“Catastrophe”, “dramatic”, “shock” – these are just three of the more than clear signal words that the domestic sports landscape is sending out after the announced shutdown of the special interest channel ORF Sport+. She feels the austerity measures announced by the ORF, it seems, as a fatal tackle. Sport fears for one of its biggest stages and criticizes that the ORF is proceeding without a concept.
Here are the reactions!
According to the ORF, the niche broadcaster can only be operated “in accordance with economic feasibility”, Hans Niessl, President of the federal sports organization Sport Austria, sees the termination as a violation of § 4 of the ORF law. “He is obliged to ensure comprehensive sports reporting and to promote the public’s interest in sporting activities. The procedure does not comply with the law,” says Niessl. What doesn’t satisfy him is the ORF’s plan to transfer the program from ORF Sport+ to ORF 1 and to digital spaces: “All of this can’t be packed into ORF 1 and is a huge step backwards for domestic sport.”
The sports associations criticize the missing concept. “First deciding on a cut and then trying to make a concept is very dangerous,” says Philipp Seel, Secretary General of the Volleyball Association. He puts the advertising value that the volleyball federal leagues alone generated on the special interest channel in one year at two to three million euros. The finding from basketball is similar: the special interest channel earned around 2.8 million euros in advertising value in 2020/21, a setting is tantamount to a “catastrophe”.
Several associations fear that the announced transfer of content from ORF Sport+ to ORF 1 will make them disappear from the scene. In addition, according to Hans Niessl, inclusion “cannot be conveyed in the media” without the special interest channel. Furthermore, more reports and focal points from women’s sport are needed, which he fears could not be realized without ORF Sport+.
On Thursday, Niessl convened an extraordinary executive committee meeting. “All umbrella and professional associations will join forces against this conceptless approach,” says Hans Niessl, “we will draft a resolution and send it to the ORF and the sports minister.” ÖPC President Maria Rauch-Kallat is waiting and sees the restructuring as an opportunity. “Paralympic Games should be shown on ORF 1, the athletes deserve that. However, it must be considered how the levels below will continue.”
