(Updates with a statement from Nine Entertainment and stock movement in the fourth paragraph.)
Nine Entertainment's (ASX:NEC) Stan Sport streaming service lost nearly 10% of its subscribers over the last 12 months, bringing into question the merits of its six-year extension to the Australian broadcast rights for the English Premier League competition, The Australian reported Sunday, citing internal Stan documents.
The number of Stan Sport subscribers declined to about 730,000 this month from a peak of 800,000 in September 2025, with Nine Entertainment's share price reaching a record low of AU$0.77 on Sept. 11, according to the report.
Anonymous senior industry executives told the new outlet that Nine effectively "bet against itself" in deciding to renew the broadcast rights since there was no official tender process and no other parties expressed interest.
In response to a query from, Nine Entertainment declined to comment on the figures reported by The Australian, but noted that a 50% increase in Stan Sport subscribers during fiscal 2026 was driven primarily by the Premier League. The company's shares rose 6% in recent Monday trade.
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