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Swimming Australia CEO Confirms No World C’ships Broadcast Deal

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
  • Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
  • The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
  • Meet site
  • FinaTV Live Stream
  • Entry Lists

As a follow-up to a story we’ve been covering since June concerning a broadcasting deal yet to be struck between FINA and Australian media outlets, Swimming Australia CEO Leigh Russell confirmed today that there will indeed be no such deal.

“Understanding that a broadcast deal couldn’t be reached in AUS for the Worlds, we were working to get a livestream up through our iSwim app. Unfortunately, we can’t complete technical requirements in the tiny timeframe given,” Russell tweeted today, July 19th concerning the situation.

“Australians can still view the racing through by downloading the FINA TV app and keep up to date with our Dolphins results via

Aside from 2013, this marks the first time since 1986 that the world’s biggest aquatic competition outside the Olympics has not been broadcast in Australia.

You can read our previous coverage on this situation here:

Updated since original publishing:

  • FINA would like to clarify that Swimming Australia will stream all Swimming sessions on their iSwim app, free of charge. The iSwim app is only available for download in Australia.
  • Moreover, FINAtv is showing all the disciplines from the FINA World Championships, both live and on-demand, and is available on subscription in Australia.

https://twitter.com/leighmrussell/status/1152049686032687104

https://twitter.com/leighmrussell/status/1152050152628084736

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Joe
5 years ago

Becomes a big issue to market you great swimmers pre Olympics and attract sponsorship, especially with the loss of major companies such as Optus.

Where to next for Australian swimming?

straightblackline
5 years ago

The fact no Australian tv network was prepared to pay the FINA asking price proves once again that Australia is not the swimming-crazed nation that many believe it to be. The sport of cycling gets much more media coverage and no-one thinks of Australia as a cycling-mad country.

Ger
5 years ago

Looks like Canadian TV has live coverage. VPN required outside Canada: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/aquatics/world-aquatics-championships-south-korea-1.5204543

Rainforestt
5 years ago

With an Android box you can stream the Olympic Channel from pretty much anywhere.

William Charles Alexander
Reply to  Rainforestt
5 years ago

I have an android box… can u give me some instructions on how i would go about streaming Olympic channel live? Much appreciated.

What an absolute travesty that no channel in Australia will fork out the money to broadcast the biggest swimming event, save the olympics. An absolute disgrace and shame. Spare a thought for the millions of kids around Oz who will be robbed of witnessing the prodigous Ariarne Titmus battle Head to Head with the great Katie Ledecky. Sigh….. 😪

Ger
5 years ago

Looks like no live coverage in the UK as well.

Jeff
Reply to  Ger
5 years ago

At least we get coverage. We have a 1.5 hour overview of each day except for day 1 because of the London Anniversary Games and Netball World Cup final.

CT Swim Fan
5 years ago

According to their onscreen TV schedule, the Olympic Channel will have the Day 1 swimming heats live on Saturday night 7/20 at 9 PM. Eastern time. According to the schedule, the 1st group of semis and finals start at 7 AM Eastern time Sunday morning 7/21. They have shown all forms of aquatics this week and done a good job of it. I think this channel will be covering everything from the swimming venue. I would imagine it is also online as well, but not sure about that.

Verram
5 years ago

Such a shame since gwangju is pretty much around similar Timezone to Australia which makes for prime time viewing to see the swimming athletes .. opportunity lost again due to greed

Troy
5 years ago

FINA TV was more expensive than expected after exchange ($35AU) and even more if you don’t change the currency at the website from Euros to USD.

Samesame
Reply to  Troy
5 years ago

I paid for it last week Troy . I understand why people wouldn’t pay though . I’ve actually really enjoyed some diving and open water this week but can’t wait for next week. Also World Juniors in August. I’ve decided it is worth it. But I’m still annoyed at paying.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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