NRL Extends Broadcast Deal, Worth $409M Annually

The National Rugby League has secured a five-year extension with longtime broadcasting partner Nine Entertainment Co. 

The deal is reportedly worth $409 million per year in revenue. According to the NRL’s official site, the overall figure for the deal is more than $2 billion — an increase from its current deal that’s worth $1.8 billion.

• The partnership will pay $82 million each year until 2027.
• There will be annual options worth $10.7 million for “contra and other non-cash services.”

Nine will continue to broadcast the State of Origin series and the Telstra Premiership NRL Grand Final, two of Australia’s most popular sporting events. It will gain rights to three matches each season and new streaming rights.

The partnership will also focus on “continuing growth of the women’s game and to develop targeted grassroots initiatives,” Nine head of sport Brent Williams said.

The NRL also has deals with Fox Sports and New Zealand’s Sky.

The Players’ Cut

Now that the league has secured at least five years of cash flow, it will have to turn its attention to its collective bargaining agreement with the Rugby League Players Association. The current CBA expires in 2022.

Officials told the Australian Associated Press they hope a deal can be reached in “record time.”