Nine Entertainment has locked in National Rugby League and National Women’s Rugby League broadcast rights through to 2034, a seven-year agreement that provides significant revenue visibility and cements the company’s position as the free-to-air home of rugby league in Australia. The deal, announced on 7 July 2026, will see Nine pay $145 million annually in cash, offset by $10 million in committed annual NRL spend on advertising and services, plus a further $15 million per annum in contra arrangements, bringing the effective net cost to approximately $120 million per year. This represents what Nine’s CEO Matt Stanton characterised as an annual CPI-aligned increase, suggesting the company has negotiated a sustainable cost structure over a significant period.
For investors, the key takeaway is that Nine has secured premium, culturally significant content through a period of economic uncertainty and industry transition. Rugby league is one of Australia’s largest sporting audiences and remains a cornerstone of free-to-air television. The company retains exclusive free-to-air and free streaming rights to three live NRL games per week across Thursday and Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, plus the Finals series and all Test matches played in Australia. The Grand Final, State of Origin, and the new Women’s State of Origin will remain exclusive to Channel 9 and 9Now. Adding 33 live NRLW weekly games and the women’s Finals series further strengthens Nine’s content portfolio and demonstrates management’s commitment to growing women’s sport alongside the established men’s competition.
The financial backdrop is encouraging. Nine disclosed that streaming and broadcast audiences across all formats have consistently increased, and the company achieved double-digit revenue growth in the 2025 rugby league season compared to 2024, even in what management described as a challenging advertising market. This performance suggests that despite broader headwinds in traditional media, premium live sports remain a defensible and valuable asset. The agreement also reflects Nine’s ability to monetise content across multiple surfaces: live broadcast, streaming, and advertising revenue tied to audience engagement.
The decision to secure rights through 2034 is particularly noteworthy given the multi-year horizon. It provides Nine with confidence to invest in production quality, talent, and audience engagement without the uncertainty that comes from regular renegotiations. The deal enters Nine into its fourth decade of partnership with rugby league, creating significant institutional knowledge and audience loyalty that competitors would struggle to replicate. This long-term commitment also allows Nine to coordinate marketing and editorial strategy across its broader content ecosystem, deepening connections with both audiences and advertisers as the company has stated.
Investors should monitor how this agreement affects Nine’s cash flow guidance and whether management uses the secure revenue stream from sports rights to invest in adjacent content or technology capabilities. The sustainability of advertising revenue in rugby league and the trajectory of NRLW audience growth will also warrant attention. This announcement has been flagged as price sensitive and material by the ASX.
View the full ASX announcement (PDF)
About Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited (ASX: NEC)
Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited is Australia’s largest media conglomerate, operating free-to-air television networks, subscription video on demand services, and metropolitan radio networks. The company owns major publishing mastheads including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Australian Financial Review, as well as Stan, a leading domestic subscription streaming service. It generates revenue through broadcasting, publishing, radio, and digital media operations across Australia.
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