Matildas: Semi-final day media frenzy
Daily Telegraph flies over semi-final training, English press react to spy photos
“Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses, we’ve got fun and games,” is how The Daily Telegraph started a news story about how it obtained exclusive chopper shots of England training camps ahead of their FIFA Women’s World Cup training sessions.
The story continued:
If England’s Lionesses thought they would happily fly into Wednesday night’s World Cup semi-final under the radar direct from their secret Central Coast hideaway, then they were in for a rude shock, as these exclusive images show.
As the Matildas held their final training session behind closed doors at Kogarah, about 100km north at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford the England team attempted to finalise their preparations without any prying eyes.
But just as we did last week when we wanted to know if Sam Kerr was back in full training mode or on restricted duties with her calf injury, The Daily Telegraph went to the sky with these exclusive aerial photographs of England’s final training run.
It might not be in the spirit of football, but after last month’s men’s Ashes cricket series we will let the moral arbiters England pass judgment on what is and isn’t acceptable in the world of sport.
But make no mistake, England are here to ruin Australia’s party.
UK media: Australian newspaper sends helicopter to spy on Lionesses during training
The UK Press Associations reported on the training photos:
England have found themselves on the receiving end of a spying controversy after a training session before their World Cup semi-final against Australia was photographed from a helicopter.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney sent up the aircraft to capture images from the Lionesses’ behind-closed-doors session at their training base as they finalised plans for the semi-final against the co-hosts on Wednesday.
Published under the headline “Eleven Poms against a nation: Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses”, the pictures show the head coach, Sarina Wiegman, and her staff putting the players through their paces before the eagerly anticipated last-four match.
Other world media reaction:
ESPN: WWC spy saga – Pictures taken from private England session
Daily Mail: Spy-gate hits the Women’s World Cup semi-final
Mirror: Australian newspaper sends drone to ‘spy’ on England …
A $100m demand looms for World Cup TV rights as Matildas drive broadcast interest
FIFA wants a $100m payday from the next soccer World Cup broadcast rights, and bids are expected from all of Australia’s major free-to-air networks as well as SBS and Optus, report The Australian’s John Stensholt and Jessica O’Halloran.
The world governing body is trying to double the amount it makes from the Australian market, thanks to interest being at fever pitch during the Women’s World Cup.
In a twist, Football Australia could try to cash in on the sport’s popularity and also bid for World Cup rights, which it would then bundle with Socceroos and Matildas games to sell into the local market.
FIFA is meeting with Australian television networks this week to discuss the rights, following the launch late on Monday of two separate invitations to tender for media rights to the men’s World Cup in 2026, hosted across North America, and the yet-to-be-determined Women’s World Cup in 2027.
Optus is paying up to $30m for the current Women’s World Cup, and has on-sold the free-to-air rights to Seven West Media for about $4m.
Ten big brands revelling in the Matildas’ success after snaring lucrative ad deals
The record-breaking audience numbers tuning into the Matildas’ World Cup success has not only been a massive win for the broadcasters but it has also proven extremely lucrative for the 10 big businesses which months ago secured prime-time advertising, reports The Australian’s Sophie Elsworth.
The 10 global brands – many of whom are official FIFA sponsors – Adidas, Coca-Cola/Powerade, Hyundai, Kia, Visa, Qantas, McDonald’s, Unilever, Xero and Cadbury would no doubt be revelling in the unprecedented success of the tournament both on and off the field.
The Australian understands that the World Cup event broadcasters, Optus and Seven, completed the sale of the “total television solution” advertising packages – which were for the first time across metropolitan, regional, digital and subscription-platform advertising – in April.
Burnette said the big brands which did sign up to World Cup advertising could spot the value early, well before the Matildas made history to reach their first-ever World Cup semi-final.
“The brands signed up because it was always going to be a unique moment in time and it’s proven to be that … so the branding packs to be next to those amazing moments is going to be long-lasting,” he said.
“These brands will be part of something that is very rare in this country.”
CommBank Matildas: CBA’s big bet on women’s sports pays off
Commonwealth Bank made a huge bet in 2016 – to terminate its multi-year deal with the Australian men’s cricket team worth up to $50 million, but keep its sponsorship of the women’s game, reports The AFR’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
It was a risky move for a company aiming to put itself in front of as many people as possible, with men’s cricket among the country’s top sports. And yet the country’s biggest bank doubled down in 2021 when it announced a four-year sponsorship package for the national women’s soccer team.
They became the CommBank Matildas, with captain Sam Kerr as an ambassador.
The deal was worth an estimated $1 million to $2 million a year, according to sports rights experts. CBA chief executive Matt Comyn would not say how much the bank paid, but said the World Cup had been a deliberate, long-term play that was now paying huge dividends.
