Justin Holdforth, the head of sport at Australian public-service broadcaster the ABC, said that talks were ongoing over a new broadcast deal for the Australian rules football South Australian National Football League.
Negotiations over a new two-year deal for the SANFL from 2012 stalled earlier this year. Adelaide Now reported that talks resumed in October.
On Thursday, the ABC distributed a television production strategy outline to staff, and said that local sports leagues like the SANFL require “a more viable operating and financial model” to survive.
“Given the high opportunity cost and relatively small audiences of current coverage, the future of local football coverage is dependent upon developing supplementary funding or alternative production models,” the ABC document said.