Nine's Wide World of Sports

Background
Nine's Wide World of Sports is the long running sports anthology brand used by the Nine Network in Australia, introduced in 1982 to replace the old "Nine Sports" name. All major sport events and series covered by the network are broadcast under this brand.

(1977?-1982)


Logo is at 0:45 Logo: We see the 9 Sports logo in blue against footage of a satelite spinning above the Earth.

FX/SFX: Live action model work, presumably stock footage.

Music/Sounds: a funky disco theme

Availability: Extinct. Check those tapes.

Editor's Note: None.

1st Logo (1982-March 1992)


Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe", "Sports Globe"

Logo: On a black background, we see a sparkling gold Channel Nine logo without the dots to the left of it, off centered from the middle of the screen. A bunch of glowing yellow balls appear one by one, circling around the logo and creating various thin blue circles that rotate behind the logo in a way that resembles an atom. The glowing balls then start to create the dots in the Channel Nine logo one by one, flashing as they land in place, while the thin circles that surround it all wrap into an oval that encloses the logo. This oval then becomes a wireframe globe (similar to the one in the Worldvision logo), as "WIDE WORLD" and "OF SPORTS" flash in above and below the logo respectively, both colored white and in an old looking computer font.

Closing Variant: At the end of sport telecasts or productions, a truncated version of the logo is used, beginning from the point where the "WIDE WORLD" and "OF SPORTS" texts flashes in. Another closing variant also exists, which has the logo start from the point where the blue circles are almost finished wrapping around the Channel Nine logo.

Variant: On cricket and golf matches aired by Nine from c.1985 onward, special variations were used which will be described at a later date. FX/SFX: The sparkles on the Channel Nine logo (plus it's dots), the glowing balls flying around and flashing as they stop in place, the rotating circles that eventually combine into the wireframe globe, and the text flashing in.

Music/Sounds: A bunch of laser sound effects with a 9-note xylophone theme that coincides with each dot forming on the Channel Nine logo, followed by a funky fanfare played on a drum, trombone, and saxophone. The closing variant usually had the closing theme playing over it, with long time Channel Nine announcer Steve Britten (or ex-cricketer and renowned commentator Richie Benaud on cricket matches) saying: "This has been another presentation from Nine's Wide World of Sports."

Music/Sounds Variant: The previously described cricket and golf variations have the opening excerpt of "New Horizons" by Brian Bennett in place of the regular logo theme.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen at the start and the end of Channel Nine sport telecasts between 1982-1992, as well as episodes of Wide World of Sports and Sports Sunday from the time period, but it usually can't be seen nowadays outside of old off-air recordings. The cricket variant had made a few appearances in recent years when Channel Nine aired an old cricket match to fill time when a current match was rained out, but after Nine lost the rights to televise international cricket matches in 2018, this variant has also become extinct outside of off-air recordings.

Editor's Note: This logo looked pretty neat for it's time, but by 1992, it was starting look rather dated. Nonetheless, it's a favorite of many, particularly to those who grew up watching sports on Channel Nine.

2nd Logo (April 1992-December 1996)
Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe II", "Sports Globe II"

Logo: On a black background, several gold CGI spears fly around the screen in many directions, each of which leave a silver trail behind them that fades away shortly afterwards. The Channel Nine logo (in gold and without the dots) then zooms out from the right side of the screen, with the spears stopping in place to the left of it one by one, flashing as they create the dots in the logo. As the Channel Nine logo continues to zoom out, a silver wireframe globe draws itself in, which the logo stops in the center of. Once the globe is complete and the final dot stops in place, the Channel Nine logo begins to sparkle and shine as "WIDE WORLD" and "OF SPORTS" flash in above and below the logo respectively, this time in a more conventional font and with some shine effects.

Closing Variant: TBA

Variants: TBA

FX/SFX: The spheres flying around, the trails left behind by them, the Channel Nine logo zooming into place, the wireframe globe drawing in, the text flashing in, and the sparkling and shining effects on the logo and text. Very good CGI for 1992.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo, but recomposed. The laser sound effects are replaced with a heavenly choir, the 9-note xylophone theme has been redone, and the majestic drum, trombone, and saxophone fanfare at the end now sounds more professional.

Music/Sounds Variants: A few different variations of the opening theme exist, but here's some of the ones we've been able to find.
 * Like the previous logo, the cricket variant uses the opening excerpt of "New Horizons" by Brian Bennett.


 * On Formula One races televised with this logo in 1992, the theme from the previous logo is heard, but with the added sound effects of F1 cars revving and rattle guns in use during the fanfare. From 1993 onwards, all Formula One race telecasts used the standard logo theme instead.
 * On Motorcycle Grand Prix telecasts, the sounds of motorcycles revving can be heard during the fanfare. Two different variants were known to be used in 1994 and 1995 respectively.

Availability: Rare. Seen at the start and the end of Channel Nine sport telecasts between 1992-1996, as well as episodes of Wide World of Sports and Sports Sunday from the time period. Once again, you'll likely need to look at old off-air recordings to find this logo for yourself nowdays, but the standard logo can also be found on the 1997 VHS release of The Best of The Footy Show: Volume 3 (and presumably on the first two volumes too). As per the previous logo, the cricket variant had made appearances in recent years when Channel Nine aired an old cricket match to fill time when a current match was rained out until they lost the rights to televise international cricket matches in 2018. However, this variant can still be seen on several cricket-related VHS releases issued by Visual Entertainment Group/Australian Cricket Video from the time period.

