Paramount Australia has signed an AFL Women's broadcast extension through the 2028 season, keeping seven rounds on Network Ten free-to-air while doubling Paramount Plus simulcasts for interstate viewers.
The deal, announced Sunday before the men's grand final weekend, locks in production minimums for all 18 clubs and requires feature slots on Ten's multichannel sports feed during finals. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said women's revenue sharing would rise modestly as part of the package.
What viewers get
Each round will include at least one prime-time Saturday slot on Ten's main channel, with other matches on 10 Play and Paramount Plus. Commentator teams will rotate between men's and women's specialists to control costs, but the league insisted on separate pre-game shows to grow storytelling around draft prospects.
Industry context
Free-to-air sport rights have tightened as streaming bidders chase men's cricket and rugby. Paramount's bet on AFLW aligns with advertiser demand for younger demographics and gender-balanced schedules. Seven West Media retains some men's fixtures but did not match the women's bid.
Regional affiliates welcomed guaranteed satellite feeds so Darwin and Hobart viewers see matches live rather than on delay.
Player pathway
Coaches said broadcast certainty helps recruiting schoolgirls into academies, especially in Queensland and Western Australia where women's AFL is still establishing roots. The AFL Players Association will negotiate share-of-revenue clauses tied to the new media money in 2027.
Production crews begin spring testing of dual-language captions for deaf viewers, a requirement Free TV Australia advocated in its last diversity report.
Sponsorship and ads
Major supermarkets renewed women's sport packages tied to the broadcast deal, seeking halftime integrations without crowding injury timeouts. Paramount sales teams pitch hybrid packages spanning Ten, 10 Play and Paramount Plus, arguing single-buy simplifies CPM tracking for brands.
AFLW players pushed for minimum broadcast minutes per club in the contract, avoiding wash-up matches hidden on secondary streams. The league agreed to publish a quarterly compliance report, a win for the players association.
International streaming rights remain separate; New Zealand viewers still rely on Sky Sport clips, a gap the AFL says it will address in the next Oceania rights cycle.
Club reactions
Carlton and Fremantle welcomed guaranteed free-to-air slots that help sponsors activate in local pubs. Gold Coast Suns said the deal supports their academy intake from Queensland schools.
Ten production hubs in Sydney and Melbourne will share OB trucks with men's finals to control costs, with union agreements specifying minimum crew rest between double-header weekends.