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James Croll
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The Australian Football League has this afternoon announced a new television rights deal for the AFL and AFLW with Foxtel and Seven West Media worth $4.5 billion over seven years.
Described by AFL Chief Executive, Gillon McLachlan as “unprecedented”, the deal, the biggest sports broadcasting rights deal in Australian history, will deliver $643 million a year over seven years from 2025.
The $550 million per annum arrangement, up from $473 million a year currently, will run to 2031 and combines cash and contra.
Announcing the new broadcast deal, McLachlan advised “this partnership is an incredible result, unprecedented and the biggest in Australian sport.
"We reached the right commercial deal for our supporters and our clubs and our players and our communities … and I think our long term history counts.”
The deal will see AFL games shared across the Seven Network, Fox Sports and Kayo with 7Plus also streaming the games on Seven live to air. It continues the current rights to markets outside Melbourne, where Seven and 7mate broadcast games of the local clubs.
In addition, Seven will broadcast Thursday nights for the first 15 rounds and Saturday nights over the last eight rounds, along with marquee games, including the finals series across both the AFL and AFLW.
In a major shift, it would appear that Saturday, aside from the first eight rounds and presumably the non-Victorian team games will be seen on Fox Sports only.
Rather than sharing commentators and graphics which it has previously done, Foxtel will have access to a clean feed where it can use its own commentary team, graphics and breakaways.
With the AFL retaining total control of scheduling, streaming would appear to be key to the broadcast rights deal, with Seven West Managing Director, James Warburton, stating that the digital offering “to allow every Australian to watch via their device live and free is a game changer.”
However, it will only stream games that are free to air on Seven.
Foxtel has been broadcasting the AFL since 2002, while Seven has been broadcasting the game continuously since 2007. The two companies first shared the rights in 2011.
The AFL had sought bids from other consortiums including Nine and its streaming arm Stan, and the Ten Network and Paramount +.
Warburton went to say “the combination of Seven and Foxtel is by far and away the best for any sport.”
Telstra continues as digital and technology partner, which brings its association with the AFL to 30 years. It will upgrade technology at Marvel Stadium and continue to develop the AFL and AFLW Apps as well as power the 18 club websites.
Digital products that attract children to the game will also be developed while McLachlan said the AFL would spend more money on the grassroots game, including new female facilities.
1st September 2022 - AFLW looks to continue playing season at suburban stadiums
31st August 2022 - Local AFL competition finals clash with coming Geelong vs Collingwood fixture
24th August 2022 - AFL’s Adelaide Crows reveal plans for new headquarters at Thebarton Oval
24th August 2022 - Disputes at AFL’s Essendon sees resignation of club Chief Executive Xavier Campbell
19th August 2022 - Outgoing AFL club President Peggy O’Neal to chair Commonwealth Games planning committee
17th August 2022 - Tasmanian Premier says JackJumpers’ success provides a strong message to AFL decision-makers
15th August 2022 - Demand for tickets sees inaugural AFLW match between Essendon and Hawthorn moved to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium
10th August 2022 - AFL reveals ticket price freeze for finals series
22nd July 2022 - Richmond Tigers launch Environmental Sustainability Action Plan in AFL first
29th June 2022 - Bing Lee returns to sport sponsorship market with Sydney Swans AFLW partnership
16th June 2022 - Sports facilities receive national recognition with AFL awards
14th June 2022 - AFL to invest $5 million to back grassroots participation for girls and women
9th June 2022 - AFL’s Gillon McLachlan says new stadium key to Tasmania’s bid for 19th competition team
8th June 2022 - New QBE campaign leverages talent of AFL’s Swans and netball’s NSW Swifts
6th June 2022 - Consultancy firms engaged to further assess Northern Territory AFL club potential
2nd June 2022 - NAB extends AFLW naming rights and AFL major partnership
28th May 2022 - Tasmanian budget backs AFL Team Taskforce and stadium feasibility study
25th May 2022 - AFL crowds sink to lowest level in 26 years amid fans’ COVID concerns
10th May 2022 - AFL announces club membership numbers surpassing one million
12th April 2022 - AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan to step down at end of season
6th April 2022 - AFL Grand Final Legacy delivers sport infrastructure projects in Queensland
5th April 2022 - 89% rise in AFLW club membership numbers
25th March 2022 - Perth’s Optus Stadium set to welcome up to 45,000 fans for AFL round three
23rd March 2022 - Sharp EIT to provide Marvel Stadium screens as part of AFL partnership
22nd March 2022 - AFL teams to use Catapult Vector technology for high performance analysis
13th March 2022 - Gillon McLachlan concerned that youth turning away from playing AFL
1st March 2022 - AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan ‘excited’ by redevelopment of Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium
1st July 2022 - Seven Network takes Court action to terminate broadcast rights agreement with Cricket Australia
20th December 2021 - NRL secures extended broadcast deal worth more than $2 billion
15th December 2021 - AFL unveils new networking program connecting sponsors, members and broadcasters
24th December 2020 - AFL announces broadcast agreement extensions with Foxtel and Telstra
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