We’re teaming up to take the NRL into the next generation

For 21 years, we’ve been partners with the NRL to bring the big game to more people. Now we’re signing on for another stint, and planning new tech to make going to the ground or watching the game from home better than ever.

· 05 September 2022 · 4 minute read

$NRL team captains lined up on a stage with the 2022 NRL Grand Final trophy$

Team captains standing beside the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series cup

As finals season is about to kick off, we wanted to let you know that the future of the game – no matter who wins – is in great hands.

The deal

Today we put pen-to-paper on the deal to keep Telstra as the NRL and NRLW’s naming rights sponsor through to the end of 2027. That will take us to over 26 years as the NRLs main sponsor. That’s older than most of the star players in the league right now!

The deal has a few moving parts, and they’ll mean a lot for fans. Of course, we’re keeping the naming rights and associated sponsorships, but we’re also working on some exciting new stuff.

There’s also a boost to the NRLW coming soon which we’re excited to be a part of, with the six teams currently playing set to expand to ten in 2023.

There’s a technology partnership that will see us continue to build and maintain the official NRL mobile app. The app is the number one source of official NRL news and fixtures, and gives you access to latest and historical video from some of the best games out there.

Then, there’s the new dedicated “innovation fund” to make being a fan even better.

The future of the sport

$Two men looking at a screen mapping Marvel Stadium$

The NRL has always looked to keep pace with great new developments in technology. From on-field microphones to flying cameras inside and outside stadiums, watching the game at a ground or on TV is better than ever.

The new deal we’re signing with the Australian Rugby League Commission is designed to take the explosion of technology we’re currently living through, and build it into the NRL.

This is a new part of our deal with the NRL, and we’re excited to push it forward.

We’re already working with codes around Australia and the world on new broadcast, player and stadium technology to make each and every sport we’re involved with better.

There’s the world-first wayfinding experience with Google and Accenture we recently rolled out at Marvel Stadium, powered by Telstra 5G.

There’s mmWave 5G planned for several stadiums and high-crowd areas around the country for better coverage during busy periods.

There’s Augmented Reality technology we built to track players as they move around the ground from the comfort of your living room (or even the pub).

And there’s so much more we’re already working on. We’re working hard to make sure the NRL experience will continue to be world-class, and we’ll have more to share on how we’re doing it shortly.

The bottom line

We’re chuffed to be on board with the ALRC and the NRL and NRLW for another five years. It’s one of the longest running partnerships in Australian sport, and that’s something we’re very proud of.

It’s a continued investment in one of Australia’s favourite games, and a commitment to growth for the future as we look at new tech and gear to make it better for players and fans.

We can’t wait to bring the game to more people over the next five years. Game on!

By Luke Hopewell

Editor, tech expert and Senior Specialist Writer at Telstra Exchange

Luke Hopewell is an editor, tech expert and Senior Specialist Writer at Telstra Exchange. Luke joined Telstra in 2019 where he has had the privilege to help bring stories to life in a unique and human way. He was previously the head of editorial at Twitter Australia and the editor of cult tech site Gizmodo. For over a decade, Luke’s passion for technology has always driven him to seek out the latest gadgets and game-changers, and help others to understand how it all works. In another life he was a cyber security specialist where he sought to educate people about how to stay safe online. When he's not writing, he's getting outdoors and patting all the nice dogs he meets.