AFL signs record-breaking seven-year TV rights deal as Seven and Foxtel trump Channel Nine’s stunning $500 million-a-year bid
Seven West Media and Foxtel will remain the AFL . broadcasters until 2031
Their $4.5 Billion Pitch Is The Richest Broadcast In Australian Sports History
It comes after a belated pitch from Nine Entertainment and streaming partner Stan
It means a huge injection of money into the game after Covid emptied the treasury
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The AFL will remain on Channel 7 and Foxtel until at least 2031 after hitting a $4.5 billion milestone with the league’s broadcast partners on Tuesday.
The seven-year agency contract is the richest in Australian sporting history and will ensure the future growth of the AFL, AFLW and grassroots football.
Channel Seven and Foxtel fend off fierce competition from Network Ten and streaming partner Paramount Plus – backed by US media giant CBS – and Nine Entertainment and streaming partner Stan to secure the rights.
McLachlan assured fans the deal would keep the same number of games on free-to-air TV
That included an 11th hour pitch of $500 million a year from Nine Entertainment that Seven West Media and Foxtel could trump to secure the rights.
AFL chairman Richard Goyder praised the historic announcement as vital to the game’s future growth.
“It’s a historic day for our code and the future of the code,” he said.
“It’s a proud day to announce the largest broadcasting deal in Australian sport and achieve our goal of moving the game forward so that everyone can share in its heritage and its possibilities.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the number of free-to-air games would remain the same under the new deal, although Foxtel will have exclusive rights to Saturday games for the first eight rounds in Melbourne.
“This partnership is an incredible result, unprecedented and the greatest in Australian sport,” he said.
Importantly, this announcement means we will have at least the same number of free-to-download games on the Seven Network.
“I want to say that again: we will have at least the same number of free downloadable games. This partnership is an incredible result, unprecedented and the greatest in Australian sport.”
McLachlan said the broadcast deal would allow the sport to invest heavily in football for all participants and spectators at all levels.
“Through our new partnership today, the investment will go back to the best game in the world,” he said.
‘To keep making it accessible and affordable, to keep ticket prices low. Investing in facilities, for AFLW, women and girls, changing rooms and grounds,
‘To help your local club as best we can. There are for footy at all levels.’
SWM director and chief executive James Warburton said the deal would ensure AFL fans have access to a comprehensive package of live action and replays for years to come.
“Securing a comprehensive package of digital rights to the AFL for 7plus has been our absolute focus,” Warburton said.
“For the first time, fans can access the best AFL games and video content, live and free, in a way that suits them.
More importantly, this new combination of broadcast and digital means SWM will be ideally positioned to power and capture a significant portion of the growing overall television market.
“Together, the AFL and Seven have made the code the number one winter sport in the entire country and we look forward to working with the AFL Commission to expand the sport’s leadership.”
The announcement of the broadcast comes after McLachlan also announced a new AFL Club membership record of 1,190,671 members.
The number of 1,190,671 surpasses the record of 1,113,441 set in 2021. The total for 2022 is 6.9 percent growth compared to last year.
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