A big US broadcaster that owns Channel Ten in Australia could end up owning the broadcast and streaming rights to the AFL for the next five years, after bids for the code closed last week.
ChannelNews understands that four key bidders are in the running including US Group Paramount, Foxtel, Nine Entertainment and Seven West Media.
Insiders are claiming that the rights could go for up to $3 billion over five years or around $600M a year under the new contract.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Christian Petracca of the Demons and Marcus Bontempelli of the Bulldogs in action during the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final match between the Melbourne Demons and the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium on September 25, 2021 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
If Paramount are successful, it will be the first time that a leading Australian sporting code has been broadcast across both TV and streaming by a foreign Company.
Last week the AFL received formal offers for its next media rights deal from its existing broadcast partners Foxtel and Seven West Media with Nine Entertainment who have the rights to NRL and NRL State Of Origin games also looking to secure the AFL rights.
The successful bidder could be announced this week with senior AFL executives, including chief executive Gillon McLachlan, executive general manager of football, Andrew Dillon, executive general manager of game development, Rob Auld, and executive general manager of customer and commercial, Kylie Rodgers, are all expected to meet with media executives this week to discuss their offers.
