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Fox Sports bosses reportedly believe Rugby Australia always intended to pull the pin on their pay TV deal in a bid to move the struggling code onto free-to-air television.
The broadcaster’s deal with RA is due to run out at the end of 2020, but talks about a new agreement broke down on Wednesday.
The current pay television deal, signed in 2015 was worth $285 million, giving RA $57 million a year.
JEFFERY: Roll up, folks, it’s time for another round of rugby broadcast negotiations by media
The Daily Telegraph, owned by Fox Sports Australia’s majority owner News Corp Australia, reports that the broadcaster’s executives now believe RA’s chief executive Raelene Castle never intended to strike a new deal.
The newspaper said she rejected their opening offer of $200 million, but remained silent for months without indicating her preferred price.
Fox Sports executives believe the RA boss scuppered a deal so she could take the struggling code onto free-to-air television on Network Ten.
The report suggested Castle was also gambling on a bid from Optus, which is yet to make any offer, to make up for any shortfall in funding.
© AAP
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