While initial talks last year couched a sale of the entire Optus Sport, it is understood Nine is seeking to acquire individual assets, which include the three English soccer competitions, but not some less valuable contracts, such as the J-League, Japan’s domestic competition. Optus’ current deal, worth $600 million across six years, has three years to run.
Should Nine then seriously consider a bid to broadcast A-Leagues matches, it would bring Australia’s top soccer competition alongside the EPL for the first time in a decade, from when both sets of rights were held locally by Fox Sports and televised on Foxtel.
Paramount, which owns free-to-air Network Ten, has one year left on its five-year, $200 million deal to televise A-League games, which was signed in 2021. The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), which operates the men’s and women’s A-Leagues, in April opened talks for its next rights deal, which begins with the 2026-27 season.
Paramount last year agreed to an extension to show Socceroos and Matildas matches until 2028. The US-owned network wants to extend its partnership with the domestic competition for two seasons to align the two deals, sources said.