Nine Entertainment and Stan Sport have secured a renewed broadcast deal with Rugby Australia worth an estimated A$210 million, extending their exclusive rights to all major rugby content through to 2030.
The multi-year partnership ensures that Super Rugby Pacific, the Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup, Wallabies and Wallaroos home Tests, and the soon-to-launch Nations Cup will continue to be broadcast live on Nine and 9Now, with every match also available ad-free and on-demand via Stan Sport.
“This agreement isn’t just about showing world-class rugby – it’s about delivering fans a world-class experience on their screens,” said Nine CEO Matt Stanton. “No other Australian media company offers the reach, integration and content ecosystem that Nine does.”
While Nine has not officially disclosed the financial terms, sources close to the deal say it is valued at approximately A$210 million over five years, with built-in incentives that could deliver multi-million-dollar bonuses to Rugby Australia based on team performance.
The agreement represents a 40% uplift from Nine’s previous rights package, which was struck in 2020 for around A$150 million including advertising inventory.
Rugby content has played a key role in Stan Sport’s subscription growth, with Nine revealing that viewership has grown 11% on Stan and 17% across Nine and 9Now since 2020.
Nine has expressed interest in other major rights deals, including the 2027 and 2029 Rugby World Cups, and was previously linked to acquisition talks with Optus Sport and Foxtel, before the latter was acquired by UK-based DAZN.
“Today’s announcement reinforces Nine’s position as the home of Australia’s biggest sporting moments,” Stanton said. “It’s a powerful proposition for fans, brands, and the future of the code.”
