ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) today announced a landmark media partnership deal which will revolutionise the way the A-League and Westfield W-League will be broadcast to Australians.
The five-year, ground-breaking agreement which commences next season will change the landscape of sports broadcasting in this country, giving Australian football the greatest reach, it has ever had.
Every Saturday night during the season is Football Night on 10, with the A-League’s match of the round broadcast live at 7:30pm.
10 Bold will be the new home of the Westfield W-League, with a match broadcast live every Sunday of the league. All free-to-air matches will also be simulcast on 10 Play.
And, in a football first, A-League and Westfield W-League games will be available on Paramount+ which launches on Wednesday, 11 August for $8.99, with football fans and Club members given a special deal to access all games.
Football will be a cornerstone of the expansion of ViacomCBS’ presence in Australia, to the extent it has taken a minor stake in APL to share in the game’s growth over coming seasons.
Beverley McGarvey, Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President, ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are thrilled to partner with the Australian Professional Leagues to become the new home of football for both the A-League and Westfield W-League, giving all Australians access to more football than ever before.
“As part of this landmark media rights partnership, all the action, excitement and fierce competition of the A-League and Westfield W-League will be broadcast on Network 10 and Paramount+.
“Ensuring broad reach on free-to-air, as well as extensive access on Paramount+, we are committed to showcasing the sport in innovative ways and exposing it to a plethora of programming opportunities across all our platforms, including those of our parent company ViacomCBS.”
Jarrod Villani, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President, ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand said: “The distinct alignment between our audiences further cements our strategy and commitment to broadcasting the sport. In addition to exhibiting the most diverse and youngest fanbase in Australia, football also boasts the highest male and female participation rate for a sport in Australia, and it’s still growing.
“And, we are proud to be making the Westfield W-League available to all Australians for the first time on commercial free-to-air television.
“We are looking forward to working with the Australian Professional Leagues and establishing one of the best sporting partnerships in the world.”
The investment by ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand further cements APL’s plan to unite, entertain and grow the football audience in Australia. It marks the first significant commercial announcement for APL since its member clubs began taking control of the A-League, W-League, Y-League and e-League on 31 December last year.
APL Chairman, Paul Lederer, said: “Less than six months ago we pledged to create value for the whole ecosystem of Australian football, and this deal is the first step in our delivering on that promise.
“This agreement with one of the world’s biggest content providers, is exactly the kind of significant and vital milestone we have always believed was possible – and that we intend to continue achieving.”
One of the key tenets of the deal is the ability to deliver and promote top-level football to every household in Australia, as APL moves quickly to realise its planned growth, predicated on its newly secured independence.
APL Managing Director, Danny Townsend, said: “Fundamental to our strategy is a determination to ensure that we connect and engage with every Australian. This agreement starts that process by giving the game unprecedented reach and the backing of an absolutely iconic and globally renowned broadcaster.
“Football is played all over Australia, and the creative power that this partnership will deliver can unlock what we believe is an audience the game has never managed to reach before.”
Jarrod Villani added: “This landmark rights deal will extend the A-League and Westfield W-League to be visible across the network, across platforms and across the full year. It provides a fantastic opportunity to engage new and growing audiences to the game, the players and to the sport of football, which can only deliver positive promotional benefits for the sport.”
The new deal marks the conclusion of the A-League and Westfield W-League’s 15-year partnership with Fox Sports, and Paul Lederer paid tribute to the amazing partnership and what had been achieved since the A-League began in 2005.
“Though this marks the start of a new era for the Leagues, Fox Sports has been a great friend of football since the beginning and we’re incredibly grateful for their support and investment over the past 16 years,” Lederer said.
“We thank Patrick Delany and his team for everything they have done for us and for their commitment to help partner us through this transition.”
The next season of the A-League and Westfield W-League will be broadcast on Network 10 and Paramount+. Further details about the broadcast and commentary team will be announced soon.
