IMG SIGNS EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT WITH AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

IMG Sports Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global premier sports, entertainment and media agency, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution deal with the Australian National Rugby League to distribute their worldwide TV rights excluding Australia and New Zealand.

The three-year deal, which commences with immediate effect, includes all broadcast and Inflight rights and forms part of the IMG Media’s rugby league portfolio alongside the Rugby Football League’s Super League, Challenge Cup and New Zealand Rugby League. 

IMG will distribute 26 rounds of live coverage of the NRL including the finals, three State of Origin matches and the annual ANZAC test match between Australia and New Zealand. A weekly highlights show - ‘NRL Full time’ is also available every Tuesday evening. 

There has been significant interest in this property with a number of deals already being finalised, including: Australian Network across Asia Pacific, Orbit Showtime in the Middle East, Italy’s Dahlia TV, America One in the US and Virgin Airlines taking the Inflight rights in International Airspace.

The National Rugby League (NRL) is the premier league of professional rugby league in Australasia. It is also the most attended rugby league competition in the world, consisting of sixteen teams, fifteen based in Australia and the New Zealand Warriors.

Graham Annesley, NRL Chief Operating Officer said: “Our partnership with IMG Sports Media provides the NRL with the opportunity to increase our international coverage by tapping into IMG’s vast network of contacts around the world. Professional Rugby League is a great spectacle and I am sure it is going to be a very attractive offering to international broadcasters and genuine sports fans”.

Michael Mellor, SVP Head of Asia Pacific said: “After successfully distributing the 2008 Rugby League World Cup to 119 countries and 154 million homes, IMG is delighted to add such a prominent property to our diverse and ever growing catalogue.  The acquisition of the NRL allows us to take this action packed premier rugby league to a whole new global audience. We are very close to finalizing a deal in the UK, thus allowing NRL’s many fans there to continue to enjoy live coverage of the sport”.