The logo of Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd can be seen on display outside their Sydney headquarters in Australia, July 26, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Rugby Australia (RA) has signed a five-year extension to its broadcast rights agreement with Nine Entertainment in a deal worth up to A$240 million ($143 million).
It runs from 2026-2030 and includes performance incentives linked to Wallabies wins, Nine-owned newspapers reported.
"(It) represents a significant uplift on Rugby Australia’s current broadcast agreement and follows a successful organisational reset in 2024," RA said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nine has broadcast Wallabies tests and Super Rugby across its free-to-air platform and subscription streaming service Stan since 2020 when they picked up the rights for a discount during COVID-19 in a three-year deal worth about A$100 million.
The media group signed a two-year extension in 2023.
The new deal covers Wallabies and women's Wallaroos matches through to 2030, including tests in the men's Nations Championship which will kick off next year.
"The future of Australian rugby is bright and our growth trajectory is strong," RA Chief Executive Phil Waugh said.
"This deal from 2026 through 2030 will ensure Australian Rugby is well supported from the grassroots through to the international level for men and women, boys and girls."
The deal includes a range of incentives related to the performance of teams, including a potential multi-million dollar cash bonus if the underperforming Wallabies win more matches, Nine-owned newspaper Australian Financial Review said.
The Wallabies, ranked eighth in the world, won six out of 13 tests in coach Joe Schmidt's first year in charge in 2024, after winning two out of nine under Eddie Jones in 2023.
All Super Rugby Pacific matches will be taken behind Stan's paywall in a change from the current arrangement which has one match shown on free-to-air TV per round.
The deal also includes matches in state club competitions, the Shute Shield and Hospital Cup, for die-hard fans.
($1 = 1.6790 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Sonali Paul and Peter Rutherford)
