With NRL broadcast rights negotiations set to ramp up on Thursday, a new player has emerged in the conversation.
Channel Seven have reportedly expressed interest in the situation following Nine's recent public bashing of the NRL and reported wish for the 2020 season to be scrapped.
Current broadcasters Nine and Foxtel are set to meet with ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys on Thursday as they renegotiate terms and map out a plan for the game's return.
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According to a report by Michael Chammas in the Nine-owned Sydney Morning Herald, Seven, the current free-to-air home of the AFL, could have some financial room to move following the cancellation of Wimbledon, postponement of the Olympics and uncertainty around the summer of cricket.
Nine are reportedly keen to see the Thursday night and 6pm Friday games scrapped, as well as up to three exclusive fixtures every round - Fox builds its coverage around having every game live each week.
Speaking to SEN, Chammas expanded Seven's potential plans.
"Channel Nine believe that's no longer working for them and want to get out of that simulcast arrangement, however Fox Sports don't want to change anythning," Chammas said.
"There could be the potential for one game a week as early as this year.
"Now Channel Seven haven't indicated at all what they want, but there is the potential there if that was the case that they would be able to jump on that one game a round if Channel Nine were willing to let it go."
The NRL has already announced May 28 as the date they intend to return from the COVID-19 shutdown, though there is the suggestion that Nine will attempt to stall the renegotiations for as long as possible until they can access the product they feel they've paid for.
If the parties can't come to an agreement, rugby league's long-standing presence on the broadcaster could be under threat.
However, speaking on The Sounding Board podcast, media figure Craig Hutchison was sceptical over Seven's ability to make a genuine play for the rugby league rights in Australia.
"They're not going to get Seven at their market cap to bid meaningfully on the NRL rights at this point, I wouldn't think," Hutchison said.
"From a free-to-air perspective, what's [the NRL's] strategy from here?
"Seven can't bid, I wouldn't think, meaningfully with AFL and cricket being such a big cost."
Hutchison admitted that he understood the position of the current free-to-air rights holders' unwillingness for the seasons to continue in a modified format.
"It's through no one's fault, but the reality is, it's not what you bought," he added.
"You bought a Friday night consistent package, you bought a Saturday night consistent package, you bought a Sunday afternoon lead-in to your news, you bought crowds with mass atmosphere.
"What you actually paid for is not the product that you're going to get, so how do you reprice that or are you allowed to reprice that?"
