Stan Sport has added to its already-healthy offering of rugby content by acquiring the rights to Japan’s Top League.
The Japanese competition, which kicks off tomorrow at 4pm (AEDT), includes a host of high-profile Australian and New Zealand players plying their trade, including Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, two-time World Rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett, former All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, Samu Kerevi and TJ Perenara.
Stan had already acquired the rights to Super Rugby, SANZAAR Tests, Super W and Wallaroos Tests and the new, three-year broadcast deal signed between Rugby Australia and Nine Entertainment at the end of last year, as well as club competitions the Shute Shield and Hospital Cup. They will also broadcast tennis major the French Open.
The addition of the Top League is clearly a step in making the platform a one-stop-shop for rugby fans, and mirrors the approach Optus Sport took with football, when they added the likes of the UEFA Champions and Europa League and J.League after grabbing the rights to the English Premier League.
Stan Sport is a $10 per month add-on to a regular Stan subscription, which come in between $10 and $19 per month.
The streaming platform’s rugby coverage will begin in proper tonight, when they broadcast the Super Rugby AU opener between the Reds and Waratahs at 7:45pm. That match will also be shown live on TV via the Nine Network, but the round’s later game, to be played between the Force and Brumbies, is only available to watch through Stan.
The organisation has put together a high-profile commentary team, including former Wallabies Tim Horan, David Campese and Drew Mitchell, controversial ex-Wallabies and Waratahs coach Michael Cheika, hosts Nick McArdle and Roz Kelly, and callers Andrew Swain and Sean Maloney.
bazza200
Guest
It def works with a VPN i used in while in Guernsey (england to watch stan on my phone)
Double Agent
Guest
How much discount did they give you for dropping Fox sports?
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
I don’t know how to take this comment, “ the Japanese Top League will be the best rugby comp on planet Earth after the WC 2023.” First thought it’s sarcasm, but being bias and living in Japan myself, I do love the running style of Japanese rugby and now watching it with some of the elite players in the game running around, it does look more attractive. Nah, I’ll stick with sarcasm I reckon?
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
It automatically records. And you can watch it from where you want
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
Yes, on demand anytime you want
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
Will test on my phone later
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
FYI ---- You can watch Stan via a VPN if you have a valid account. However the browser version seems to have a problem logging in but the Windows 10 app on my pc works fine.
max power
Guest
should ensure another 6 or 7 viewers
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
f00king ridiculous - say they want to grow the game and then block viewing to all but a small audience
jeznez
Roar Guru
Seen commenters from US and Europe saying not sold in either market. It's an absolute shocker. Can't believe they hired Marinos for the RA CEO role with none of this done. At the very least leave him in the SANZAAR seat until he'd done his job.
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
Looks like nobody outside sanzar have taken the offer either - if it was on Sky UK then I could watch it
jeznez
Roar Guru
RP were invited to but didn’t tender a bid. Turns out they had never bid for Super Rugby in the first place. They just took over Setanta’s old contract when Setanta Asia closed down. They’ve left themselves minimal rugby and I guess we should have seen the writing on the wall when they didn’t broadcast the World Cup. Really not sure what they plan to be going forward.
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
As a long term Rugby Pass subscriber here in SEA I am really annoyed that they dont have access to the SR tournaments. I guess the test will be if I can sign into Stan from a VPN However .... and of most interest to me ... are the games available to watch on delay like RP? The start times are not always convenient for me and I like to watch the games at a time more suitable. Any ideas or knowledge from you people who have a sub to Stan?
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Got Stan yesterday and cancelled Fox Sports today. Got onto Fox Sports for rugby and cricket. No Aus tests until the Ashes and I can watch the tests on 7
Peter
Roar Rookie
You obviously haven't been to Sydney lately.
Double Agent
Guest
Bummer.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Rhys: don't know about the rest of you but Stan is spooling and error A30 retry. My connection is running at 80mbps+. I think it might be TV for me.
AndyS
Guest
Would take a lot of very fundamental structural change in a very short period of time, but if anyone was capable of it it might be the Japanese.
robbo999
Roar Rookie
Should have been SR
The real SC
Roar Rookie
Good news for die-hard Rugby Fans. Although I don't use Stan, I am planning to watch some highlights of the Japanese Top League matches on YouTube. I think that Stan Sport YouTube channel might have the highlights of the overseas Rugby matches.