By Peter Ryan
The need to protect the value of the current broadcast rights deal has driven the AFL’s decision to introduce a wildcard finals round in 2026.
Colin Smith, a sports rights analyst at Global Media Sports, said the decision was necessary to ensure AFL remains attractive to media companies in the sports rights market beyond the life of the current deal which expires in 2031.
AFL chief executive officer Andrew Dillon. Credit: Simon Schluter
“The AFL is rightly concerned, not necessarily about enhancing the value of broadcast rights, but protecting value. [This decision is about] actually recovering value as opposed to increasing value,” Smith told this masthead.
Channel Seven had an average national audience of about one million viewers for each of this year’s eight finals leading into the grand final between Geelong and the Brisbane Lions.
However, the lead into the finals series was unusually flat, with more dead-rubber games than usual in the final six rounds as only nine teams were realistically in contention for spots in the top eight.
The league and the broadcasters decided that introducing the wildcard finals round was necessary to ensure as many games as possible throughout a season were what AFL CEO Andrew Dillon described on Monday as “games of consequence”.
The decision, revealed by this masthead on Sunday, also opens up options for the fixture as more consequential games will be available to consider for the valuable Thursday- and Friday-night timeslots.
In 2025, the season ended with several dead rubbers on those nights, while the pre-finals bye also allowed the final round of the NRL season to be aired without competition from the AFL.
The AFL and broadcasters Channel Seven and Foxtel were tight-lipped about whether they would pay more for the additional games in the season than were anticipated when the current seven-year rights deal was signed. That deal brought $4.5 billion into the game and expires in 2031.
One source with knowledge of the agreement, who asked for anonymity to speak freely, said there had been an uplift. But the source would not reveal the amount added to the deal. Clubs spoken to by this masthead were also supportive of the idea, even though many fans made it clear they were opposed to changes to the finals system.
Another senior competition source said a final that attracted one million viewers could attract about $1 million worth of advertising for broadcasters. Smith suggested that estimate would be the minimum, and the value might be greater depending on which teams were involved. However, the real value of the change is that it will increase the number of games that are of interest to all viewers, including, but not limited to, rusted on fans.
The AFL will also draw revenue from ticket sales and corporate packages, which will add a couple of million dollars to its coffers.
The sale of Foxtel to DAZN has also meant the AFL needs to continue to impress the new owners. One way of doing that is to reduce the number of games with predictable results and limit dead rubbers to a bare minimum.
“This [change] will grow the audience,” Smith said. “It will keep the fans more engaged than they would have been, especially in Sydney.”
The sports market always seeks “tentpole events”, he said, to create interest and different moments for supporters to engage within the season.
Although it would now be possible for some of its members to play 28 games in a season as a result of the wildcard finals round, AFL Players’ Association CEO James Gallagher backed the introduction of additional finals.
“Playing in finals is what all players dedicate themselves to, so having that opportunity for more players and clubs each year is exciting,” Gallagher said.
“The players will share in the commercial benefits wildcard round generates through their revenue-share agreement with the AFL, and the timing of the concept means the length of the season remains as is.
“As partners in the game, players support finding ways to innovate and grow the game. The AFLPA works with the AFL and clubs to grow the industry, while ensuring the rights, health, and safety of players are at the forefront of decision-making.”
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