Jun 2, 2026 – 12.03pmThe playing field is set for the NRL’s blockbuster broadcast rights negotiations, with international e-commerce and streaming behemoth Amazon and Network Seven owner Southern Cross Media each lobbing bids, alongside Foxtel and Nine Entertainment.After a year drumming up interest about the value of the NRL’s games to broadcasters, and after setting a very public price tag of $4 billion for the five-year deal, Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys has managed to secure a bid from Amazon Prime Video for two games a week.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Peter V’landys lures Amazon and Seven bids into NRL rights race
After a year of hyping up the interest of global streaming platforms in the NRL, the commission chairman has secured a firm bid from Amazon Prime Video.
TL;DRAI
Amazon Prime, Seven, Foxtel, Nine bid for NRL broadcast rights ($4B/5 years); Amazon offers 2 games/week. Streaming SVOD escalates in live sports premium — global media revaluation, infrastructure implications (encoding, CDN, scale), strategic shift from linear broadcasting.
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