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Paramount Commits to Multi-Platform Deal for Men’s and Women’s Australian National Soccer – Global Bulletin

patrick frater
·4 min read

PARAMOUNT TO GET KICK FROM MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER

Paramount Australia and Football Australia have struck a multi-year and multi-platform agreement to broadcast an extended package of soccer games played by the men’s national team (Socceroos) and the women’s national team (Matildas). The deal, which spans terrestrial broadcaster Network 10 and streamer Paramount+ in Australia, through to 2028, was brokered by IMG.

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Network 10 and Paramount+ will become the exclusive home to all Australian women’s senior national team matches for the next four years, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027, up until the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

The deal also covers men’s senior national team matches, including all AFC Asian Qualifiers (FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers final round) except the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“Reacquiring the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) national team rights and securing the broadcast rights to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 are strategic moves designed to maximize control over our content, enhance fan accessibility and unlock new revenue streams,” said James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia.

“These rights are integral to our strategy to secure a transformative broadcast deal that we anticipate will set new benchmarks in the valuation of football media rights in Australia. Bringing as much national team content as possible to a multi-platform partner was a key objective from a fan’s perspective.”

KOREAN MOU

The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with BBC Studios and Southeast Asian video streaming platform Viu to expand the production, investment and distribution of global broadcast and video content.

The signing ceremony took place at the Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2024 Convention in Seoul, which runs Aug. 27-29.
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The companies said that the deal helps to address the limitations and challenges in the ]South Korean] broadcast and video content production environment, such as the rising production costs of dramas and the decrease in programming for factual genres (documentaries in humanities, science, nature, society, and trends).

KOCCA president Hyun-rae Jo said, “The collaboration [..] will be a significant turning point in expanding the global reach of K-content. We hope that by combining the expertise and resources of each organization, K-content will solidify its stature not just in Korea, but globally.”

APPRENTICE RELEASE

“The Apprentice,” the Ali Abbasi-directed drama film about former U.S. President Donald Trump, will have a theatrical release in South Korea in October. The film, with rights licensing handled by the U.K.’s Rocket Science, has been picked up by Noori Pictures. The company has set an Oct. 23 release date, after the Chuseok holidays and after the Busan festival. The date is also some two weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election, where Trump is again a candidate.

DIGITAL APPOINTMENT

Australian film distributor Rialto Distribution has appointed Steve Granger – a seasoned home entertainment practitioner – as digital director to oversee the company’s transactional digital distribution.

With more than 23 years of industry experience, Granger was previously general sales manager at Roadshow, he orchestrated the digital sales and strategic initiatives for Roadshow Films, Warner Bros., and HBO across Australia and New Zealand. His career also boasts sales leadership roles at Paramount Pictures and Icon Film Distribution.

Rialto reports “unprecedented growth” over the past 12 months and that its partnership with U.K.-based Vertigo Releasing, which led to the launch of Galaxy Pictures, and the strategic alliance with Kismet Movies, enabling both to jointly acquire a curated selection of films, have been keys to success.

EARNINGS DECREASE

Maoyan, the Chinese movie ticketing firm that is listed on the Hong Kong stock market, saw net profits fall by 30% in the first six months of the year to RMB284 million ($39.7 million). Revenues slipped just 1% to RMB2.17 billion ($303 million). The company is diversifying away from the cinema ticketing business and in the January-June period was involved as a co-distributor of 32 Chinese movies and as an investor-producer in a further 20. It is also expanding its operations in ticketing for live events.

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