The Australian Off Road Championship has announced its 2014 television deals, which include a return to the Seven Network and Speed TV Australia, international coverage on EDGEsport in Asia, and all with respected sports commentator Mark Beretta back as the host and voice of the AORC.
All five championship events this year will have a dedicated 30-minute program broadcast on the Seven Network’s free-to-air digital channel 7mate, with an additional one hour highlights special scheduled at season’s end.
“Last year’s Australian Off Road Championship was a real eye-opener,” said Beretta. “The competition and the locations were incredible. I can’t wait for the 2014 season to get started, and to be part of it again!”
While the programs will be shown and replayed first on 7mate – or affiliated stations Prime 7 and South Cross Television in remote regions – all will again receive significant national coverage on Speed TV Australia, and internationally in Asia via EDGEsport thanks to an ongoing partnership with distributer IMG Media.
Last year, Australia’s #1 breakfast program, Seven’s Sunrise, broadcast live from the start/finish line of the Tatts Finke Desert Race, while the final round of 2013 at Lockyer Valley was also promoted onto Seven’s primary channel, Channel 7.
HP Sports Management and its team will again drive the television production, with HPSM’s Bron Humphrey saying that plans were already in place to promote the AORC even further in 2014.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the Seven Network, Speed, Mark Beretta, and all of our broadcast partners,” said Humphrey. “The exposure generated last year created a real excitement for the category and we’re looking forward to creating new ways of promoting it and expanding to a few new markets as well.”
The 2014 calendar sees five events being held in five states, including the newly-created season opener at Kalgoorlie (WA), the coveted Tatts Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs (NT), the return of Waikerie (SA) to the national Championship, an event in Coffs Harbour (NSW) as a support to the World Rally Championship, and the grand finale at Lockyer Valley (QLD).
All broadcast program details will be confirmed closer to each event, with information published first on the official AORC website: www.aorc.com.au
The 2014 Australian Off Road Championship calendar is:
1. Kalgoorlie, WA: April 19-21 (Easter)
2. Finke, NT: June 6-9
3. Waikerie, SA: July 4-6
4. Coffs Harbour, NSW: September 12-14 (WRC)
5. Lockyer Valley, QLD: October 17-19
