RA says contract will ‘reboot the game at every level’Three-year deal includes Super Rugby and BledisloeCash-strapped Rugby Australia has entered a brave new world after announcing a broadcast deal with Nine Entertainment worth $100m over three years. The free-to-air broadcaster simultaneously unveiled a new sports streaming service, Stan Sport, which will digitally broadcast matches in a partnership RA said will “reboot the game at every level”.
The three-year, whole-of-game deal, which begins in 2021, includes rights to Super Rugby, Super W, the Rugby Championship, the Bledisloe Cup and Wallaroos Tests. All Super Rugby games from next season will be available to subscribers of Stan, the video on demand service launched in 2015, while the Saturday night game will be shown on Channel Nine – the first time Super Rugby has been given a free-to-air platform.