Strong interest by broadcasters in a second Brisbane team may prompt the ARL Commission to ask TV networks to lodge a separate rights bid for an 18-team competition.
Both Fox Sports and Channel Nine are keen to televise a second Brisbane team and capitalise on the parochial ratings of Queenslanders.
With only three Queensland NRL teams in its 16-team competition - Brisbane, North Queensland and Gold Coast - Nine is frequently frustrated finding enough Queensland teams to schedule for its Friday night double header and its Sunday afternoon coverage.
Ratings are traditionally down in Queensland when Nine shows an all-Sydney game on Sundays, such as the recent Penrith-Wests Tigers match.
Fox Sports also suffers because the free-to-air coverage of the three Queensland teams means there is less incentive for northerners to take up Foxtel subscriptions.
While Sydney subscriptions are approximately 40 per cent of households, Brisbane is in the 33 to 35 per cent range.
Nine boss David Gyngell has intimated he would pay an additional $100 million over five years in broadcast fees should a second Brisbane team be accepted, even as a 17th team, meaning a bye and the existing eight matches each week.
Broadcasters bidding for TV rights have been told to tender on the basis of a 16-team competition but ARLC chief executive David Gallop has said expansion could be factored into negotiations.
''We obviously would be interested to know what value broadcasters place on a ninth match,'' Gallop said.
A ninth match, meaning an 18th team, would draw even more broadcasting revenue, with the AFL acknowledging it drew an additional $150 million from the introduction of the low rating Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Perth is widely regarded as the best option as an 18th team, given the opportunity it presents with an additional time zone. However, both Nine and Fox Sports have expressed lukewarm interest in a Perth team.
This may change if Channel Seven becomes an active bidder for the rights. Seven, unlike Nine, owns the Perth channel.
Gallop has told the Perth and Queensland bids that the commission would be unlikely to address the question of expansion until August and even then may announce there will be no new teams during the life of the next broadcast contract.
