Nine Entertainment entered into an agreement with Tennis Australia late Thursday for rights to all premium tennis played in Australia for the 2025 to 2029 seasons.
Consistent with Nine’s existing agreement with Tennis Australia, Nine has acquired the exclusive live rights (including Free To Air, subscription television, SVOD, streaming, mobile and social media), together with extensive catch-up rights, to the Australian Open as well as the lead-up tournaments around Australia.
Such tournaments include the United Cup, Adelaide International, and the Hobart International – and the Australian team matches in the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
The average annual cash rights fee over the five-year period is c$85m, starting lower and indexing over the term of the deal.
Nine will also support Tennis Australia with contra, services and promotion over the duration of the agreement.
Mike Sneesby
Mike Sneesby, CEO of Nine, said: “We are pleased to announce the extension of the partnership between Nine and Tennis Australia. Tennis attracts both a broad and very passionate following, and is a perfect fit with Nine’s schedule, audiences and advertisers.
“The Australian Open has delivered some of Australia’s most iconic sporting moments and largest television audiences and together, we are committed to bringing these great moments to all Australians live and free,” he added.
Craig Tiley, Tennis Australia CEO, said: “Nine has shown its serious intent to a year-round commitment to continue to grow tennis.”
“We want to show our sport at its best to continually excite tennis fans, whilst also appealing to a new generation of fans and players in this country. This new deal will certainly help us do that,” he added.
The agreement between Tennis Australia and Nine first commenced in 2019.
Nine bought the 2020 to 2024 tennis broadcast and digital rights for $300 million in 2018 before securing a deal for the 2019 rights for $48.5 million.
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Top image: Ash Barty – Australian Open 2022