Expanding Footy: Is the AFL Positioned to Compete for Global Television Viewership?

The world has many lucrative sporting leagues eager to attract extra revenue from foreign viewership, including the English Premier League, which is supported by broadcasting revenue of over £10 billion ($18.7 billion in AUD) for the period 2022-2025, the proportion coming from foreign revenue currently exceeding the amount derived from domestic sources. In America, the National Basketball Association generates $US715 ($1.05b AUD) million from non-US media rights, while the NFL is projected to receive at least $US125.5 billion (roughly $185b AUD) over the next ten years from broadcasting revenue. The Australian Football League, however, struggles to attract international interest, with very little global appeal and negligible foreign broadcasting revenue. Even with similarities to the NFL, the AFL may find it extremely difficult to secure any American broadcasting deal or attract American pay-to-view consumers. Despite this, the AFL could seek to attract greater American interest by getting more young American athletes involved in the sport, aiming to benefit from their athleticism and skills.