Seven had alleged that News and 21 others including the AFL and the National Rugby League colluded to outbid C7 for the Australian Football League broadcast rights in 2000, effectively killing of Seven’s pay-TV operation C& that was launched in 1999.
But the Australian federal court ruled that the broadcaster failed to prove News Corp. and the others aimed to destroy C7 and prevented it from accessing the Foxtel subscription-television network.
“Seven has consistently maintained that securing the AFL pay-television rights was essential to C7's commercial survival,'' Federal Court Justice Ronald Sackville said. “Yet the evidence clearly establishes that Seven failed to make its best offer for the rights when they became available. In essence, Seven was the author of its own misfortune.''
Stokes had been seeking about A$500 million in damages, but may now be liable for costs.
