Nine’s streaming business is further diversifying its revenue base by launching a Stan pay-per-view division. Launching the new venture is the clash of a rugby international Sonny Bill Williams and AFL premiership captain Barry Hall.
But instead of facing off on the football field, these two former superstar players will be strapping on a pair of boxing gloves and entering the ring on a fight bill branded Turf War.
To watch these two gladiators punching on will cost you $50, and you also need to be a Stan member.
The offering will be a test for the appetite of Stan members for PPV events. Will they pay twice for premium events? If so, watch out for more Stan pay per view sports spectacles and perhaps special entertainment events from stage musicals to live music performances.
Sonny Bill Williams
Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Williams, with an unbeaten career fight record of 8-0, including three knockouts, will enter the ring for the first time since June 2021. In March 2021, Williams retired from his playing career which included 123 NRL matches, headlined by Premierships in 2004 and 2013. Williams matched this success in rugby union with 58 caps for the All Blacks, one of only 21 players ever to win two Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015. Having previously won a New Zealand heavyweight title, Sonny Bill Williams is now seeking to dominate in boxing the way he has in rugby union and rugby league, and focus on climbing the boxing ranks.
Barry Hall
Despite having a successful junior boxing career featuring a state title at a young age, Barry Hall excelled in AFL football and progressed quickly through the ranks. An AFL Hall of Fame member who enjoyed a 289 game-AFL career, Hall captained the Swans to their historic drought-breaking Premiership in 2005. In 2019, Barry Hall impressed in his professional boxing debut with a hard-fought draw against Paul Gallen, taking the former rugby league player the distance as few others have.
The two fighters will go toe-to-toe over 10 three-minute rounds. Both men will have plenty to prove and will be in terrific condition, having solely focused on their boxing careers for the course of 2021 in anticipation of this bout.
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Stan pay-per-view: Meet the promoters
Turf War is promoted by Green Machine, led by four-time world champion Danny Green, together with Khoder Nasser’s SBW Promotions, and will also feature a stacked undercard with at least five professional bouts in the lead up to the highly anticipated main event.
Stan acting chief executive officer Martin Kugeler said: “This announcement highlights another major milestone for Stan, with Turf War set to be one of Australia’s biggest sporting spectacles in 2022. We are thrilled to be launching Stan Event, our brand new pay-per-view proposition, and showcasing this epic heavyweight bout. Sonny Bill Williams and Barry Hall are some of the biggest names in Australian sport and we have no doubt this will be a memorable night for fans.”
Stan held a press conference to announce the new pay-per-view business
Sonny Bill Williams said: “For the first time in my professional sporting career, I am fully concentrating on boxing. My focus on winning this fight begins with a phenomenal opportunity to join the world’s biggest name in boxing, Tyson Fury, at his training camp in the UK immediately, to ensure I am 100% prepared for this fight. I know Barry Hall is a very hard man and his debut proved he has a tonne of skill, but he is inexperienced in the ring and nowhere near my class level. This fight against Hall starts the last chapter of my sporting career and I will take this win and move on to further big fights over the next 24-36 months.”
Barry Hall said: “I showed against Paul Gallen that I can go the distance and go hard. Sonny is a hugely talented individual but has not ever faced anyone of my size or skill. The lad has had everything laid on a silver platter in his boxing career to date. Sonny Boy has made a mistake in taking this fight, I intend to finish his boxing career and open up bigger fight opportunities for myself.”
Danny Green commented: “Turf War presents an incredible match up of two ultra determined athletes who have proven themselves in the boxing ring. It will be a spectacle not to be missed when these two behemoths square up on Stan’s brand new pay-per-view offering. A win will open up huge opportunities for one of these guys.”
The Stan pay per view fight is set for the Aware Super Theatre, International Convention Centre in Sydney on Wednesday 23 March 2022. Tickets will be available through Ticketek.
TURF WAR Pay-Per-View fight on Stan Event will be available for any Stan customer to purchase for $50. Customers that are new to Stan can sign up for a 30 day free trial and then purchase the fight when available. Fans can register their interest by visiting: https://www.stan.com.au/turfwar
Venues across Australia will also be able to stream TURF WAR with Stan Venues. Information can be found by visiting: https://www.stan.com.au/sport/venues