Reasons why the AFL deal is 50% higher than NRL.
1. Once Tassie coming in 2026 AFL will have a team in every state. Like cricket, it is truly national. The NRL cannot offer than to their advertisers.
2. Games go for longer - almost an hour longer. RL is around 1hr 50 mins start to finish. AFL is 2hrs 40 min. So more ads.
3. The had genuine bids from all three commercial networks. Ch7 has no interest in RL.
4. Gil is smarter than PVL.
Despite the huge $$$, AFL remains in charge of fixturing. No silly 6pm Friday games. And they have been very strategic with their demands of the Tassie bid. They want a small, but very fancy 23k roofed stadium on the water, which they will get (est cost is $750m). This is so it is full each week and looks great on TV. Plus $50m towards a COE, and a $10m contribution each year. What is Redcliffe contributing again?