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Nine’s chief sales officer Michael Stephenson has said the media company will most likely look at acquiring the next Olympics broadcast rights package (which could include the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games) - if incumbent Seven passes on the opportunity - but said it would not do anything “irrational” to in an attempt to secure it.

“We will always talk to everybody about everything,but it needs to make sense commercially,” he said. Mr Stephenson’s comments were made ahead of Nine’s annual upfront,an event that presents the company’s offering across television,publishing and radio to advertisers and media buying agencies. Nine is the owner of this masthead.

Sport is a key pillar in Nine’s broadcast strategy for its television network and online streaming service,Stan. The company owns the broadcast rights to the NRL,rugby union and the UEFA Champions League. But the latest deal for the US Open means that Nine and its streaming service Stan also have the exclusive broadcast rights to four Grand Slam tennis tournaments - the US Open,the French Open,Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

Seven’s coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics broke ratings records this year,helped by a favourable timezone and lockdowns across Australia that meant more people were spending time at home. But the event - while attractive to advertisers and viewers - is expensive and often generates a loss.

“We are not going to be doing anything that’s irrational,” Mr Stephenson said. “If Seven didn’t exercise their rights[to negotiate as the incumbent partner],then you would have a conversation like you always would,but it would need to make commercial sense to do it. Selling short-term one off events,merchandising has always proven to be difficult.”

Nine used the upfronts event to confirm to advertisers that its key programs such asMarried at First Sight andThe Block would return to television screens next year. This meansThe Block will progress to an 18th season,whileMarried at First Sight - currently of television’s most successful programs - will air a 7th season.Legomasters is appearing for a third season andNinja Warrior will be broadcast for the fifth time on Nine.

The TV network has barely changed its television schedule in recent years but was forced to tweak its line-up when former boss Hugh Marks decided to give up one of its key shows,The Voice,last year. The program has been successful for rival Seven and has caused frustration among some executives at Nine.

Mr Stephenson said the launch of two new programs later this year - Snackmasters and Parental Guidance - were enough to reinvigorate the slate,but that key programs would be tweaked next year to make sure viewers stuck with its television shows. He brushed off concerns the media company’s television lineup lacked innovation.

“We’ve got the most consistent slate that delivers the biggest audiences in the demographics,” Mr Stephenson said. “But you’ve got to keep adding things to your schedule in a TV sense. You test,and you play,and you tweak with the formats so that you can always have balance in the TV schedule.”

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