Australian Professional Leagues announce new broadcast deal with ViacomCBS

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A new broadcast deal for the A-League and W-League with Channel 10 owners ViacomCBS has been announced, worth $200 million over five years with an optional three-year extension.

The deal will include one free-to-air game on TV for both the A-League and W-League each week, with the other five A-League and all W-League games being broadcast on the Paramount+ streaming service.

A free-to-air A-League game will be broadcast live each Saturday night, with a pre-show as a lead-in. The W-League will feature on 10’s secondary channel on a Sunday. The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) will share broadcasting responsibilities with ViacomCBS and Channel 10.

The deal features a large budget for advertising as part of an $8 million contra agreement between channel 10 owners Viacom and the APL, who run the A-League and W-League. ViacomCBS have also bought a 2.5% stake in the APL, showing their commitment to the development of Australian football.

ViacomCBS outbid both Stan sports and Channel 9 for the rights. It represents their first foray into the Australian sporting landscape, as they aim to launch in the market to become the #2 streaming service behind Netflix.

Football Australia will receive 20% of the $32 million a season, as per the agreement made last year with the APL.

Beverley McGarvey, Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand, said the deal was a landmark moment for both the league because of the free to air component.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

APL Managing Director Danny Townsend believes the deal will allow the A-League to reach a larger audience.

“Fundamental to our strategy is a determination to ensure that we connect and engage with every Australian,” he said.

“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.”

Paramount+ launches in Australia on Wednesday, 11 August for $8.99 a month.

More details on the deal can be found at the ViacomCBS announcement here.

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Football NSW 2025 Registrations Surge as Season Approaches

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Image credit: Football NSW website

Football NSW community registrations have rocketed beyond the 200,000 marks, keeping pace to eclipse the record numbers set in 2024, as the code’s popularity continues to boom across the state.

Australia’s most populous state has been breaking records the last couple years with rising participation numbers. This year continues to solidify that trend.

Junior participation is leading the charge with more than 115,000 children aged 5-12 already signed up with local clubs as the winter football season draws near.

This sustained growth follows an exceptional 2024 season that witnessed a 9% increase in overall player registrations, with female participation skyrocketing by an impressive 17%.

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas was particularly proud with the increased junior and female representation.

“It’s pleasing to see the healthy number of juniors registering for the upcoming community football season,” Tsatsimas commented via official Football NSW Press release.

“It’s equally great to once again see female participation at the forefront of our growth.

“Our club volunteers and Associations have done a tremendous job in overseeing registrations within their local communities and we’re looking forward to seeing the new season get underway in April.”

Not just grassroots football in NSW, but nationwide, football participation has seen huge growth in youth and female participation.

A strong NSW football environment at the forefront of this surge is key to maintaining and cultivating participation.

Though with every increase in participating numbers, the community-based clubs bear the brunt of more demand.

Now more than ever, associations and clubs need sufficient support from the state Football federation if they want to continue these exciting results.

Though time will tell how much of an increase in players there will be, the report is promising.

How to maintain the players and bring more into the footballing community in the coming years will be the next big questions for all levels of football in the state and in the country.

Liverpool FC and Adidas Reignite Partnership

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Image Credit: Liverpool FC website

Liverpool FC and Adidas have announced a new multi-year partnership, agreeing to the return as the club’s official kit supplier from August 1, 2025.

This renewed collaboration with Adidas will see the iconic brand supply match kits, training gear, and culture wear for the club’s men’s, women’s, and academy teams, as well as LFC Foundation staff.

This alliance marks the revival of a storied relationship, with Adidas having previously provided kits during some of the Reds’ most successful eras.

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan commented on the importance of this partnership and what it means for the club.

“Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family. We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic LFC kits of all time,” he said via press release.

“Adidas and Liverpool share an ambition of success and we couldn’t be more excited to partner together again as we look forward to creating more incredible kits to help drive on-pitch performance. We’d like to thank Nike for their support over the last five years and wish them well for the future.”

The initial collaboration from 1985 to 1996 saw Liverpool secure multiple domestic league titles and FA Cup victories, while the subsequent partnership from 2006 to 2012 delivered further silverware, cementing adidas as a fan-favourite kit provider.

Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden expressed his excitement for the returning collaboration.

“We are extremely excited that adidas and Liverpool Football Club are teaming up once again. The club is one of the biggest and most iconic names in world football with a huge fan base,” he said via press release.

“The jerseys worn during previous partnerships are some of the greatest ever created.”

With the three stripes returning to Anfield, excitement is building ahead of the unveiling of Liverpool’s new home and away kits.

The designs will be officially revealed through Liverpool FC and adidas channels, with fans able to purchase the fresh range from the start of August.

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