AFLW To Be Broadcast On Seven And Foxtel In Landmark Broadcast Deal

The Seven Network and Foxtel are set to share broadcast rights of all 38 matches of next year’s NAB AFL Women’s competition, with the deal reportedly worth up to $10 million.

The four-year deal will see Seven broadcast two games per round in every state and territory, plus all the non-Victorian clubs’ matches into their respective local markets, live on free-to-air television, with Foxtel to air every AFLW game live via its subscription service.

From 2020 – when the competition expands to 14 teams – Seven will broadcast three games live each round, with Foxtel continuing to air every game live.

All matches will also be streamed live on Seven and Foxtel digital platforms and via the AFLW App.

The AFL did not receive a rights fee for the first two AFLW seasons, but the new four-year deal is said to be valued at around $2 million.

The AFL’s head of women’s football Nicole Livingstone said the deal was significant for the AFLW competition and women’s sport generally.

“The anticipation around season three of the AFLW continues to build and the new broadcast agreement is another important milestone in the journey we are on,” she said.

“We are thrilled that every AFLW match will be broadcast live for at least the next four years.

“We thank Seven and Foxtel for their fantastic commitment to and support of AFLW.”

“The season structure for 2020 is being discussed by the competition committee.

“We’re not in a position to announce what that will look like,” Livingstone said.

“This is a four-year arrangement, so it does give surety in our games being broadcast, which is fantastic.”

The AFLW deal is set to end after the 2022 season; 2022 is also the last year of the six-year AFL broadcast contract, with Livingstone not ruling out the possibility of the two deals being “bundled” together as one agreement from 2023.