Australian streaming service Stan Sport has reached an agreement with UEFA for the broadcasting rights Champions League in Australia for the next three years. Other than Champions League football, the streaming platform will also telecast UEFA Europa League and the inaugural season of UEFA Conference League.
Stan Sport is owned by Australia’s Nine Entertainment. The deal with UEFA will come into effect with 2021/22 UEFA Super Cup match between Chelsea and Villarreal on August 12. It will come to an end with the Champions League final in 2023/24.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director, said, “Stan has strong ambitions in the world of sport, and as a sports-loving nation, Australian football fans will benefit from Stan’s world-class broadcast and production capabilities throughout the 2021-24 cycle.”
After Sport Flick failed to prove the financial backing to UEFA since they had a bid accepted, Stan Sport was awarded broadcast rights. Stan Sport had the second highest bid when UEFA had released the tender.
Earlier this month, Stan Sport added rugby union team British and Irish Lions to its sponsorship portfolio and will broadcast their matches against South Africa. Apart from this deal, international leagues, including the Korean K League, the Chinese Super League, Austrian Bundesliga and Women’s UEFA Champions League are also broadcasted by Stan Sport in Australia.
Previously, streaming platform Optus had the rights for the Champions League in Australia. After losing the UEFA club competition rights they acquired the broadcasting rights English Women’s Super League and the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. The streaming service already has the English Premier League in its portfolio and is already streaming the UEFA Euro 2020 and Copa America. Martin Kugelar, acting chief executive of Stan Sport insisted that the deal with UEFA is a strategic opportunity and will continue to momentum for Stan Sport.