Many ns were left confused when they tuned in to watch the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday morning.
The Olympics got off to a flying start with the star-studded performance airing live at 3.30am AEST, with Celine Dion and Lady Gaga taking to the stage.
Repeats of the ceremony aired throughout the morning, with day one coverage of the sporting competition kicking off again at 7pm AEST.
Aussies tuned in to watch the Olympians compete in the swimming pool, including in the women’s 3m synchronised diving final and the men’s 100m breast heats.
However, many were left confused as they switched on Channel Seven on Saturday evening only to find a repeat of Whoopi Goldberg’s movie Sister Act playing.
In a huge TV shake-up, the Olympics coverage is instead airing on Channel Nine this year after the network won the rights to air the sports spectacular along with Stan.
Remarking on the change, one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter): ‘Is it too late for Channel Seven to take over the Olympics? Channel Nine, you are ruining the games and it’s only been on for five minutes.’
Seven, the long-running home of the Olympics in , was unable to stretch its budget to secure the rights to Paris 2024. It comes as the network faces serious financial problems and widespread job cuts.
n viewers were left confused when they tuned in to watch the hotly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday (participants are seen gathering around the Seine River)
Instead of airing the Olympics, Channel Seven aired a repeat of Whoopi Goldberg’s movie Sister Act (pictured), after Channel Nine secured the rights
Seven first broadcast the Olympics in 1956 but briefly lost the rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics, before signing an exclusive deal from 2016 until 2020.
However, this year Nine reportedly offered in excess of $300million for the broadcast rights to the Olympics – $100million more than Seven West Media.
Nine already owns the rights to the n Open and also pays about $100million for the free-to-air NRL rights.
It was previously reported Seven lost about $50million covering the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The shake-up also saw Bruce McAvaney make a shock defection to the ABC to cover the Paris Olympics after spending 30 years as one of Seven’s biggest stars.
On Saturday, Aussies tuned in to watch the country’s Olympians compete in the swimming pool, including in the men’s 400metre freestyle heats (pictured: ‘s Ariarne Titmus)
After Seven lost the rights to the Olympics, Bruce McAvaney made a shock defection to the ABC to cover the sporting event after spending 30 years as one of Seven’s biggest stars
Regarded as the voice of footy for his work calling the AFL, Bruce, 71, is also fondly remembered for calling major Olympics moments like Cathy Freeman’s gold medal run in Sydney.
He is now once again calling the games, working on the ABC Radio commentary team alongside Aussie Olympics stars including ex-sprinter Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and swimmer Sarah Ryan.
‘I’ve always thought the Olympics was the ultimate event for an n broadcaster. To be given this opportunity by the ABC means a great deal to me,’ Bruce previously shared.