Optus Sport reveals FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 broadcast team
Optus Sport has assembled its female-led broadcast team ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, bringing together Australia’s best journalists and football talent.
Melanie McLaughlin will be joining Amy Duggan to host the overnight coverage of all 52 games of the tournament on Optus Sport, with presenter Richard Bayliss leading the live highlights show each morning.
In addition, an impressive group of former Matildas and Socceroos will provide expert analysis across the coverage, joining former Matildas Heather Garriock and Alicia Ferguson in this role.
This includes former captain and FFA Hall of Fame inductee Cheryl Salisbury, as well as current Western Sydney W-League assistant coach Catherine Cannuli, former Canberra united striker Ashley Sykes, former Brisbane Roar midfielder Amy Chapman, current Western Sydney Wanderers player Georgia Yeoman-Dale as well as former Melbourne Victory midfielder Tal Karp.
The former Socceroos joining the team are Mark Schwarzer, John Aloisi, current Western Sydney W-League coach Dean Heffernan and current Sydney FC W-League coach Ante Juric.
Optus Sport welcomes back Jules Breach, who after hosting coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, will join the crews in France alongside reporters Niav Owens and Michelle Escobar.
“It has been a spectacular year of football on Optus Sport. From the 2018 FIFA World Cup through to the UEFA Champions League, I still can’t quite believe what we witnessed in the semi-finals and we have still got an all-England final to go,” host Mel McLaughlin said.
“It sets things up perfectly for Optus Sport’s coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I don’t think people realise just how exciting and how massive this tournament is going to be and how lucky we are to be seeing every single minute.
“Add to that, the Matildas are genuine contenders and the whole month is going to feel like Christmas for football fans.
“I’m in awe of the broadcast team that Optus Sport has put together, some of this team I have loved and idolised for years. I’m just so proud to be part of what will be the most comprehensive coverage this country has seen – and what the game and the Matildas deserve.”
Optus Sport is the only place to watch all 52 matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament live, and the broadcast team will provide extensive match coverage, expert opinion, in-depth analysis and behind the scenes access from France.
“We have declared this FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the most comprehensive coverage Australia has seen, and it is this stellar broadcast team that will bring our coverage together for our viewers,” Optus’ head of TV and content Corin Dimopoulos said.
BROADCAST TEAM SUMMARY:
Hosts
Amy Duggan, Melanie McLaughlin and Richard Bayliss.
Experts
Heather Garriock, Alicia Ferguson, Cheryl Salisbury, Mark Schwarzer, John Aloisi, Catherine Cannuli, Ashley Sykes, Georgia Yeoman-Dale, Amy Chapman, Tal Karp, Dean Heffernan and Ante Juric.
Reporters
Jules Breach, Niav Owens and Michelle Escobar.
Optus Sport broadcast partners for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 include Nike, Powerade and Huawei.
Over 400,000 watching A-League Grand Final
The A-League Grand Final was carried on 10 Bold on Sunday night with the match pulling an audience of 215,000. The numbers swelled late in the game, which was eventually decided by a penalty shootout. The post-game audience watching Sydney FC get another A-League trophy was 162,000.
The final game of the A-League season averaged 137,000 on Fox Sports until it went into extra time. By then the crowd watching had swelled to 191,000.
The Grand Final audience watching on Fox Sports in 2018 was 217,000.
Crocmedia extends partnership with Golf Australia
Crocmedia has announced an expansion of its partnership with Golf Australia that will see key golf events broadcast on radio and on-course simultaneously over the next 12 months.
The news comes as Crocmedia and Golf Australia marked the 100th edition of their co-produced podcast and radio show Inside The Ropes with a video episode.
Hosted by Andrew Maher and Golf Australia’s Mark Hayes, Inside The Ropes has experienced great success – broadcasting on over 157 frequencies with 67,000 listeners since its inception.
The next instalment of the Emirates Australian Open and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open will be broadcast across multiple platforms on the wider SEN network.
Sydney’s The Australian Golf Course will play host to The Emirates Men’s Australian Open in December 2019.
The 2020 ISPS Handa Women’s Open will also be available on 1377 SEN + while 1629 SEN SA’s Kymbo and the Rooch will broadcast on-site from the tournament at The Granges Golf Course in South Australia.
The partnership also includes live coverage on 1116 SEN of the ISPS Handa Victorian Open from the iconic 13th Beach Golf Course in Barwon Heads in February 2020.
A special outside broadcast will take place from the Victorian Open on 1116 SEN’s Afternoons with Andy Maher and Drive with KB and the Doc.
Tailored earpieces will also be available on-course for the three events so fans can listen remotely to all of the live commentary and analysis from each event.
Crocmedia chief executive officer Craig Hutchison announced the expansion.
“Golf Australia has worked tirelessly toward its ‘one golf’ strategy and it sits perfectly within our ‘whole of sport’ strategy.
“They are very active content creators and curators, and determined to drive greater value to existing players and find new fans of the sport. We’ll be chipping in with everything we do to help make that happen,” Hutchison said.
Fox Sports’ French Open: 200 hours+ live in HD, Sam Groth joins team
Fox Sports is promising the most comprehensive coverage of the year’s second grand slam, when Roland-Garros 2019 swings into action on Sunday, May 26.
Fox Sports will air over 200 hours of live coverage in HD of the tournament from the opening day through to the Men’s and Women’s Singles Finals.
The world’s most famous clay tournament will take place at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France from Sunday, May 26 to Sunday, June 9 and will feature the world’s best tennis players vying for the trophy.
Fox Sports’ daily coverage begins Sunday, May 26 at 6.50pm AEST on Fox Sports More 507.
Former Australian Davis Cup player Sam Groth will join the Fox Sports team to call the action throughout the two-week tournament.