Channel 9 Australian Open Television Coverage

[Redline]

With the news today that Channel 9 will pick up the Tennis rights from 2019 I thought I would start a thread specifically on their coverage as news will come out over the next few months

They have to pull together a fairly large commentary team quickly.

Who do you think they will use from their existing sports coverage and who do you think they will target?

 

[Brad Goodman]

Courier and Hewitt will be their main targets you’d imagine.

 

[vaughany]

Will be interesting to see who they get. Agree that big $$ will be thrown at current tennis commentators to get them on board to do the actual match commentary.
Off court the hosts/roving reporters will probably come from this list below.
James Bracey, Clint Stanaway, Cam Williams, Erin Molan, Tim Gilbert, Leila McKinnon, Liz Ellis, Emma Freeman etc

Sam Groth would be keen to be involved.

Ken Sutcliffe might get poached out of retirement? Eddie McGuire as a back up option to host.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Flameboy]

Great, we're gonna go from getting AFL stars pointed out on the coverage to random NRL players.

 

[BobbyMorri]

You would think the old guys like Newc would quickly move across. Newc used to do Wimbledon for 9 IIRC. Jim and rusty would be high on the list. Groth is a certain starter.

Todd will be the interesting one. 7 Still has Wimbledon and Davis/Fed Cup.

 

[Hamingja]

I'm trying to think who they used to have. Stolle, Newc, Woodforde come to mind. They might go all out for McEnroe for the publicity.

 

[Redline]

I'm trying to think who they used to have. Stolle, Newc, Woodforde come to mind. They might go all out for McEnroe for the publicity.

In the 90's their team was Tony Trabert, Fred Stollie, Brad Drewitt, Newk and Bettsy Nagalson.

 

[JackNah_8]

McEnroe will be expensive.

They'll definitely go for Courier, Hewitt, Groth and Woodbridge
I hope we we dont see too many AFL players (from the footy show) trying to talk about tennis. I am just glad we dont have to hear Basil throughout the AO anymore.

 

[JamisonRun40]

I wonder if Sam Smith will go to Ch 9 hope so I really like her.

 

[Redline]

I think they will sign Dokic. While she is doing some work for Seven she is not associated with Seven's tennis cocerage as much as as Stubbs so will be seen as a new face.

They will want Darren Cahill, he is an experienced tennis commentator and another new face, its just if he has time during the Australian summer while coaching Halep.

One from real left field to host is Mark Nicholas if he doesn't do cricket coverage for someone. He has hosted all kinds of sport coverage and TV shows in the UK.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Stubbs works for lots of networks so I could see her just following the work to Nine, I don’t think she is particularly tied to Seven. (Personally I hope they don’t take her as I don’t like her as a commentator).

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

I wonder if Sam Smith will go to Ch 9 hope so I really like her.

I hope so too, I also like her.

 

[BobbyMorri]

here we go

For me

John McEnroe (over-rated)
Jim Courier
Alicia Molik (yuck. Go Aussie go and not much else)
Todd Woodbridge (I rate. Good poach)
Jelena Dokic (good up and comer)
Sam Groth (never heard him too much)
Dylan Alcott (from what little he has done, I have liked)

Lacks a big international WTA commentator. A Sam Smith or a Tracy Austin.

 

[BobbyMorri]

And the hosts

Rebecca Maddern
James Bracey
Tony Jones

I am sure the top 2 will be professional.

 

[Xtreme]

Poor Roger Rasheed

 

[Pedantic]

Hmmm. Can't win em all but I like McEnroe, Courier and Dokic which is more than I can say watching a lot of sports. Hopefully the hosts are really just hosting, not the quasi commentary role that the likes of Basil had at 7.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

No basil/Hamish and Roger rasheed thank ****

 

[juice t]

Tony Jones

I am sure the top 2 will be professional.

Imagine Federer or Nadal calling him Chompers in an interview

Would lift the coverage through the stratosphere

 

[kaiserchief13]

Bruce is iconic for the Aus open commentary. Not so delicious

 

[Kaan]

Bruce is iconic for the Aus open commentary. Not so delicious

Bruce is annoying and knows nothing about tennis.

 

[JamisonRun40]

I personally like Adam Peacock and I guess Rebecca Madden will do the hosting. Who is Tony Jones? Tennis won't be the same without Sam Smith. There is a Scottish female commentator called Claire ? she is commentating at the moment in Montreal. She is not bad.

 

[JackNah_8]

Mcenroe will be so expensive.

I'm surprised they didn't sign up Sam Smith

 

[GreekLunatic]

Rebecca madden I hope she doesn’t try as hard as too the footy show when she tried to be one of the boys

 

[Flameboy]

I'd rather Basil than Bec Maddern

 

[Bootstrap]

I'd rather Basil than Bec Maddern

Basil Brush?

I'd rather a muttering potato commentating sport than 2/3 of the channel 7 commentary team.