Nine buys Premier League rights in Australia as Optus Sport shuts down
Optus Sport will be shut down after a deal was finalised to transfer Premier League, FA Cup football and its remaining suite of sports broadcast rights to Nine Entertainment and Stan for an expected sum of around $300m.
The rights to the J. League and National Women's Soccer League will also be transferred as part of the deal, as Stan Sport bolsters its live and on-demand offering that already includes the Uefa Champions League, Wimbledon, Super Rugby and the British & Irish Lions tour.
Optus Sport subscribers will still be able to watch the 2025 Uefa Women's Euro tournament starting on 3 July on the streaming platform before it is closed in its entirety from 1 August.
'This marks a step change in Nine's digital growth strategy,' said Matt Stanton, Nine chief executive. 'The Premier League is the most-watched football league on the planet, and alongside the Emirates FA Cup, this acquisition reinforces Nine's position as the home of sport in Australia.'
On completion of the agreement, Stan will pay Optus an upfront $20m and make a significant contribution towards the first payment of the next rights cycle. Optus will reportedly contribute $40m a year to the annual $100m rights payments that Stan will now make to the Premier League.
Optus Sport launched in 2016 and soon established a foothold in the Australian sports broadcast market with rights to the Premier League and Fifa World Cups.
But the sale of its full suite of sports rights makes Stan Sport the clear challenger to Dazn-backed Foxtel/Kayo Sports which holds rights to the AFL and NRL.
Stan will provide existing Optus Sport customers who continue to pay for an account with the Optus telecommunications brand with discounted pricing as part of the deal. Current subscribers to both the Optus Sport and Stan Sport/Stan Entertainment platforms will also be provided with fresh offers.
'We are proud of the contribution of Optus Sport to the elevation of football broadcasting in this country and have watched audiences in both the men and women's game continue to grow during this time, ' said Stephen Rue, chief executive of Optus.
'Among all the games streamed over the last decade, clear highlights include the broadcast of the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup hosted in Australia, which was a historic moment for Optus and women's sport across the globe, and the men's Uefa Euro 2024 hosted in Germany.'
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Stan will begin screening Premier League content before the upcoming season kicks off on 16 August as it holds the rights to one of the most popular sports brands in the world until at least 2028.
The streaming platform already holds exclusive rights to show the FA Community Shield between Liverpool and Crystal Palace on 11 August as it stakes a claim to being the home of global football in Australia.
The A-Leagues as well as Matildas and Socceroos internationals will continue to be screened on Paramount+ and free-to-air on Channel 10.
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