Background: The NRL's current broadcast deal is worth around $2 billion over five years, or roughly $400 million per season. The deal has been shared between Nine Entertainment and Foxtel, but that deal expires at the end of 2027. And with live sports TV ratings becoming one of the few things people still watch live, the value of the next deal is expected to almost double.

What happened: The battle for the next NRL broadcast rights has officially kicked off. Nine made the first move by pitching for the exclusive NRL rights, alongside its sidekick Stan Sport. This would be the first time in 30 years that Foxtel misses out on broadcasting NRL games. But Foxtel has hit back and submitted its own bid to secure all NRL rights, backed by its new owner DAZN.

What else: The NRL is reportedly chasing a deal closer to the AFL's $4.5 billion, seven-year agreement. The catch for Foxtel? Australia's anti-siphoning laws prevent it from owning the rights on its own. So, it's been cosying up to Channel Seven and Channel Ten in the hope they'll take some games on free-to-air TV.  

What's the key learning?

💡 There are sports you can lock behind a paywall... and then there are sports Australia has decided belong to everyone. Anti-siphoning laws prevent major sporting events from being exclusively shown on pay TV or streaming platforms. The principle is simple: if millions of Australians care about an event, they shouldn't have to pay to watch it.  

💡 Australia's anti-siphoning list covers some of the country's biggest sporting events: NRL finals and the Grand Final, AFL finals, the Olympics, the Australian Open, and the FIFA World Cup. While broadcasters can buy these rights, they must still ensure Australians can access key events through free-to-air television.

💡 There is a loophole for companies like Foxtel. They can buy all the rights and then sub-license some games to a free-to-air network. Foxtel did this with Formula 1, buying the full calendar for $60 million per year, before striking a deal with Network Ten for the Australian Grand Prix.