The Australian Football League is "on the verge of announcing an historic new broadcast deal" potentially worth A$2B ($1.48B) over six years with the Seven Network and Foxtel starting in '17, according to Caroline Wilson of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan was finalizing the "finer points of the record agreement" with News Corp., Channel Seven and Fox bosses on Monday night, "with an announcement looking to come as early as Tuesday and certainly this week." In the restructured deal long-time AFL broadcaster Seven Network "is expected to broadcast less games but continue to hold exclusive rights to the grand final," which would remain a daytime event "despite a strong push by Seven to stage the game at night or in twilight." Under the new deal Seven would continue to televise Friday night and Saturday night games, as well as the Sunday afternoon game currently starting at 3:20pm. But "on the occasions when there was no Thursday night football that extra game would be scheduled on Saturday afternoon" and probably televised on pay-TV. Unless Channel Ten becomes involved by the on-selling of a Saturday afternoon game to the former AFL free-to-air broadcaster "there would be marginally more games on pay television in the new agreement" (SMH, 8/17).
