Women’s FA Cup rights are separate from the men’s FA Cup
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Any idea approx when the Aussie rights for UEFA internationals 2022-2026 will be sorted? Including Nations League 2022-23 and 2024-25, and Euro 2024 qualifiers, Euro 2024 Finals, and World Cup 2026 qualifiers, and UEFA friendlies?
Looks like 2022 World Cup will be exclusive to SBS, no sharing with Optus Sport this time.
Also what year approx will the 2026 World Cup rights be decided? Im surprised they still havent announced the tournament dates.
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Middle of next year
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2022-23 Nations League starts June (4 rounds in June and 2 rounds in Sept due to World Cup Nov/Dec)
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Should really change name to Optus Soccer. There is no other sport
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Nah. Optus Football Fitness wouldn’t work.
Apart from the AFL rights which will be up for renewal, more other sports have been snapped up by the likes of Fox Sports, Stan and Paramount+.
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I can’t see them changing their name to a nickname for a sport that has all but been phased out of Australia apart from the tricky Socceroos name.
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Is this the reason it’s Optus Sport (singular) and not Optus Sports?
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Unlikely, they did have some cricket highlights and classic replays early in their existence. One can assume the intention was for more variety, whether it remains is another matter.
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No. Networks are either called (e.g.) Sky Sports (UK) or Sky Sport (NZ). It’s irrelevant to how many sports they may have.
Yes, but they can’t break the market really at the moment. They want to expand but they are not just going to buy rights because they come up: they have to make sense as to adding subscribers (and ultimately mobile plan customers) (i.e. Premier League/UCL), value or content (i.e. football rights will always be seriously looked at).
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They were close to reaching a deal for Super Rugby and Wallabies matches last year, until COVID hit and the deal didn’t eventuate.
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The match will be held at CB Smith Reserve, Jukes Road, Fawkner, this Sunday (December 19). Kick off is at 4pm AEDT. Entry is free, but fans are recommended to book a seat before the match here
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Wow. First foray into local football.
Not completely foreign to OS though, with their critically-acclaimed ‘Football Belongs’ series often focusing on NPL clubs.
Could we see Optus broadcasting NPL football in the future? Euro-snobs often support an NPL team along with their beloved European team, so there could be a market there.
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The next UEFA national team rights cycle is going to be for 2022-2028 which starts in June 2022 with the start of Nations League 2022-23 and it includes…
Nations League group games and finals for 2022-23, 2024-25, 2026-27
Qualifying matches for Euro 2024 and Euro 2028
UEFA qualifying matches for World Cup 2026
Friendlies
deadline for Australia was in October, so it will be interesting to see if Optus hang on to those rights for 2022-2028…their current 2018-2022 deal ends after the UEFA World Cup playoffs in March 2022
Euro 2024 finals and 2028 finals tournament rights are separate
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It makes sense for them to hang on to those rights until 2028 as that is when their current EPL deal runs to. It enhances the offering during the international breaks.
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After losing Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League rights to Stan, Optus Sport will be desperate to hold on to these national team competitions.
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They would also want to pick up the Euros in 2024 and 2028.
The rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America (USA/Canada/Mexico) will also be in high demand as the timezone is favourable to Australia (mornings and afternoons).
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FIFA Global summit today to discuss calendar proposals (they want only 2 national team windows every March and October, instead of the usual 5 windows per year) and their plan for a world cup every 2 years(which seems doomed)…not sure if the actual summit is live streamed, but the press conference following it is at approx 4.30 am Sydney time Tuesday Dec 21.
FIFA will be trying to block the UEFA-CONMEBOL alliance Nations League plan for 2024-25 onwards (would see the best 6 South American nations into League A with the best 16 Euro nations = 22 nations, and the worst 4 South American nations into League B joining next best 16 Euro Nations for a league of 20 nations, with all matches involving South Americans played in Europe for easier travel…not sure how they would do the group stage over only 6 matchdays with 22 & 20 nations respectively for those top 2 leagues.
I would imagine the first 2 ‘finalissima’ super cups between Euro & Copa America champs on June 1 2022(Italy v Argentina in London), then in June 2025 the year after the next Euros & Copa America, would be included in the 2022-2028 UEFA cycle rights deal.
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