AFL unfazed on TV rights
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has said the league is more than comfortable for negotiations between Channels Seven and Ten and a range of third parties t
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has said the league is more than comfortable for negotiations between Channels Seven and Ten and a range of third parties to broadcast AFL into the northern markets to run their course.Demetriou said the league was not at all embarrassed by the protracted nature of the negotiations, which remain unresolved almost 11 months after the AFL broadcast rights were awarded to Seven and Ten in a deal which netted the league $780 million over five years.Seven and Ten are reported to have held talks with a range of potential partners over recent months, including the ABC, SBS, Foxtel, ESPN and community network Channel 31 in Sydney and Brisbane regarding the televising of Friday night games.But Demetriou stressed it was not the league's concern if a deal is not able to be struck."Seven and Ten have purchased the right to eight free-to-air games and the right to on-sell up to four games to another broadcaster should they come to an arrangement," Demetriou said on Wednesday."Failing that, they will be showing eight games on free-to-air and that's what we expect. We've actually received the first payment.""I have no reason to doubt that they will fulfil their contractual obligations so it's not embarrassing for us at all."Demetriou declined to elaborate whether the league would be prepared to use its power of veto over the on-sale of rights should Seven and Ten manage to strike a deal with Channel 31."I'm not going to speculate whether they're going to try to on-sell it to Channel 31 or not because I'm not privy to anything other than speculation," he said.Demetriou said the league would be "thrilled" if Seven and Ten were able to secure a deal with Foxtel, the ABC or SBS.Asked if he would be similarly thrilled if the networks secured a deal with Channel 31, Demetriou replied: "We'd be thrilled with ABC and SBS."