Seven exec Bruce McWilliam denies games over tennis

Seven executive Bruce McWilliam denies company took of advantage of Harold Mitchell and Network Ten feud.

Network Seven's commercial director Bruce McWilliam at the Federal Court, in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Seven West Media executive Bruce McWilliam has denied the company was trying to take ­advantage of a supposed longstanding feud between Harold Mitchell and the Ten Network when Seven managed to win tennis­ broadcast rights without a bid from any of its rivals.

Mr McWilliam said Mr Mitchell, the former Tennis Australia vice-president and once the most powerful ad buyer in the country, was not acting in Seven’s interests when he “poo-pooed” interest from Ten for the tennis rights at $40m a year in a conversation with Mr McWilliam, but was instead­ making sure Seven stayed keen to bid on the rights at a ­higher price than it had been paying­ previously.

In a series of questions in the Federal Court in Melbourne on Friday about whether “poo-pooed” meant Mr Mitchell was dismissing Ten’s interest to pave the way for Seven to win rights without a competitive bid from any rivals, Mr McWilliam agreed that Mr Mitchell had spoken ­adversely about Ten in a meeting in 2012 but said it was his way of keeping Seven interested.

“Yeah, it would have been how he put it. Subtly dropping it to me that you don’t have that on your own. Ten is interested. It is a competit­ive process so of course I had to be on my guard,” he said.

Counsel for the Australian ­Securities & Investments Commission, Mich­ael Pearce SC, also pressed Mr McWilliam as to whether he thought Mr Mitchell was Seven’s “ally” in the Tennis Australia boardroom in beating off interest from Ten. “I completely reject that, sorry,” said Mr McWilliam.

Mr Pearce asked Mr McWilliam whether he was aware that Mr Mitchell, who founded ad buying agency Mitchell Partners, had a longstanding feud with Ten which included an incident with ex-Ten chief executive John McAlpine at a breakfast at which Mr Mitchell had walked out and “left his eggs florentine on the table” as he was upset Ten wanted Mr Mitchell’s agency to direct more of its clients­’ spending its way.

“I have never heard that in my life, sorry,” replied Mr McWilliam­.

“I know McAlpine. Nicknamed Tree. Very interesting man. We had a feud with Channel 10. We injuncted them (to prevent now Seven chief executive James Warburton moving from Seven to Ten in 2011).

“Why would he (Mr Mitchell) have a feud with 10? I’m sorry, we have banter all the time.

“Harold and I love stories like that. But, sorry, this is not ringing any bells.”

The evidence was heard ­during ASIC’s civil lawsuit against Mr Mitchell and former Tennis Australia president Steve Healy, with Mr Mitchell accused of using his position as director of the sporting body to advantage Seven by passing on confidential information regarding competing bids.

Mr Mitchell has denied he and Seven had colluded to deliver Australian Open broadcast rights to the network in 2013, though the rights never went to open tender and other networks were keen.

Seven eventually signed a five-year, $195m extension with Tennis­ Australia in 2013, though Ten and management company IMG had also expressed interest in ­bidding.

The case continues.