Nine and Paralympics Australia has announced that Nine Entertainment Co. (Nine) has secured exclusive free and subscription audio-visual and audio rights to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The historic deal with Paralympics Australia places Nine at the forefront of Australian Paralympic sport coverage as Australia’s official Paralympic Network after recently being awarded exclusive audio-visual rights and non-exclusive audio rights to the Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 2024-2032 by the IOC.
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The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games rights also complement Nine’s recently renewed partnerships with the NRL, Rugby Australia, and Tennis Australia at a time when live sport continues to demonstrate its ability to drive strong growth in streaming audiences and strength in free-to-air TV consumption.
Mike Sneesby, Nine CEO, said: “It is a privilege to be able to bring the Paralympic Games of Paris 2024 to Australia. We look forward to building our relationship with Paralympics Australia and ensuring the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are accessible across more platforms than ever before.”
Catherine Clark, CEO of Paralympics Australia, said: “Once you experience Paralympic sport it leaves a permanent impression on you. Through this extraordinary new partnership with Nine we have the opportunity to showcase Para-sport and tell the extraordinary stories of our athletes and our movement to more Australians than ever before.”
In addition to free-to-air and streaming coverage across the 9Network, 9Now and Stan, Nine will bring unparalleled images and sounds of the Paralympic Games of Paris 2024 to audiences, broadcasting key moments across its talk radio stations, 2GB Sydney, 3AW Melbourne, 6PR Perth and 4BC Brisbane, and full coverage published across Nine’s suite of print and online publishing platforms, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times, WAtoday, The Australian Financial Review, and nine.com.au.
Harnessing the power of the network’s diverse streaming, television, audio and digital platforms, Australian audiences will be able to log on and tune in anywhere, anytime, and on any device to get the very latest Paralympic Games news and coverage.
Sneesby announced the news to staff in an internal email sent on Tuesday in which he welcomed Nine’s exclusive audio-visual rights that will be leveraged across its diverse range of platforms and complements its recent rights deal with the IOC.
“Many might not be aware that the Paralympics (or parallel Olympics) is a separately run event to the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and required a separate negotiation process with Paralympics Australia and the International Paralympic Committee.
“It is a privilege to be able to broadcast the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and I would say a special thanks to the team who got this agreement over the line, particularly our general counsel, Rachel Launders, and chief strategy officer, Matt Stanton.
Sneesby also noted that Stanton’s remit would be expanded to managing director, Olympics and Paralympics.
“Matt has been integral to every discussion that has happened over the last few months and is well-placed to lead our teams to success in Paris 2024 and ensure we all make the most of this momentous opportunity,” Sneesby added.