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Seven Network announces exclusive Commonwealth Games rights

Fresh from its return as an Olympics broadcaster, the Seven Network has announced it also has exclusive rights to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – and is promising coverage like never before.

In just under four years’ time the Metricon Stadium will take centre stage across the globe as the Games return to Queensland for the first time since 1982.

The Seven Network's winning bid comes just two weeks after securing the Olympic Broadcast rights.


Kerry Stokes, the Seven West Media chairman, said: “We are going to be committed totally through the whole organisation to make the Commonwealth Games a success for Australia to showcase the Gold Coast, to showcase our athletes."

Mike Hooper, the Commonwealth Games Federation CEO, added: “It will make Australia proud, it'll make Australians proud and it will certainly make the people of the Commonwealth proud."

And Tim Worner, the Seven Media Group CEO, promises coverage like never before. He said: “We don't just have television rights, we have all rights and by 2018 the way we consume those events is going to be completely revolutionised."

And, of course, having the Games on home soil ensures prime time coverage for all of the biggest moments, meaning more Australians can watch our athletes try to reclaim our rightful place as rulers of the sporting empire.

Performers on stage during Gold Coast 2018 flag handover during the Closing Ceremony for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at Hampden Park. Credit: Getty
Performers on stage during Gold Coast 2018 flag handover during the Closing Ceremony for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at Hampden Park. Credit: Getty

Gold Coast set for massive transformation

When the Commonwealth Games flag is raised above Metricon Stadium for the opening ceremony in 2018, the tourist city will have undergone a major change.

Almost 7000 athletes from more than 70 countries will call the Gold Coast home during competition and the city already has a major headstart on preparations with 80 per cent of the venues built.

The 71 teams will compete at 18 locations across the Coast, in Brisbane and North Queensland.

Many are just tiny venues soon to be transformed into world class facilities and there are big plans for construction.

Work is already underway on the $500 million Athletes Village at Parkland, which will house 6000 people – before being transformed into the centrepiece of a new light industrial area.

Mark Peters, Games organiser, said: “It'll create more jobs and will diversify our economy, so everything we are doing as part of putting the Games fabric together is looking at what the long term benefits for the coast are."

Some venues are already complete while sound stages at Movie World will become the boxing and table tennis venues.

There will be netball and basketball finals at the Convention Centre while Robina Stadium will host the rugby sevens.

A new sports and leisure centre there will cater for wrestling and badminton and a new sports centre at Coomera, to be built on these fields behind Dream World, will be the home of gymnastics and netball.

Before the Commonwealth Games begin every venue will have hosted a separate major sporting event as a trial.

In 2015 the World Masters Bowls will be held at Broadbeach and it is expected the Gold Coast will be awarded the 2016 World Badminton Championships within weeks.

“It may well be we'll have the Australian schools championships on the new athletics field and we may have a special Gold Coast international where we can get the schoolkids there,” Mr Peters added.

The call to rally an army of volunteers to work at the games will go out in 18 months.

WATCH: Mike Hooper, the CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation, talks to 7News after the network was granted exclusive rights to the 2018 games.