Nine’s Wide World of Sports returns in 2018 with its biggest year of LIVE and FREE coverage yet, sure to be packed with thrilling finishes, amazing team and individual performances, and unforgettable moments that will be etched into the annals of sport.

Nine features Australia’s leading sporting analysts and commentary teams, from the legendary Ray Warren and Bill Lawry to the opinions of Phil Gould and Ian Chappell, and the strategic minds of Liz Ellis and Andrew Johns, all delivering unprecedented access and insight into the sports we love.

In the coming months Nine welcomes Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry back to our shores as Australia and England battle for the urn in The Magellan Ashes Series. Each nation has won 32 series in the 135-year Ashes rivalry, with both sides now striving to break the deadlock and Australia determined to bring the urn back home. The Barmy Army and The Richies will be out in full force as millions of fans cheer on the Aussies across five test matches before they face off against England in the One Day International Series.

Nine’s Summer of Cricket will culminate in the Trans-Tasman Tri-Series, as New Zealand join the fray to do battle with Australia and the Poms in a Twenty20 series which is sure to bring fireworks.

Commentators Bill Lawry, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Ian Chappell, Shane Warne, Michael Clarke and Mark Nicholas will bring their unique style and banter to Nine’s coverage, and tell the tale behind every delivery and every smashing six all summer long.

The National Rugby League returns in early 2018 for its biggest season yet, with the Melbourne Storm, the reigning premiers, looking to continue their winning ways after ending the fairytale run of the underdog North Queensland Cowboys in the 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final.

“The Voice” of rugby league Ray, “Rabs” Warren, returns alongside the best commentary lineup in the game: Phil Gould, Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Paul Vautin, Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer and Brad Fittler.

For the first time in 2018, fans will have more options to watch their teams do battle, as viewers get the choice to stream games LIVE and FREE or on demand on 9Now, in addition to short-form clips across Nine’s digital and social media platforms.

State of Origin, which provided the two most watched programs of 2017 and attracted 10.2 million viewers across the series, returns to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for Game 1 next year in front of up to 100,000 fans. The State of Origin Series in 2018 promises to be another mega blockbuster.

Our female sports stars will receive the attention and recognition they deserve, as for the first time the upcoming Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series will be LIVE and FREE on Channel Nine.

And next year Suncorp Super Netball is graduating to the main stage – with two live matches every weekend.

Returning to the 2018 roster is the Santos Tour Down Under, broadcast exclusively across Nine and 9Gem. Taking place over seven days in Adelaide, the Santos Tour Down Under is often considered the greatest cycling race in the southern hemisphere.

Also returning to Nine for another year are the long-running favourites Sports Sunday, Footy Classified, The AFL Footy Show and The NRL Footy Show.

Nine gives you the best seat in the house to the biggest and best schedule of live sport in Australia, thanks to unrivalled innovations in technology to enhance the viewing experience and the best commentary lineups in broadcasting.

Fans can enjoy the action by joining more than 2.1 million followers across the Wide World of Sports social media channels, or on 9Now – anytime, anywhere.

THE MAGELLAN ASHES & NINE’S SUMMER OF CRICKET

The 2017-18 Magellan Ashes Series is a battle 135 years in the making, with the first of five test matches commencing at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 23, 2017.

Fans will be fired up for another gripping series, with Australia battling to reclaim The Ashes from England, “the old enemy”. The Ashes have always been a closely fought contest, with each nation having won the series 32 times, along with five draws.

Adelaide Oval will host the first day/night test in Ashes history, starting December 2, 2017, with the lights bringing an added layer of strategy to what shapes as an enthralling pink-ball contest.

Mark Nicholas, Bill Lawry, Ian Healy, Mark Taylor, Ian Chappell, Michael Clarke, Shane Warne and Michael Slater will lead Nine’s coverage as the next chapter in Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry unfolds.

In early 2018, Nine’s Summer of Cricket continues as Australia and England then do battle in the five-game One Day International Series, followed by the Trans-Tasman Twenty20 Series where New Zealand’s Black Caps will join the fray in a three-way series.

THE AFL FOOTY SHOW

It’s another big year in footy with The AFL Footy Show returning for a mammoth 25th season in 2018. Eddie McGuire, Rebecca Maddern and Sam Newman will be joined by champions of the game for all the biggest stories from the world of AFL, in-depth discussions on the week in footy and a whole lot of laughs.

