In their bid to buy the rights to broadcast the AFL, four major media companies, both free-to-air and pay TV, have presented to AFL bosses.
Current rights holders Seven and Foxtel have made it clear they wish to continue their current agreement, while broadcasters Ten and Nine have also joined the race.
AFL CEO Gillion McLachlan, Chairman Richard Goyder and other Commission members have held high-level meetings with the TV giants, according to The Age, with the three free-to-air networks met with the league last week.
Ten has made their case, with US-based parent company Paramount inviting AFL's senior executives to New York this year.
Paramount, who own CBS in the US, recently paid billions for the streaming rights of cricket's Indian Premier League.
It's been said the meetings were not about the money.
The current rights held by Foxtel and Seven run until the end of 2024, with AFL set to gain $946 million in the next two years.
It seems that the two are still the favourites, however Ten-Paramount are likely to provide the biggest financial offer.
The other contender, Nine, also looks enticing to the AFL, with the network having grown since they last owned a share of the broadcast rights from 2002 to 2006.
Nine already broadcasts the league's major competitor, the NRL.
In this day and age of streaming, the four major companies have presented how they will move into this stream.
Foxtel are already placing a greater focus on airing games on their streaming service, Kayo, while Seven and Nine broke down how they will broadcast.
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Games could be divided between free-to-air channels and streaming services like 7plus and 9Now.
Nine also own the streaming service Stan, which already broadcasts rugby union through hits sports leg.
The Age have reported that their sources have confirmed that Paramount want to win the entire rights package - both free and pay. They do not wish to sell off certain slots like some speculated.
Earlier this year the AFL also met with tech giant Amazon.
The AFL have teamed with Amazon a number of times to produce documentaries for their streaming service Amazon Prime Video.
The pandemic has made the AFL more reliant on broadcast revenue, and will be looking to finalise a deal before McLachlan steps down as CEO later this year.
