Channel Nine has just announced that it’s scored the exclusive rights to all premium tennis played in Australia for five years, in a contract that spans from 2020 to 2024.
In other words, Nine has yanked the racquet away from Channel 7, who have held the rights for bloody yonks. I might not know much about tennis outside of Wii Sports, but I sure as hell know this is a big dang change in terms of broadcasting the sport.
This means Nine has acquired the rights not only for broadcast, but for streaming, mobile, digital, and social platforms as well. The $300 million deal includes the iconic Australian Open in Melbourne, along with all lead-up tournaments around the country, like the Hopman Cup in Perth, and the Hobart Internationals.
It’s a massive win for the network, given the Australian Open is consistently one of the most-watched programs of the year. Last year’s men’s final raked in an average audience of 3.64 million, making it the second most-watched program of 2017.
“We are thrilled to have secured the rights to premium Australian tennis, particularly the Australian Open,” said Nine CEO, Hugh Marks.
“We share Tennis Australia’s passion to grow its events, particularly the Australian Open, and expand its broadcast proposition in this country. To say we are excited to be part of that future is an understatement.”
It’s a massive bloody opportunity for Tennis Australia, too, according to its CEO, Craig Tiley. “There are components within this new agreement which we believe will help us further grow our events and the sport of tennis,” he said.
Hell yeah, tennis is mad.
