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ustralian free-to-air broadcaster, Channel Nine, has continued its recent string of broadcast partnership announcements with deals for both The Ashes in 2023, and the revamped Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series this summer.

The 2023 Ashes series will be played in England across Edgbaston, Headingley, The Oval, Lord’s, and Old Trafford, with Nine following up on its successful delivery of the 2019 Ashes Series, which also took place in England.

After Nine previously announced the launch of Stan Sport following winning the broadcast rights of Rugby Australia, along with the Wimbledon and French Open grand slam tennis tournaments, there has been no confirmation whether either The Ashes in 2023 or the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman series will be on the new streaming platform.

As for the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, Nine will be bringing the series back to free-to-air TV for the first time in 10 years when it starts on December 19 in Kingscliff, before heading to North Cronulla in January, then to Kurrawa in February.

With a total of $200,000 on offer for the competing athletes, both men and women groups will have an equal $100,000 of prize money for the 2020/21 Nutri-Grain Series.

Nine’s director of sport, Brent Williams, said he is proud to see the series return to Australian free-to-air TV this year.

“Nine and Wide World of Sports have a long history with the IronMan and IronWoman series,” Williams said.

“We are proud to see this iconic Australian sport and the new generation of elite athletes involved return to our screens this summer,” he said.

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) CEO, Adam Weir, said he is excited to use the broadcast partnership to raise the profile of Australia’s elite IronMan and IronWoman athletes.

“The Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series is iconic, and our sport, together with our purpose of saving lives, connects with many sporting fans from young nippers through to traditional sporting followers,” Weir said.

“We are thrilled that for the first time in more than a decade, we will have our elite sporting series on free-to-air TV and reaching broader audiences.

“Not only are the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironmen and Ironwomen some of the toughest athletes in the country, but they are also great surf lifesavers who watch over the beach throughout the season.

“In the 2020/21 season, we are also thrilled to be able to unearth new and up and coming talent, with a new initiative called Nutri-Grain Next-Gen which will bring through the next wave of young role models to our Aussie screens,” he said.