SUPERCARS CONTINUES SHIFT TO SYDNEY

Supercars continues shift to Sydney – Photo: InSyde Media

Supercars’ media communications department has shifted south in the latest move to centralise administration in Sydney.

By MARK FOGARTY

Media and digital content will now be run out of the sport’s executive headquarters in North Sydney on the Harbour City’s lower north shore.

Main operational divisions will remain at Supercars’ long-time Southport office on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Amid the rise of digital media, Supercars’ comms staff had until now remained up north.

The main administrative office was moved after Sydney based James Warburton took over as CEO in mid-2013.

Operational departments have remained on the Gold Coast, where Supercars had been based since its inception in 1997.

The creep to Sydney has increased since Sean Seamer took over as CEO in early 2018, with most senior executives based there.

The comms department’s move has cost Supercars at least two key content providers.

Supercars web site editor Stefan Bartholomaeus and writer Connor O’Brien have taken redundancy packages rather than move to Sydney.

Bartholomaeus has joined Melbourne-based AN1 Media while remaining on the Gold Coast.

Supercars media manager Paul Glover stays, commuting to Sydney on a regular basis.

No replacements for Bartholomaeus or O’Brien have been announced.

They provided the written coverage and oversaw video content on supercars.com.au.

Glover is the direct interface with motorsport and mainstream media – and will remain so in his nominally Sydney based position.

Supercars’ big boss of comms, Felicity Hamblin, was already in Sydney.

Hamblin was on maternity leave for most of this season, but is due to return to active duty in January.

Supercars’ Southport office will continue as the base for events management, corporate hospitality, and the sporting and technical departments.

Several senior executives are still based on the Gold Coast because that’s where the sport started and where they have established family lives.

They have resisted moves to Sydney because of the cost of relocation and lifestyle preferences.

When Supercars started, most teams were based in southeast Queensland. Now only three are there. Five are in Melbourne, one is in Albury on the NSW/Vic border and the other is nominally in Sydney.

AUTO ACTION understands the relocation of the media and communications department is linked to Supercars’ “digital transformation” plan.

It will work more closely with Fox Sports and returned free-to-air TV partner Channel 7 on shared and interacted content.

It’s understood there was a push from Seven for integrated, multi-platform coverage.

“We now have an FTA broadcaster with vision,” said an insider, alluding to Network Ten’s cursory coverage over the past six years.

Supercars Media, the sport’s broadcast division, works out of Sydney, where the Seven Network is also based.

They are set to work more closely, simulcasting all coverage.

Commentators and reporters will be shared between Fox Sports and Seven.

Supercars’ increasing administrative centralisation is not only because its big bosses are Sydneysiders.

It is also because Sydney is Australia’s main media market, placing Supercars admin in the centre of sports rights and sponsorship consideration.

As well, it reflects NSW’s importance to the series, with three high-profile events of next year’s 12 rounds.

Government tourist promotion agency Destination NSW is backing the season-opener at Mount Panorama, the SuperNight at Sydney Motorsport Park and the Bathurst 1000.

DNSW has an announced multi-year agreement with Supercars, including the return of the Newcastle 500 as the opening round in 2022.

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