“I’ve actually been doing investor meetings – and I don’t know anyone who wasn’t watching it,” he told The Australian Financial Review. “I think it’s fair to say that it’s exceeded our lofty expectations.”
Late to Matildas mania? Good luck finding merch as retail stock runs out
Latecomers to the Matildas’ bandwagon are increasingly out of luck when it comes to public displays of affection for the team that has captured the nation’s imagination, reports The AFR’s Gus McCubbing.
Official team scarves were sold out on Tuesday at Rebel Sport outlets in Melbourne Central, Bourke Street Mall and Mid City in Sydney, staff said. One store had just one Matildas $115 home uniform left on the rack, and combined they had only a handful of away kits. Big W has no Matildas soccer balls left.
“Anything green and gold has just flown out the door. It’s been constant – almost every phone call we get is about the Matildas,” a Rebel employee said.
Official partner Nike says the Matildas have sold 13 times more jerseys than during the last women’s World Cup in 2019, and demand is still running hot.
“This year’s tournament is a generational moment for sport and culture, and never has this been more strongly reflected than the past week,” Nike Pacific vice president and general manager Ashley Reade said.
Tracey Holmes: Matildas aren’t just inspiring young girls, but everybody
If the Matildas were a publicly listed corporation, they’d be rocketing to the top of the ASX 200 index right now, writes ABC sports reporter Tracey Holmes in The AFR.
Their value has increased exponentially, but gauging the team’s future worth depends on factors outside their control.
They have broken records and shifted attitudes about so-called “women’s sport”. They have positively permeated the mood of the nation at a time when other significant conversations are dividing us.
The Matildas have found their voice.
Politicians know a winner when they see one, and they are swarming over the Matildas.
See also: Seven’s best buy Women’s World Cup rights: James Warburton’s bargain Matildas score
Social Media
Daily user numbers dive: Is Mark Zuckerberg’s Threads just a flash in the pan?
Threads, the simple, bare-bones text-based social network created by Facebook owner Meta, burst onto the scene during a particularly bad week for the rival then still known as Twitter, writes AP tech writer Barbara Ortutay in column published by Nine Publishing.
It quickly amassed 100 million signups — a huge feat for a newcomer in the space — and was dubbed as a “Twitter killer.”
By week two, though, signups began to drop off. As of August 7, the number of people who used Threads daily hovered around 10 million on Android phones, down from 49 million when it launched a month earlier, according to research firm SimilarWeb.
Is Mark Zuckerberg’s latest venture just a flash in the pan? That depends on whether it can hold its own against its biggest rival. And no, that’s not X, the former Twitter. It’s TikTok. And the odds are not great.
“Mark Zuckerberg may have temporarily been distracted in his sparring with Elon Musk, but the real battle for Meta is with TikTok,” said Insider Intelligence analyst Jasmine Enberg. “And Zuckerberg still really needs to watch his back.”
Marketing
More Than Just a Movie – Hoyts details new brand positioning See the Big Picture
With over 113 years of delivering what the company calls a world-class cinema experience, Hoyts has launched a new brand positioning, See the Big Picture.
A release has details about the new branding:
More than just a refreshed look and tagline, the branding is at the heart of its people and company vision. Hoyts’ investment into state-of-the-art big screens, impressive surround sound, extra comfy recliner chairs, immersive D-BOX seats, and outstanding in-cinema dining are testament to why movie lovers experience more than just a movie at Hoyts.
Hoyts has worked with creative agency Today the Brave and production company MOFA on the new See the Big Picture campaign, said Hoyts’ director of sales, marketing and content Stephanie Mills.
“People have access to a huge amount of content on different-sized screens but nothing compares to the experience of seeing a movie on the big screen at the cinema,” Mills said.
“Sitting distracted in front of your TV, behind a tiny phone screen, or a laptop just doesn’t compare to seeing a new release in a cinema.
“See the Big Picture reminds people of the magic of the movies; an escape from reality that provides emotional experiences that you just can’t get at home.”
The campaign has launched on Hoyts’ own channels. Introducing the new brand positioning to market are four videos shot by Nick Kelly of production company MOFA, with a Hollywood-inspired visual representation of the branding.
Building on the ‘See the Big Picture’ concept, the videos only show a portion of the action, encapsulated on the small screens they are being viewed on.
“We know that cinema is so much more than just a screen and we’re passionate about delivering big experiences for our guests, so they can see the big picture too.”
Hoyts’ recent investments including award-winning D-BOX Motion Recliners installed in 14 additional locations across Australia, as well as Xtremescreens, recliner seating, and Hoyts LUX in-cinema dining.
Watch all the See the Big Picture videos here.
