Australian commercial channels Seven and Ten won all broadcast rights for the sport from 2007 to 2011 in January this year for $780 million. They will sell on the pay-TV rights. Incumbent pay-broadcaster Foxtel’s chief executive Kim Williams told a conference in June he was "not at all confident" about negotiations over the pay-TV rights between his company and the two networks.
ESPN said that it would be keen to bid if it managed to develop the right business model. Analysts say the move for AFL could help increase ESPN's Australian presence.
