Swimming’s "time in the broadcasting wilderness appears to be ending" following the Seven Network’s announcement that it has secured the TV rights for this year’s world championships in Kazan, Russia and the '17 world championships in Budapest, according to Nicole Jeffery of THE AUSTRALIAN. There "was considerable angst within the sport in 2013 when no Australian network was willing to pay the fee the International Swimming Federation demanded to broadcast the 2013 Barcelona world titles." However, those world titles signaled "the start of the national team’s recovery." Seven’s willingness to pick up the next two world championships "is a further vote of confidence in the sport’s revival." It "is unclear how much Seven paid for the rights." The network "is expanding its coverage of Olympic sports in the wake of its deal to broadcast the next two Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020 (as well as the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea)." It "has also secured the rights to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast." Swimming Australia "is also hopeful Seven will pick up the rights to the national trials" when its current deal with Ten expires next year (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/12).
