Nine Network acquires Optus Sports assets including EPL

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Image credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com

Nine Network has confirmed plans to stream matches for Australian football fans in 4K from around the world through the streaming service Stan.

This exciting expansion of network coverage for Stan Sport includes competitions such as English Premier League, Japan’s J.League, the U.S. National Women’s Soccer League and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025™, which will begin on July 3rd.

In addition, select Premier League matches across 2025 and 2026 will be available to stream in 4K for the first time in Australia.

To help support this expansion, Nine has teamed up with Optus, above all, this will ensure that fans moving over from Optus Sport to Stan Sport continue to have a positive experience engaging with football at home.

Stephen Rue, Optus CEO, emphasised that a key priority was ensuring uninterrupted access to football content for Optus Sport subscribers, adding that both fans and the game will be in great hands with Stan.

“One of our key priorities was to find a home for Optus Sport content which would take the game forward and enable all Optus Sport subscribers to continue to receive uninterrupted access to all their favourite football actions. Optus Sport customers and the game of football will be in great hands at Stan,” he said via press release.

CEO of Nine Network Matt Stanton shared his sentiments about the merger, highlighting his pride for the network.

“The full power of Nine will be activated to bring new attention and energy to the Premier League and Emirates FA Cup,” said Stanton. “With more than 20 million Australians engaging with Nine’s platforms every month, we have an unrivalled ability to generate excitement at scale, drive audience growth and deliver meaningful commercial outcomes for our partners,” he said via press release.

Football fans across the country can now enjoy a wide variety of matches streamed to their homes with the highest video quality. This will ensure an elevated, accessible viewing experience for millions of Australians.

This new takeover has caused some controversy amongst fans, however, with the discount being offered along with the 4K, it has provided a positive turn of events.

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Bordeaux face uncertain future after American investor withdrawal

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Girondins de Bordeaux face their biggest crisis yet after their exclusion from France’s national competitions was upheld and proposed investor Park Bench walked away from a takeover. The club is on the brink of liquidation after poor financial management and failed ownership takeovers. The Paris Administrative Court rejected Bordeaux’s appeal in August. The court backed the decision that prevents the club from playing in national competitions for the 2026-27 season. Bordeaux will therefore this season remain in Régional 1, the sixth tier of French football.

The ruling followed a financial dispute with French football’s financial regulator, the DNCG. Bordeaux had presented additional financial guarantees after its previous hearing. The court ruled that those commitments could not be considered as part of that procedure.

The decision has now had a major impact on the club’s ownership plans. Park Bench, the US investment group working with Sparta Capital, has withdrawn from its proposed takeover. The group said its offer depended on Bordeaux remaining in the national championships. With that condition no longer possible, Park Bench decided not to proceed.

The withdrawal leaves Bordeaux in a difficult position. The club had hoped new investment would provide financial stability and help rebuild its sporting operation. Instead, the failure of the takeover leaves the future of the six-time French champions uncertain. Bordeaux has already endured several years of financial problems. The club lost its professional status in 2024 after bankruptcy proceedings and a previous administrative relegation. It then rebuilt its senior team in the second and third tiers of French football.

The latest exclusion represents another major setback. Bordeaux now needs to find a way to keep the club operating outside the national leagues. That means securing funding, meeting its financial obligations and establishing a sustainable ownership structure. The threat of judicial liquidation now hangs over the club.

In a statement issued in late August, Bordeaux said it would explore every remaining legal option after the administrative court ruling. But with Park Bench no longer backing the proposed takeover, the club has fewer options available.

The next priority will be survival. Bordeaux must find new financial backing or another solution to protect the club from liquidation. For one of France’s most historic and successful clubs, the immediate target is no longer a return to Ligue 1. It is simply making sure there is a club left to climb back.

Liverpool announces Turkish Airlines as new main club partner

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Liverpool new stand

Liverpool FC has announced Turkish Airlines as its new Main Club Partner and front-of-shirt sponsor from the start of the 2027/28 season.

This announcement brings an end to the club’s 17-year relationship with Standard Chartered as its principal shirt sponsor.

The five-year agreement will see Turkish Airlines feature on the front of the men’s, women’s and academy team shirts from June 2027. Standard Chartered will still remain involved with the club as a Global Partner.

Financial terms have not been disclosed by Liverpool, although reports suggest the deal is worth more than $563 million across its duration, making it one of the most valuable shirt sponsorship agreements in Premier League history.

The partnership further strengthens Liverpool’s commercial portfolio at a time when leading clubs are continuing to secure record sponsorship revenues.

The agreement also reflects Turkish Airlines’ growing investment in world football, with the company already an official partner of the UEFA Champions League and sponsor of several clubs and the Turkish national team.

For Liverpool, the sponsorship represents more than a change of partners. It is only the third front-of-shirt sponsor the club has had in the Premier League era, following long-term partnerships with Carlsberg and Standard Chartered.

The move continues the club’s strategy of securing long-term commercial relationships with globally recognised brands while expanding its international reach.

The announcement comes as Liverpool continues to post record commercial revenues and reinforces the increasing value of elite football sponsorship.

With the front-of-shirt sponsor remaining one of the most sought-after assets in world sport, the agreement highlights the continued demand from multinational brands seeking exposure through football’s global audience.

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