The broadcaster has been negotiating a deal with the current Premier League rights holder, Optus, to acquire rights for the 2025-26 season.
It has long been reported that Australia’s largest broadcaster is in the market to add the world’s most watched football competition, the English Premier League, to its growing library on Stan Sport, which currently has the rights to the UEFA’s Champions League, Europa League Conference League.
Media reports over the weekend suggest Nine could reveal it has acquired the Optus Sports’ EPL rights as early as this week.
Optus first secured Premier League Rights in 2016 as a driver for subscriptions and bundle packages. Previously Foxtel has held the rights.
In 2021, Optus inked a fresh six-year deal valued at $600 million for the rights until 2028. The telco has decided to resell its remaining rights as it pivots away from broadcasting sport.
It has been reported that Nine could pay $300 million for the second half of the rights duration.
Stan’s subscription numbers have been relatively stable in the past couple of years—hoverinG around 2.3 million—however it has been building its live sports offering, primarily in rugby, football and tennis, to help the SVOD grow its nuMbers.
Further integrating Stan into Nine’s business and the way it commissions, produces and monetises shows is a core part of new strategy revealed by Amanda Laing, who has recently been appointed to lead Nine’s TV, Stan and radio businesses.
On Friday, Laing said that Nine’s streaming and broadcasting business needed a structural overhaul.
Nine’s former director of television Michale Healy has been named executive director of entertainment. Stan’s chief content officer Cailah Scobie is the executive director of entertainment content acquisitions, and Fiona Dear will be executive director of news and current affairs.
