Ahead of the 2018 State of Origin series, 9Now will, for the first time, be hosting five live separate streams across all three games.
This year’s State of Origin series will also be the first time Nine has had the digital rights to broadcast the games.
The network is continuing to place further investment on its video-on-demand (VOD) platform, offering a main stream, accompanied by four different angles.
Nine head of NRL Simon Fordham says the network is placing a lot of focus on driving engagement through the platform this year, adding memorable moments, clips from the archives and highlights from last year’s series to bolster its coverage.
“The fact that Nine has the exclusive rights for Origin is very important,” Fordham says.
“In 2018, we are taking things to another level. The unparalleled rights that Wide World of Sports has with the linear broadcast, the multicast view on 9Now, and the clips and highlights across WWOS.com.au make Origin one of the most powerful sporting events available to marketers.”
Nine and the NRL have also worked in partnership this year, adjusting the traditional Origin schedule in a bid to broaden consumer interest in the series.
The first game of the series will return to the Melbourne Cricket Ground as both Nine and the NRL hope to bolster interest in the game nationally, while the first Sunday night Origin clash will take place.
The NRL has also looked to boost fan engagement outside of the traditional in-game rivalry this year, as the league partnered with the Australian Red Cross to launch the Out for Blood campaign.
In 2017 Nine's coverage of the the State of Origin series was one of the biggest television events of the year, reaching 10 million Australians across the series and 3.7 million viewers for game three.
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