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IMG Sports Media announced that it has sold the television rights to the Rugby Football League's (RFL) two marquee competitions - the engage Super League and Carnegie Challenge Cup – to Australia's leading rugby league broadcaster, Channel Nine, as part of a new 3 year contract beginning in 2009.

Under the terms of the agreement up to 70 televised Super League games and 9 Challenge Cup games will be shown live on terrestrial channel Nine. As well as the live broadcasts, the deal will also see games replayed at more convenient times for Australian viewers.

This new deal on free to air television with Nine will significantly boost the game's household penetration in Australia as well as television revenues for the sport.

For the very first time Nine's audience in Australia will be able to watch all televised Super League and Challenge Cup games, potentially taking the sport into 2.6 million homes across Sydney and Brisbane alone. The average audience reached each weekend by Channel Nine's three televised NRL games is around 2.5 million people.

Such is the Australian diet for Rugby League, the sport accounts for the five highest rating television programmes in both Sydney and Brisbane for the year to date. This year's three State of Origin games have been the three most watched television programs across the NRL homeland-states of Sydney and Brisbane.

"Rugby League is one of Nine's premium franchises through the NRL Premiership, State of Origin and International coverage. So embracing the English Super League competition is a natural extension of our commitment. Not only will our audience see more high quality rugby league, but with many former NRL stars now playing in the UK, we'll be watching a lot of very familiar players," said David Gyngell, CEO, Nine Network.

Richard Lewis, Executive Chairman of the RFL, said: "On the back of a successful World Cup in Australia it is excellent news that more homes than ever before in Australia will be able to take in the engage Super League and the Carnegie Challenge Cup over the next three years."

"Super League is growing in popularity both at home and abroad all the time due its fast and free flowing nature, and this new agreement means more people can take in the sport while at the same time providing more revenue for our clubs."

IMG's Ben Nicholas, Head of Sales and Acquisitions, added: "This is a tremendous new broadcast contract for the RFL in what is a key market for Rugby League. It will take the sport to a vast audience every week throughout the season, and as the market leader for Rugby League in Australia, Channel Nine are sure to enhance the sport's international exposure."

(Source: IMG)