Channel 9 Tipped To Stay Out Of Bidding War For Next AFL TV Rights Deal

The "anticipated three-way stoush" in the next Australian Football League TV rights race could already have the "speed wobbles," according to Scott Gullan of the HERALD SUN. New AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan "was hoping the free-to-air TV networks would go at each other" and push the price past A$1.75B ($1.3B). But a senior TV industry source said that "it is highly unlikely that Channel 9 will make a realistic bid against Channel 7." Nine "is expected to put all of its energy into retaining" the National Rugby League TV rights. An insider said, "They won’t bid for the AFL -- and if they do it won’t be serious. They have to save their money for the NRL because of it’s importance to Nine’s schedule in NSW and Queensland. They can’t afford both -- no free-to-air network can afford to do that again." The industry source believes that "a more realistic outcome would see Channel 7 and Channel 10 again join forces with a final price tag" of about A$1.4B (HERALD SUN, 2/17).