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Report: Nine poised for Rugby Australia rights

Is Foxtel's long-running deal with Rugby Australia about to end?

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Rugby Australia looks set to approve an offer by Nine Entertainment Co to broadcast games from next year, according to media reports.

Nine-owned Sydney Morning Herald reports Super Rugby matches and Wallabies Tests could be Live on Nine Network and Stan in 2021.

Nine has reportedly offered about $30 million a year in cash and free advertising. Nine is expected to air Wallabies Tests, the Rugby Championship and one game a week of Super Rugby. All other matches are expected to screen via Stan.

Any agreement with Nine would mark an end to the relationship between RA and Foxtel, which has broadcast rugby games for more than two decades.

RA sources insist no contract has been signed.

13 Responses

  1. The Rugby Championship is dead, SA is turning it’s attention to the Northern Hemisphere as it inevitably would because of the timezone. Super Rugby and The Bledisloe Cup are dead because haven’t beaten NZ at any form of Rugby for 20 years. If the Kiwi’s return to Australia it would make more sense showing them NZ Rugby on Stan, than trying flog Australian Rugby.

    Club Rugby is of poor quality. State based sides are artificial franchises with no history that people have no loyalty for and the Wallabies would struggle to beat Japan.

  3. Stan requires content after losing its showtime output deal and missing out on others. What better way than with sport. Nine need to be careful how they handle this. As mentioned in some other comments Nine can charge a premium due to its ratings but it can go so easily wrong. Just look at Sevens balance sheet.

  4. The fact that they are the No.1 rating network which probably produces higher advertising revenue, plus they are in a better financial position overall than the others. This could explain why they can spend this amount of money.

    1. Good comment, standard HD is $14 and Premium with 4K is $19 ,if they could include it with the Premium it may be an enticing deal but I would be careful to charge too much in this current economic climate we are in.

  7. Will channel 9 bitch and moan about the fact they paid too much when the ratings don’t go as well as they hoped ,seems all the rage lately with FTA network’s who pay too much for sport and realize it doesn’t deliver the ratings and following that they had hoped.

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