Editor's Note: A great successor to the previous logo, especially with it's brilliant CGI effects and more lively theme.

3rd Logo (January 1997-December 2000)


Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe III", "Sports Globe III"

Logo: Same as the 2nd logo, but with slightly redone animation. The spears/dots and the Channel Nine logo are in a more brighter shade of gold, the trails and wireframe globe are now blue, with the latter glowing in various places. The flash in effects for the "WIDE WORLD" and "OF SPORTS" text are also much improved, and the shining effects for the text are more noticeable compared to the previous logo.

Closing Variant: TBA

Variants: TBA

FX/SFX: Same as the 2nd logo, but with the added glow effects on the wireframe globe and brighter colors overall.

Music/Sounds: The same theme from the previous logo, but redone in a guitar-heavy rock style

Availability: Rare. Seen at the start and the end of Channel Nine sport telecasts between 1997-2000, as well as episodes of Wide World of Sports (until the show was discontinued in 1999) and Sports Sunday from the time period. This logo can be found on the DVD release of ''Howzat! Kerry Packer War'' as an extra feature on Disc 3.

Editor's Note: None

4th Logo (January 2001-2004)
Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe IV", "Sports Globe IV"

Logo: On an orange background, we see sports paraphernalia and imagery, surrounded by futuristic graphics and diagrams, as glowing orange dots fly past rapidly. Two of the dots collide causing an explosion. We zoom out as the wireframe globe appears and the dots fly in to form the 9 logo as per the previous intros. The logo zooms out to a comfortable distance and the words "wide world of sports" appear with a flash above and below the logo.

Closing Variant: We see the logo animate as usual from the appearance of the 9 logo onwards.

Variant: From 2002, the logo and globe were updated to look slightly more metallic. The dots in the 9 logo were also changed to spheres.

FX/SFX: CGI

Music/Sounds: A remixed/re orchestrated version of the previous logo's theme. The closing variant has a whoosh sound and an announcer delivering the same spiel used since the 2nd logo.

Music/Sounds Variant: Cricket broadcasts used an alternate theme which would lead in to an updated version of "New Horizsons"

Availability: Seen on sports broadcasts from the time.

Editor's Note: None

5th Logo (2004-2006)


Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe VI", "Sports Globe VI"

Logo: An updated version of the previous opening which uses live action sports footage instead of CG images of sports paraphernalia

FX/SFX: CGI and Live Action

Music/Sounds: An updated, higher-pitched version of the previous logo's theme

Availability: Same as the previous logos

Editor's Note: None

6th Logo (2006-2008)
Nicknames: "Nine's Not So Wide World of Sports" "No Globe" (2006-2008 version) "Wireframe Globe VII", "Sports Globe VII", "Return of The Globe" (2008 version)

Logo: Against a roundel of lights, we see overlaid footage from various sports events. We then see the roundel from above which zooms out, resulting in a flash which reveals the new Wide World of Sports logo- the new dot-less Channel 9 logo in its standard blue square with a white rectangle containing the text "Wide World of Sports", with sports being bigger than the rest of the text.

Later Variant: When Channel 9 rebranded in 2008 and re-instated the dots, the intro was updated. Some new clips were used and the 2006 WWOS logo was replaced with an updated version of the wireframe globe, positioned higher in the frame than the earlier rectangle logo.

FX/SFX: CGI and live action

Music/Sounds: A funkier version of the previous theme with various commentary clips corresponding to the sports shown played over it.

Availability: Same as the previous logos

Editor's Note: None

7th Logo (2008-2012)


Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe VIII", "Sports Globe VIII"

Logo: Against a background of light streaks, we see CGI figures performing a number of sporting actions, such as hitting and bowling a cricket ball and racing on a horse. Finally, we see the parts of the wireframe globe zoom out and rotate into place as the WWOS logo forms.

Closing Variant: A shortened variant with a voiceover by Channel 9 Sports presenter Ken Sutcliffe (Or Richie Benaud on cricket matches) delivering the traditional closing statement of "This has been another presentation of Nine's Wide World of Sports.

FX/SFX: All CGI

Music/Sounds: A new modern rock version of the classic WWOS theme.

Availability: Same as the previous logos

Editor's Note: None

8th Logo (2012- )
Nicknames: "Wireframe Globe IX", "Sports Globe IX"

Logo: On a white background, a series of red CGI spheres drop down and explode into larger wireframe spheres, which then fill out into solid spheres. We then cut to several shots of CGI streaks crossing the screen, which in turn, cuts to the elements forming the classic WWOS wireframe globe logo on a tilted angle. The globe then zooms out and tilts to a regular angle, stopping in the center of the screen as the "WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS" text flies out from the bottom of the screen and stops underneath the globe. FX/SFX: This logo is all CGI, containing no live-action clips. This is the first WWOS logo since the 2001 logo to feature no live-action clips.

Closing Variant: A short version of the opening logo with the same VO from the previous logo. The Benaud version was still used on cricket matches and continued to be used after his death in 2015 as a tribute to him.

Variants:
 * Starting from early 2016, the logo was recolored light blue and became more glossier.
 * There are also purple and yellow variants.

Music/Sounds: The same theme from the previous logo.

Availability: Current. The original red variant was seen on all Channel Nine sport broadcasts between 2012-2016, while the blue variant has been used on said broadcasts since 2016.

Editor's Note: None