A classic Australian sports show is returning.
Sports Nightly aired weeknights on Channel 12 from 1980 to 2015, after the late night news, and became an essential way for nightowls to catch up on the day’s sports events.
The shows navigated the interstate Barassi Line politics by giving fair and balanced coverage to rugby league, rugby union, and Australian rules every March to September (while cricket dominated the summer months), with the second half of the 30-minute show focusing on international sports and quirkier stories.
The revival was sparked when former host Matt Webster was included on Channel 7’s Rugby League World Cup coverage. Webster’s appearance sparked a lot of reminiscing about Sports Nightly on social media. In a rare display of harmony across various social media platforms, lots of users shared their favourite memories of the show, with one user saying that watching highlights of a State of Origin game in the early 2000s reignited their love for rugby league following the Super League War.
Channel 12 took notice and announced that the show would be returning after the World Cup, just in time for the summer of cricket.
“From Monday November 16, Sports Nightly will return at 11pm five nights a week on our digital channel 12Extra,” said a Channel 12 spokesperson. “We chose to put it on 12Extra as it gives the show time to find an audience, after more than a decade off the air, without the ratings pressures of being on our main network. Though we are open to moving it to Channel 12 in the future if the demand is there.”
Webster is excited about the show’s return. “My head’s in World Cup mode right now, but I’m looking forward to diving straight back into Sports Nightly as soon as the tournament is over. I’ve heard they’re trying to get as many of the old crew back as possible. It’ll be like a school reunion. Except with people you actually enjoyed working with.”
