Nine adds two senior sales roles to usher in Olympics rights era
Nine Network has appointed two new senior positions to its Sport Commercial leadership team after winning the rights to the next five combined Summer and Winter Games.
Andrew Cann moves from group business director at Nine’s Melbourne operations to become director of sales – Olympic games, where he will lead the development of the network’s Olympic commercial strategy and implementation across all platforms.
Nine director of sales – Olympic games Andrew Cann
Andrew Nicholls returns to Nine after running his own media and sport consultancy firm and working at Seven Network from 2006 to 2020, taking the role of director of sales operations – sport and Olympic games. He will lead the sport operations strategy and implementation across the Olympics and all of Nine’s sport platforms.
Both will report to Nine director of sales – sport and Olympic games Matthew Granger. Cann and Nicholls will commence their roles in the coming weeks.
Nine said the appointments represent “a key step” in the network’s investments into sport as a content platform across a Total Television, Total Publishing and Total Audio landscape.
“Both these appointments herald a new era in growing Nine’s mega sport marketing platform. Andrew Cann brings a depth of experience and passion in sport from both his roles at Nine and his time at the AFL. He is the perfect person to drive and lead our Olympics proposition,” Granger said.
“Andrew Nicholls’ media sport pedigree is without peer. His experience and expertise across all elements of the sport media landscape makes him the perfect addition to our team to assist Nine in enabling brands to make the most of our unrivalled content ecosystem. I am delighted Andrew will be part of Team Sport at Nine as we continue to unlock those advantages for our partners.”
Nine director of sales operations – sport and Olympic games Andrew Nicholls
Commenting on his appointment, Cann said: “I am pumped to be joining the Sport team to lead Nine’s Commercial Olympic offering for what will be an unforgettable Olympic Games for both audiences and brands.”
“With the strengths of Nine’s content platforms and the proven track record of Wide World of Sports (WWOS), I can’t wait to work with brands to unlock and connect them with audiences in a way, and on a scale, never seen before in this country. The Olympic Games are a unique and special event, and I feel privileged to be part of Nines Olympic journey. Bring on Paris 2024!”
Nicholls added: “I started my career at Nine and to return and be surrounded by such a compelling arsenal of broadcast, publishing and audio assets is super exciting.”
“To be working with the strongest sporting stable, featuring codes as diverse and prestigious as the Olympics, NRL, Australian Open Tennis and the suite of Grand Slams, the Ashes, Rugby Union and Swimming championships to name just a few, is an incredible opportunity.”
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