BOWLS RETURNS TO SBS AND FOX SPORTS IN 2019

The sport of bowls will enjoy increased television coverage in 2019, with Bowls Australia (BA) today announcing an extension of its broadcast partnership with pay-tv partner Fox Sports Australia and free-to-air partner SBS for 2019.A number of the sport’s coveted premier events will return to Australis’s television screens this year, along with the inaugural World Bowls Challenge, which will debut in November from the Moama Bowling Club in NSW.

Among the programs returning in 2019 is a fourth season of The Bowls Show, with 20 episodes broadcast nationwide from 3.00pm on SBS every Sunday from May 26, and also shown on Fox Sports.

For the second year in a row, the nation’s most prestigious and richest open title, the Australian Open, will be simulcast live on SBS and Fox Sports, with the blue-ribbon men’s and women’s singles and pairs finals to feature on June 13 and 14 from 11.30am until 4.00pm nationwide.

The beloved BPL competition will again be showcased exclusively on Fox Sports with 20 hours of live coverage of the night sessions, including finals, of the tenth instalment of the Bowls Premier League (BPL10) from Queensland’s Club Pine Rivers in November.The World Bowls Challenge, announced jointly in January by World Bowls and Bowls Australia, will feature Australia v Rest of the World in an exciting ten-a-side format played from November 29-30, with the action from both nights broadcast live on Fox Sports.

Jack Heverin will return to the hosting role of The Bowls Show, in addition to anchoring the commentary of events alongside the sport’s biggest personalities, with highlights of events to feature in the program to include the BPL09, Australian Open and Australian Indoor Championships.

Viewers who miss an episode of The Bowls Show or any of the Australian Open finals action will be able to catch-up via the SBS On Demand platform or on Fox Sports.

Bowls Australia Chief Executive Officer Neil Dalrymple said the continuation of the partnership with Fox Sports and SBS was a great result for the sport.

“Fox Sports and SBS have been terrific partners for the sport and we are delighted to continue our broadcast relationship in promoting the sport of bowls to the masses,” he said.

“To continue to have a free-to-air presence for the sport of bowls is vindication of its appeal within Australia and the high-quality of our competitions and athletes.

“Bowls is very much part of the social fabric of Australia, with in excess of 650,000 regular participants in the sport annually, so we’ve worked hard to ensure that everyone continues to have the ability to watch and enjoy the sport on television.

“I encourage the entire bowls community to promote and watch these programs on Fox Sports and SBS to ensure bowls continues to remain at the forefront of sports broadcasting in the future.”

Key details:

The Bowls Show – Season 4
20 weeks from May 26 to October 6
Sundays at 3.00pm on SBS

Australian Open
Live on June 13 and 14
11.30am to 4.00pm on SBS and Fox Sports

Bowls Premier League (BPL10)
Live from November 12 to 15
6:00pm to 11:00pm AEDT

World Bowls Challenge
Live from November 29-30
Times – TBA