Network Ten hasn’t broadcast rugby league since the 1980s and early 1990s when its NSWRL coverage featured the likes of Graeme Hughes and the late David Fordham in commentary.
But based on reports in the Australian Financial Review, that may be about to change with Network Ten CEO Beverley McGarvey revealing the globally-backed broadcaster will look closely at bidding for the NRL broadcast rights from 2027.
Given Australia’s other two free-to-air television networks, Seven and the incumbent Nine, already have strong interest in the NRL along with the DAZN-owned Foxtel and potentially other overseas streaming giants, winning the rights would seem no small feat for Australia’s third-ranked free-to-air network which has experienced a troubled existence during the past decade.
Back in 2017, Ten went into administration before being acquired by American network CBS, which then merged with the company today known as Paramount in 2019.
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However earlier this year, Paramount was part of a multi-billion-dollar acquisition by global movie studio Skydance Media which is controlled by David Ellison, the son of one of the world’s richest men, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Speaking to the AFR, Beverley McGarvey said Ten would look closely at bidding for the NRL broadcast rights from 2027 given Skydance’s known strategic interest in sport.
“We’d be silly to not even look at it,” McGarvey said, pointing out Skydance has recently invested a staggering AUD$12 billion on the UFC.
“Like we do with every sport, we will look at it tactically, they (Skydance) certainly have the capacity to invest in the right partners at the right time.”
In separate negotiations, Channel Seven is understood to have already secured the broadcast rights to the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.