News Brands
ABC complaints ‘welcomed and encouraged’ as news content attracts most feedback
The ABC Ombudsman, Fiona Cameron, has released her first public report outlining complaint statistics and a new complaint process.
“At the core of the establishment of the Ombudsman’s Office is greater transparency, accountability and visibility and this report endeavours to deliver on all three,” Cameron said.
“The ABC strives to be adventurous, brave and creative and such principles will solicit strong reactions. Complaints are very much part of this process and are welcomed and encouraged,” she said.
Over the three-year period up until the end of 2022, total complaints averaged 23,767. The majority (85%) relate to general complaints about matters of personal taste and preference and the balance (15%) relate to specific ABC content which concerns the ABC’s editorial standards.
70% of content complaints fell into the categories of balance (5%), bias (37%) and factual inaccuracy (28%).
The most complained about platform was News Online given its reach and the extent to which it is shared across social networks. The 7pm News, 7.30, News Breakfast and Q+A rounded out the top five complained about programs.
Television
Neighbours: A New Chapter – fans get glimpse of reboot in new trailer
Neighbours originals Guy Pearce and Annie Jones star in the first look at the 10 and Amazon Freevee reboot of the much-loved series, report News Corp’s Kathy McCabe and Lisa Woolford.
The long-awaited reunion of their characters Mike Young and Jane Harris, revealed in the star-studded finale episodes which aired last year, continues with the soap’s return.
Marriage plans may be on the cards as Harris is featured in the trailer saying “We found a date on the calendar and went for it.” But Harris also signals all is not perfect in the Erinsborough paradise as she tells the love of her life: “I have been keeping something from you”.
Mischa Barton also gets serious airtime doing a lot of pashing in the Neighbours official trailer.
It appears her guest character Reece, a mysterious American who arrives in Erinsborough with a secret agenda, may be a corporate spy. And frequent kisser of former Big Brother Australia star Xavier Molyneux who has been cast as the new Byron Stone, the son of Jane Harris.
The trailer also features a lot of beach scenes, suggesting Neighbours’ Erinsborough is keen to take some of the (sun)shine of Home and Away’s Summer Bay.
The highly anticipated return to Ramsay St, which was thrown a lifeline by Amazon Freevee and Prime Video after its lengthy farewell which included a finale where a cavalcade of global superstars including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce reprised their roles, will premiere on September 18 at 4.30pm on Channel 10 and Amazon Freevee.
It will be encored at 6.30pm on 10Peach. The Bold And The Beautiful will move to the earlier timeslot of 4pm, Monday to Thursday.
Radio
Brekky battle: Jase Hawkins slams Brendan Fevola over Kyle and Jackie O bombshell
Radio host Jase Hawkins has labelled Brendan Fevola’s mischievous comments about the radio landscape next year as a “grub move”.
Fevola dropped a bombshell claim on Monday morning that he heard Kyle and Jackie O would air in Melbourne from next year onwards.
The pair who dominate KIIS FM breakfast in Sydney would replace Hawkins and Lauren Phillips who have paired for Jase and Lauren in the morning for the past two years.
“I’ve got nothing against Fev, never met the guy, I guarantee I’ve said stupid stuff on the air as well, but let’s think before we speak,’’ Hawkins said on Tuesday morning.
“Pull your head in, it was a grub move and just low ball. I love this industry, let’s look out for each other in it. I just want to clear it up because it was spiralling out of hand and I felt so bad for our team and family members yesterday.”
Hawkins became emotional talking about the toll the comments had on family and producers.
“To go out and make a statement like that that, that Kyle and Jackie are coming to take over KIIS Melbourne means everyone here and our team are out of a job,’’ Hawkins said.
“I called Kyle yesterday straight after the show and I asked him straight and he confirmed to me no deal has been made.
“It’s not new news that he wants to take their show national, he’s been saying that for years and who knows what will happen in the future but at the moment no deal has been made.”
Sports Media
Commentator clash: Triple M’s Wayne Carey hits out at Nine’s Kane Cornes
Former Channel 7 and Triple M footy expert Wayne Carey has given Sunday Footy Show regular Kane Cornes a withering spray, saying the ex-Port Adelaide star was in danger of becoming a “laughing stock” as a commentator, reports News Corp’s Fiona Byrne.
Carey’s savage assessment came after Cornes let rip at the West Coast Eagles on the Sunday Footy Show on Channel 9 for making the late decision to pull Brady Hough out of the team on the cusp of Saturday’s match against Fremantle and criticised the standards of the club over the past three years saying, “the whole club is a joke”.
Speaking on his The Truth Hurts podcast, Carey said of the Nine identity: “I think he throws a thousand darts and gets about two right.”