AFL announces new $4.5 billion broadcast deal with Seven and Foxtel

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.