Nine’s Stan likely to score English Premier League rights from Optus
Nine’s streaming service Stan looks likely to acquire the Australian broadcast rights for the English Premier League, as Optus pulls away from the sports streaming sector.
The Australian reports that negotiations between Nine and Optus have “progressed significantly” in recent weeks, and a deal to on-sell the rights, worth an estimated $100 million a year, is close to being finalised.
Optus Sport currently holds the rights to the popular league until 2028, after snatching them away from Foxtel in 2016. Last year, Optus reportedly approached potential buyers for expressions of interest for its entire Optus Sport streaming service – but Nine is unlikely to take the service wholesale.
The rights to the most prized football league in the world would be a boon for Nine, after its main sports streaming competitor Foxtel was recently purchased by global player Dazn.
In addition, Disney+ has added two live ESPN channels to its offering, which feature the NBL, NBA, MLB, NFL, and multiple sporting franchises.
Last year, Optus chose not to renew its rights deals for Spanish football league La Liga, or the UEFA Champions League, signalling a shift away from sports streaming and a renewed focus on its core telecommunications model.
It still holds the rights to the FA Cup, the Japanese J League, Korea’s K League, and the US National Women’s Soccer League.
Stan Sport holds the rights to Wimbledon, the UEFA Champions League, and Super Rugby.
An Optus spokesperson told Mumbrella “all companies regularly review their businesses to ensure they are maximising value and realising their full potential – Optus is no different,” adding: “We don’t comment on speculation.”
Nine declined to comment.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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So now we get to pay through the nose for Premier League as well. Great.
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Vodaphone here we come
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