With Channel Seven and Foxtel's AFL rights deal coming to an end in 2024, there has been reported interest from overseas streaming platforms including Paramount Plus who would make a shared bid with Channel 10 for the rights for 2024 and beyond.
The CBS-owned Paramount Plus and Channel Ten currently have a shared five-year, $200 million deal in place with the A-Leagues, showing Australia's top-flight soccer leagues for this current 2021/22 season and beyond.
After seeing how this deal has worked with the A-league and growing interest in the Fox Sports streaming platform Kayo, AFL may be looking towards a streaming platform to take the league forward.
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The AFL released a statement on Monday advising that "AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan, AFL EGM Clubs and Broadcasting Travis Auld, AFL EGM Strategy Walter Lee, and AFL General Counsel and EGM Football Andrew Dillon had departed for the US tonight for further discussion regarding the AFL's broadcast arrangements"
According to The Age, Paramount Plus and Channel Ten will make a bid toward the AFL Senior Executive Team when they arrive in New York, this deal could compete with a Channel Seven and Foxtel bid.
Channel Ten partnered with Channel 7 for the AFL rights from 2007 to 2011 and the AFL could be looking to go back to the free-to-air provider.
A new deal could see a similar arrangement to the Channel 7 and Foxtel deal where Channel Ten would show a similar portion to Channel 7 and Paramount Plus would have access to the bulk of the games.
With the AFL looking toward the future after lower ratings and a constant pressure to increase AFL player wages including AFLW players, the AFL could look to other broadcasters for increased revenue.
A major bid from Paramount could see McLachlan look for a groundbreaking broadcast deal to end his tenure as AFL CEO.