The Australian Football League has
"opened the door to selling matches directly to fans in a controversial
move that will bypass the commercial networks, as the code chases the
richest sports deal in Australian television history," according to Darren Davidson of THE AUSTRALIAN. While AFL fans will "still be able to watch the vast majority of
games" on TV, the AFL Commission is reportedly "preparing to retain
the rights to at least one match a week through its in-house media unit." The
games will be broadcast online, "available to watch for a fee on a
match-by-match basis or through a season-long digital pass." Asked if the league was considering an "American Football-style sports rights deal," AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said, "That's an option that will come into discussions." McLachlan confirmed a report flagging the AFL's intention to "smash its previous record." He said, "I certainly feel very confident we'll deliver a record deal -- a record deal being bigger than last." McLachlan "signalled the current rights holders, the Seven Network and Fox Sports, would be frontrunners." They will face "strong interest from the Ten and Nine networks, opening the possibility of the rights being split" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/28).
