AFL Telstra rights deal in jeopardy.

[tiger101]

UPDATE 5.10pm: A SHOCK Federal Court ruling has placed the AFL's $1.25 billion TV rights deal in jeopardy.

Telstra, which had paid $153 million for the rights to show games exclusively on its mobile phones, lost to Optus in today's ruling.

The decision means Optus customers will be allowed to watch AFL games on delays as little as two minutes this season.

Lawyers for Telstra and the AFL are expected to appeal the decision.

It was the Telstra money that pushed the AFL rights deal into record territory. The telco has threatened to tear up its agreement if it lost this case.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/live-sport-win-for-optus/story-e6frf9jf-1226259694084

I'm no lawyer but it seems outrageous that another company can play footage 2 minutes delayed and don't have to pay equal price for the rights for it.

[Phil Mrakov]

I'm with optus so im happy!

[Penelope]

Telstra are just stuffed

Initially they said you could watch the games on your phone, but now it seems you can only watch them via their Tbox.

filthy unmentionables -  i bought a smart phone that i can hook up to the telly to watch the fox games and now i cant do it.

this is only free to air games for optus anyway,  it wont be much of a market as most people will have access to these games anyway

[one-eyed]

AFL CHIEF executive Andrew Demetriou has warned Optus to be cautious as it considers appealing a Federal Court decision over mobile broadcast rights.

Three Federal Court judges have unanimously ruled in favour of the AFL, NRL and Telstra, protecting the League's $1.25 billion exclusive broadcast rights deal.

Optus must cease any broadcasts of AFL matches via its TV Now service.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/134205/default.aspx

[WilliamPowell]

I'm with optus so im happy!

After today's ruling - not anymore