THE SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW

Join the expert panel on Sunday mornings for all the news and events from the week of AFL and the greatest banter in the game. Catch up with the best in the business along with superstar guests on The Sunday Footy Show as they give a comprehensive review of all the games from the weekend and preview the matches still to come.

FOOTY CLASSIFIED

Footy’s most confrontational program returns in 2018. Footy Classified will continue to tackle the biggest issues on and off the field, daring to go where no other show goes.

THE NRL FOOTY SHOW

The NRL Footy Show also returns for its 25th season in 2018, with all the latest breaking stories and loads of fun from the world of rugby league. Each week Paul “Fatty” Vautin, Erin Molan, Beau Ryan and Darryl “Big Marn” Brohman will be joined by some of the biggest names in the game, including Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater, as they provide expert analysis on all the matches.

THE NRL SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW

Nine’s rugby league experts will dissect every week of NRL action in 2018 when James Bracey is joined by regulars Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Darren Lockyer on The Sunday Footy Show, 11.00am to 1.00pm. Fans will get two hours of opinion and discussion on all the latest in rugby league from the best minds in the game.

SPORTS SUNDAY

Never shy of tackling the biggest issues in sport from across the globe, Sports Sunday is home to the hardest hitting opinions on TV – with host Emma Freedman and regular panellists such as David Warner, Paul Gallen, Michael Clarke, Peter FitzSimons, Liz Ellis, Peter Sterling and Neil Breen to separate fact from fiction in 2018 – who’s right, who’s wrong, and who’s got absolutely no idea.

NRL & STATE OF ORIGIN

The home of rugby league will expand to new heights in 2018 and reach more Australians than ever when Nine claims full digital rights on the NRL. That means live streaming, catch-up, and short-form clips and highlights, coming straight from the broadcast to the digital environment via 9Now, Wide World of Sports.com.au and all of our social media platforms, live and free.

In the commentary box “The Voice” of rugby league, Ray “Rabs” Warren, will head up the best commentary team in the game when he is joined by Andrew Johns, Phil Gould, Peter Sterling, Wally Lewis, Brad Fittler, Darren Lockyer, Ray Hadley, James Bracey and Mat Thompson.

The best games in every NRL round will be shown Live and Free on Thursday, Friday and Sunday before expanding to four days of footy in the run to the finals with the 7.30pm match on Saturday night.

The highest rating television event of the year, State of Origin, will be exclusive to Nine – the fierce rivalry between NSW and Queensland, the mate versus mate, State versus State gladiatorial drama. In 2018, the Origin series will kick off in front of up to 100,000 fans at the MCG before Game 2 is played on a Sunday night in Sydney, finishing with Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Also from next year an all-new NRL Monday night panel show will premiere with players, coaches and experts bringing you their insights and opinions on all the important issues in rugby league.

NETBALL

Netball on Nine will be front and centre in the sporting landscape of 2018 when Wide World of Sports showcases the Suncorp Super Netball. The best netballers in the world will converge on Australian shores from April to August, with two huge games at 3.00pm Saturday and 1.00pm Sunday.

The Australian Diamonds will then shine on Nine from September with the Quad Series against England, New Zealand and South Africa, followed by the intense trans-Tasman rivalry with New Zealand’s Silver Ferns in the Constellation Cup.

SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER

Broadcast exclusively across the Nine Network and 9Gem, Adelaide will again play host to Australia’s biggest week in cycling: the Santos Tour Down Under. The seven-day event, also regarded as one of the best weeks in world cycling, will wind through Adelaide, showcasing its beautiful countryside and testing terrain, and starring the world’s best teams and riders.

Wheel-to-wheel coverage will be called by the legendary voice of world cycling, Phil Liggett, along with his long-time commentary partner, Paul Sherwen. The broadcast veterans will be joined by Australian cycling legend Robbie McEwen.

Deemed the biggest cycling race in the Southern Hemisphere, the world-renowned Santos Tour Down Under will be covered by Today Show Sports presenter Tim Gilbert for 9Gem and the Nine Network, bringing viewers all the excitement and colour that makes this annual event so much more than a bike race.

For more information please contct:

Channel Nine Publicity

02 9965 2727

Wednesday, October 11, 2017