In good news for motorsports fans, Australian viewers will continue to receive free access to two of our biggest motorsport events, thanks to a new broadcast agreement between Channel 10 and Foxtel.
TV Blackbox can reveal Channel 10 has negotiated a new multi-year agreement with the Foxtel Group that will see the network continue as the free-to-air home of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Australian MotoGP races.
Due to recently negotiated broadcast deals which commenced in 2022 for MotoGP and 2023 for Formula One, Foxtel has now locked up both subscription and free-to-air broadcast rights for the two highly popular motorsport series.
It is a move that has seen Formula One and MotoGP coverage move almost entirely behind the paywall of the Foxtel and Kayo platforms.
However, the Federal Government’s anti-syphoning broadcast list required Foxtel to offer up the Australian legs of both competitions to a free-to-air partner.
If all free-to-air networks had failed to sign an agreement with Foxtel, then it would have become possible for the subscription broadcaster to maintain exclusive coverage of the events.
The new deal commences next weekend with Channel 10 presenting two days of live coverage from Phillip Island with The Australian MotoGP taking place on the 15th and 16th of October.
The 2023 Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne will be the third race of the season occurring on April 2.
Commercial free coverage of both events will continue to be available via Fox Sports on Foxtel and Kayo.
Channel 10 was once considered the home of motorsport in Australia with the network holding broadcast rights to Supercars, MotoGP and Formula One. However, increased competition from rival broadcasters and soaring rights fees have eroded this position.
The network axed popular weekend motoring program RPM in 2020.
Understandable…at least 10 will only get to air the important GP event in Australia for both Formula 1 & MotoGP LIVE and nothing else for another few years while not needing to air the secondary International event highlights package (Formula 1) on late Monday nights anymore after this season, which has been going on in recent years.