Optus scores Premier League rights
November 2, 2015
By Colin Mann
Australian quad-play operator Optus has won the bid for the exclusive Australian rights to the Barclays Premier League for three seasons, commencing in August 2016. This includes live broadcast coverage and digital rights for broadband and mobile for all 380 Premier League games, every season. The rights were previously held by Fox.
Allen Lew, Chief Executive Officer at Optus, described the move as another significant step in Optus’s strategy to become a mobile-led multimedia company. “We are dedicated to delivering the best domestic and international entertainment for our customers. With 930 million followers worldwide, the Premier League is one of the most sought after sports properties for content providers. Today’s announcement is a great win for Optus and will ensure that Aussie football fans can watch all the action from the world’s most popular football league.”
“We are extremely pleased that Optus has chosen to invest in our broadcasting rights for the three seasons 2016/17 to 2018/19,” said Richard Scudamore, Executive Chairman at the Premier League. “They have an excellent track record as a multifaceted telecommunications company in Australia and we look forward to working with them to make all the best Premier League content available to our fans across the country.”