APL and IMG Renew Partnership to Boost Growth for Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and IMG have announced the renewal of their exclusive media, official data, and streaming rights partnership.
This multi-year agreement aims to further enhance audience engagement and commercial growth for the premier Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women football leagues.
Key Highlights of the Renewed Deal
Under this renewed partnership, IMG will continue to oversee and distribute the international media rights for the leagues, excluding Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, IMG’s sports data and technology arm, IMG ARENA, will capture and provide official data from every match to over 460 regulated global sportsbook operators.
IMG ARENA will also manage the distribution of live streaming betting rights on an international scale, excluding Australia, and will serve as the official integrity partner for both leagues, offering comprehensive integrity monitoring and analysis services.
Interest in the A-Leagues has been on a rapid ascent, particularly across Asia and the global stage, capitalizing on the leagues’ strong demographics and the ever-growing global interest in football. IMG has played a pivotal role in boosting the leagues’ international commercial growth since 2017. This includes securing broadcast coverage in over 65 global markets, delivering exciting men’s and women’s football action to more than 120 million fans each season, and achieving more than a fivefold growth in the average number of live stream views per match.
Statements from APL and IMG
Nick Garcia, Commissioner of the A-Leagues, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership’s extension and expansion, stating “This extension and expansion of this partnership is testament to the growth opportunity that exists in Australian and New Zealand football right now, and we look forward to continuing to work with IMG to utilise their invaluable expertise and expansive global network. The A-Leagues is home to national team stars, international talent and the Matildas and Socceroos of the future. With three new women’s teams in the Liberty A-League Women, and two men’s teams to come to the Isuzu UTE A-League men, we have more football, more goals and more stories for fans to connect with.”
Dale Levin, SVP, Head of Australasia and Southeast Asia for IMG’s media business, expressed pride in the strong relationship developed with APL over the past six years, stating “We are proud to have developed a strong relationship with APL and helped them achieve significant growth for the A-Leagues over the past six years. These are the Asia-Pacific region’s premium football leagues, promising unmissable men’s and women’s action for fans and broadcasters, as well as a popular time zone for sportsbooks globally.
“We are excited to continue this journey with APL and are committed to taking A-League to an even wider global audience, deepening fan engagement, and protecting the integrity of their events, whilst further increasing the value of the leagues.”
Impact and Growth of A-Leagues
The Isuzu UTE A-League Men was established in 2005, and the Liberty A-League Women followed in 2008. Notably, every CommBank Matilda (Australian national women’s team player) is a product of the women’s league, while over 75% of the Subway Socceroos (Australian national men’s team) squad emerged from the men’s league. International interest in the leagues has surged, with significant growth driven by the presence of international players and record-breaking attendance figures for domestic women’s and men’s football.
In conclusion, the renewed partnership between APL and IMG signifies a commitment to fostering the growth and global reach of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women. This collaboration aims to capitalize on the increasing popularity of football across regions, presenting unmissable football action to fans worldwide and enhancing the leagues’ commercial value.
