IMG Extends Media Rights Deal with Australian Professional Leagues
IMG, the global sports and culture company, has reaffirmed its commitment to the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) by extending its exclusive international media, data, and streaming rights partnership. This renewed agreement will see IMG continue to distribute APL media rights for several additional years.
The APL, often dubbed the “A-Leagues”, stands as the administrative power behind the A-League Men, A-League Women, A-League Youth, and E-League. While the APL operates predominantly autonomously, they still function within the overarching realm of Football Australia. Under this extended partnership, IMG will retain its role as the exclusive manager of APL’s media rights in international markets, excluding Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, IMG’s subsidiary, IMG ARENA, will capture and provide official data from all APL matches, supplying it to its extensive network of partnering sports betting operators.
The scope of the renewed contract encompasses both APL’s men’s and women’s teams, a significant move that will bolster the APL’s global presence. The league believes that its continued collaboration with IMG will be instrumental in driving audience engagement and commercial growth for the most eagerly anticipated events of the season.
Nick Garcia, the commissioner of the A-Leagues, expressed enthusiasm for the extension of the APL’s partnership with IMG, emphasising the potential it holds for promoting Australian and New Zealand soccer. Garcia conveyed his teams’ eagerness to build upon their partnership with IMG, leveraging the sports giant’s extensive expertise and expansive global network.
Garcia further highlighted the A-Leagues’ diverse pool of international soccer talents, stating, “With three new women’s teams in the A-League Women, and two men’s teams to come to the A-League Men, we have more football, more goals, and more stories for fans to connect with.”
Meanwhile, Dale Levin, Senior Vice President and Head of Australasia and Southeast Asia for IMG’s media business, commended the enduring partnership with the Australian Professional Leagues. Levin noted that over the past six years, this collaboration has played a pivotal role in the significant growth of the leagues.
Earlier this year, IMG ARENA expanded its footprint in the world of sports data by extending its partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) to supply tracking data for MLS Next Pro.
In April, IMG ARENA further diversified its portfolio by completing its acquisition of Leap Gaming, a high-end virtual games provider. The acquisition, officially announced in December 2022, positions IMG ARENA to enhance its offerings in the sports betting entertainment landscape, as noted by Freddie Longe, President of IMG ARENA, who believes the acquisition will play a pivotal role in “shaping the future of sports betting entertainment.”
