Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports and commercial broadcaster Nine are set to acquire the next cycle of domestic rights for the Australian National Rugby League tournament, leading to a 70-per-cent increase in the total rights fee, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
The report said Nine is set to retain the free-to-air rights to three matches per week, with Fox Sports securing live coverage of every game.
The newspaper added that the total fee is likely to rise from A$1bn (€670m/$740m) over five years, from 2013 to 2017, to A$1.7bn over the five-year cycle from 2018 to 2022.
Commercial broadcaster Ten could acquire sublicensing rights for one match per week from Fox Sports, the report added.
Under the new cycle, three games would be played on Saturdays and Sundays, with one taking place on Thursdays and Fridays.