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Rugby Australia could receive a multimillion-dollar cash boost if the underperforming Wallabies win more matches under a proposed broadcast deal with Nine Entertainment destined to run until the end of the decade.
The media giant is on the verge of signing a new agreement after its board approved a five-year broadcast deal worth more than $210 million to air Wallabies, Wallaroos, and Super Rugby matches across Channel Nine and subscription streaming service Stan.
Nine’s previous agreement with Rugby Australia was worth about $150 million over five years in cash and free advertising.
Several sources familiar with the negotiations, not authorised to speak publicly, said the new agreement is expected to include cash incentives related to the performance of the men’s national team and Super Rugby clubs, which have struggled to attract viewers over the past decade because of their poor win-loss rate. The targets could deliver more than $30 million in extra cash for the code over five years if they are met, the sources said.
“We can confirm we’ve reached an in-principle agreement with Rugby Australia,” a Nine spokesman said. “We will share more details in due course as we finalise the contractual arrangements.”
Rugby Australia declined to comment.
Nine’s new broadcast deal is critical for Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh who has laid out an ambitious win rate target of 70 per cent within four years.
The woeful performance of local Super Rugby teams and the Wallabies over the past decade has significantly affected merchandise and ticket sales. The main value of the broadcast rights is tied to the Wallabies, which has also reduced the amount of money broadcasters would historically offer.
The Wallabies’ failure to reach the knockout stage of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 2023 and the tumultuous 10-month tenure of coach Eddie Jones put further pressure on the sport, which has lost fans and players to other codes including the rugby league.
There are signs its fortunes may slowly be changing – Mr Waugh has nationalised the sport’s high-performance team and the Wallabies won almost half their matches under current coach Joe Schmidt in 2024 (a significant improvement on the previous year).
Schmidt’s contract is expected to end after the British and Irish Lions Tour later this year unless he agrees to an extension.
Nine, the owner of The Australian Financial Review, snapped up the rugby rights for a discount in 2020 after Rugby Australia walked away from a renewal offer with long-term partner Foxtel and failed to negotiate a deal with Optus before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down global sport.
The initial deal ran for three years and was worth $100 million (Nine opted in to a two-year extension which expires this year). The new deal, if agreed, is a 40 per cent increase on the current arrangement which includes the 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour. It is unclear how much Nine will provide in cash versus contra (free advertising).
Rugby union is important to Nine because it underpins Stan’s subscription growth strategy and also presents opportunities for advertisers on its free-to-air television network.
The company privately claims the sport has been a strong performer, but it does not disclose these numbers publicly nor separate the number of Stan subscribers that purchase its sports package.
Nine’s new broadcast deal, if finalised, is separate from the broadcast deals for the 2027 men’s and 2029 women’s World Cups, which the company has also bid to broadcast.
Sport appears to be critical to Nine’s future strategy: it has considered buying Optus Sport, the broadcaster of major soccer tournaments including the Premier League, K League and J League, and was also interested in purchasing local rival Foxtel before it was bought by British sports streaming giant Dazn.
Live sport is expensive but one of the few ways traditional broadcasters can attract and retain audiences, and indicative of how Nine is thinking about its future.
The company, which also owns The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and several radio stations, is expected to be a key player in the upcoming negotiations for a new NRL broadcast deal.
The rights are currently split between Nine (which broadcasts matches on free-to-air and 9Now) and Foxtel (which broadcasts matches exclusively on Fox League and Kayo Sports). Rugby league sources said the NRL is considering splitting the rights among a group of broadcasters.
This would potentially provide a broadcast partner with exclusivity on particular days, key rounds, or flagship events like the State of Origin. The move could allow the NRL to maximise the money it makes but put pressure on costs for successful bidders.
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