the baton exchange between the overnight crews made other viewers cringe.

“Some people didn’t like the fact they were standing up,” Mr Worner admitted, “but in the end I go back to the numbers: the number of people watching these Games. The stories are so good, the audience is going to watch them whether the presenter is standing up or sitting down.”

Seven Olympic commentator Steve Hooker with gold medallist Mo Farah. Source: Instagram

He also conceded “we may have copped flak on the first day” for running with regular breakfast programming on Sunrise, instead of live sport, but when they did, for gold medal moments like the women's rugby 7s victory, “it worked well.”

“If there were other sports you wanted to watch there was the app with 40 streams. We would probably stick with Sunrise [in Tokyo] and feel as though those guys have done a great job of capturing the mood and the audience numbers have been huge,” Mr Worner said.

While reluctant to nominate a ‘best in show,’ he said of Steve Hooker, “that guy is an amazing athlete and he’s now an amazing commentator. He really did bring something to the athletics coverage that is quite special, as Bruce would say.”

One to watch. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

ONE TO WATCH

Kyle’s a real TV charmer

EXPECT to see a lot more of Australia’s breakout swim star, Kyle Chalmers on Seven.

Impressing with his gold medal win in the blue ribboned 100m mens freestyle final, the schoolboy who chose the pool over AFL should be the guest of honour by the Games broadcaster during the footy finals series.

After years of training and with that country charm in tact, Chalmers deserves the VIP treatment.

The Aussie women’s rugby sevens team provided many golden moments. Picture: AFP/Philippe Lopez

TV GOSSIP

Rugby girls eat up gold

THEY made history winning the first gold medal in the women's rugby sevens competition at the Rio Games, but their post-match celebrations wowed Seven boss Tim Worner, after he invited some of the players to a champagne breakfast: “Emma Tonegato was having Nutella pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, tomatoes, sausages, everything because it was the first-time she could.”

The Fiji Sevens team will be remembered for years to come after winning gold. Picture: AFP/Philippe Lopez

DON’T MISS

Rio to party to the end

THE opening ceremony promised a Games full of the party spirit (and delivered with the Tongan flag bearer alone), but expect the Closing Ceremony to be the time Rio really lets its hair down (9am, Mon on Seven).

Our team has plenty to celebrate, with rower Kim Brennan, walker Jarrod Tallent, the women’s rugby 7s team and swimmer, Kyle Chalmers all in the running to carry the Aussie flag and keep the flame for Tokyo.