Nine Entertainment has signed a new long-term agreement with the National Rugby League (NRL) for coverage of key events on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Nine and NRL have had a long-running relationship that is now extending into its fourth decade. With the new deal, Channel 9 and 9Now will bring to Australian audiences the State of Origin series, the NRL Grand Final, and the Women’s State of Origin. It also covers free-to-air and free streaming rights to three live NRL matches each week, the NRL Finals Series, 33 live NRLW matches, the NRLW Final Series, the NRLW Grand Final, and Men’s and Women’s Test Matches played in Australia.
Matt Stanton, Nine’s CEO, commented, “As our partnership with the NRL enters its fourth decade, this agreement reinforces Nine’s long-term strategy of investing in premium live sport and the moments that matter most. The next era presents an extraordinary opportunity for rugby league. Nine brings together an unmatched breadth of media capabilities and a proven track record of growing audiences, deepening fandom and creating cultural moments around the game’s biggest occasions. This year alone, the top two highest-rating television programs across any Australian broadcaster have both been NRL, demonstrating the enduring strength of the game and the opportunity that still lies ahead. We’re uniquely positioned to help unlock the next phase of the game’s growth.”
Amanda Laing, Nine’s MD for streaming and broadcast, added, “The measure of a great sporting partnership is the growth of the audiences it builds, the fandom it creates and the long-term growth it unlocks for the sport. The audience momentum we’ve seen across rugby league in recent years has been exceptional. Australians are spending more time with the game than ever before, State of Origin has delivered the biggest audiences in its history, and free streaming on 9Now continues to set new records. Those results don’t happen by chance. They come from continually evolving with audiences and finding new ways to strengthen the connection between fans and the game.”
Peter V’landys, chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, added, “This agreement is the largest commercial deal ever secured by an Australian sport, but its significance goes well beyond the financial outcome. It returns the draw back to the NRL and will ensure fair and equitable scheduling for all Clubs. It also gives us greater flexibility to shape the future of the game and ensures more fans can access rugby league than ever before. We entered these negotiations with a clear objective—secure long-term growth while retaining control of the things that matter most. We have achieved that outcome.”
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said, “This agreement reflects the strength of rugby league today and confidence in where the game can go next. It is the result of years of planning, discipline, and execution by the Commission as we positioned the game to maximize its value in a rapidly changing media landscape. The outcome gives us the certainty, flexibility and resources to pursue ambitious growth opportunities across every level of the game.”
