In a seismic shift within Australia’s sports media landscape, Optus Sport will cease operations on August 1, 2025, following a blockbuster deal that sees its entire portfolio of football rights—including the Premier League, FA Cup, Japan’s J.League, and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)—transferred to Nine Entertainment and its digital streaming platform, Stan Sport.
The landmark acquisition, reportedly worth around $300 million, firmly establishes Stan Sport as the new home of global football in Australia.
A New Era for Aussie Football Fans
The Premier League—the most-watched football league globally—will now stream on Stan Sport from 16 August 2025, kicking off a new rights cycle that runs through at least 2028.
Also included:
- FA Cup & Community Shield, including this year’s clash between Liverpool and Crystal Palace (11 August)
- NWSL and J.League fixtures
- Continuing partnerships with the UEFA Champions League, Wimbledon, Super Rugby, and the British & Irish Lions tour
This consolidation of elite-level football marks a major step in Stan’s ambition to challenge Foxtel/Kayo’s dominance, particularly in the lead-up to a more fragmented and competitive future in sports streaming.
Leadership Voices
Matt Stanton, CEO of Nine Entertainment, called the move a “step change” in the company’s digital growth strategy:
“The Premier League is the most-watched football league on the planet… this acquisition reinforces Nine’s position as the home of sport in Australia.”
Meanwhile, Optus CEO Stephen Rue reflected on the company’s contribution to elevating football in Australia:
“Among the highlights were the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted on home soil and our coverage of UEFA Euro 2024.”
The End of Optus Sport
Launched in 2016, Optus Sport shook up the Australian market by acquiring exclusive Premier League rights and later streaming the FIFA World Cup. But in a fast-evolving streaming economy, the platform couldn’t sustain the long-term investment required to compete at scale.
Key deal terms:
- Stan will pay $20M upfront to Optus
- Optus will co-contribute $40M/year toward the new Premier League rights, which cost $100M annually
- Existing Optus Sport subscribers will receive discounted access to Stan Sport
Strategic Consolidation or Smart Exit?
This deal reflects several macro shifts in the sports streaming industry:
Platform Consolidation
The era of fragmented rights across multiple niche platforms may be ending. Audiences—and leagues—are gravitating toward platforms that can bundle, scale, and serve mass audiences.
Rationalized Bidding
Optus’ exit signals that only high-capital platforms (like Stan with Nine’s backing or Foxtel via Dazn) can sustainably acquire Tier-1 global rights without a full ecosystem to monetize them.
Co-financing Models
Optus still benefits through co-funding rights they once owned. This shows that partial exits and partnership structures will increasingly define how rights are shared or offloaded.
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