Network Ten refuels motorcycle broadcast deals

Channel 10 will keep its two-decade long history as the home of motorcycle racing after renewing is MotoGP world championship broadcast deal.

Andrea Iannone of Italy compete sin the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2018 on Phillip Island. Picture: David Crosling/AAP

Network 10 will continue to be the home of motorsport after extending its agreement with Dorna Sports to broadcast the motorcycle racing MotoGp World Championship for the next three years.

Chief executive Paul Anderson said the MotoGP World Championship is part of its “DNA and has proudly been on our network for the past 21 years.”

“MotoGP provides some of the most dramatic motor racing vision in the world and is a key plank in our motorsport strategy combining brilliantly with the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Bathurst 1000,” Mr Anderson said.

In April, the CBS-owned free-to-air television broadcaster lost the rights to the popular cricket competition, Big Bash League, to rival Seven Network and News Corp’s pay-television operator Foxtel.

It was the home of the BBL for the past five years, thanks to its $100 million deal with Cricket Australia.

In a bid to fill the void, 10 announced in September that it had bought the Melbourne Cup broadcast rights with a five-year $100 million deal with the Victorian Racing Club.

The deal will begin with the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2019, which consists of the Victoria Derby Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks Day, and Stakes Day.

“With the Melbourne Cup, Network 10 will be the place to watch all of the big races that stop the nation in 2019,” Mr Anderson said in a statement.

Under the extended agreement, every international MotoGP race will be broadcast live on 10 Boss for the next three years, as well as Australian round of the MotoGP World Championship, including qualifying and the race, held at Victoria’s Phillip Island, on the broadcaster’s main channel, 10.

The coverage will again feature pre-race and post-race expert analysis from former Grand Prix rider Daryl Beattie for all 19 races, which cover 16 countries.

Every MotoGP race, including the pre-race and post-race shows, will continue to be available on the company’s broadcast video-on-demand service, TenPlay.

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