Big things are happening in the NRL world as the Rugby League’s multi billion dollar broadcast rights are about to hit the open market. With the current deal with Foxtel and Channel Nine running out in 2027, the Aussie Rugby League Commission, headed by Peter V’landys, is looking to cash in on the rising value of sports broadcasting. They’re already talking about launching negotiations this year, aiming to have the deal locked in by mid 2025. Latest reports suggest that there are some major players throwing their hat into the ring – including Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount.
In 2020, Peter V’landys pulled off a huge win when he secured a mammoth $1.7 billion deal with Foxtel and Channel Nine. Since then, the way Australians and sports fans worldwide consume sports content has shifted – and now streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video are making a serious push to get in on the cash cow. This sparks a major shift from previous negotiations when traditional broadcasters like Foxtel and Channel Nine held all of the cards.
There are recent examples of shifts in worldwide sports coverage, with Optus securing the rights for the English Premier League, Stan securing the rights for the UEFA Champions League and Prime Video securing the rights for the 2023 & 2027 ICC cricket tournaments. All of these deals represented landmark broadcasting agreements for their respective licensing partners, which keeps money in the game. However, for the average sports fan it does offer a conundrum. For fans, this could mean even more access, better coverage, and, potentially, a whole lot of new ways to follow your favourite teams and players. It could also mean having to be subscribed to multiple platforms to get access to all 8 games per week, which might be a hard sell for the average Rugby League fan. Either way, the next few years are going to be exciting for Rugby League as a code.
Of course, changes are on the horizon for Foxtel too. The sports broadcasting world is buzzing with news that DAZN – the global sports streaming service – is eyeing up a massive $3.4 billion deal with the network. But even with these shifts in the landscape, V’landys isn’t too concerned about the NRL’s future deal. He’s confident that the league’s rising profile, both here and abroad, will keep the cash flowing. Internationally, the NRL’s popularity is on the up, especially after the success of events like the NRL Vegas games, which brought a whole new audience to the sport. And when you look at how rugby league is doing at home, the numbers don’t lie – Australian viewership is continuing to climb year on year.
Competition is always healthy and promotes innovation and outside the box thinking. If whoever secures the broadcasting rights is able to deliver such broadcast innovation while offering access to all games through a single subscription at a reasonable price, then all parties are winners. The broadcaster, the players, the fans and the game as a whole.
