AFL in record A$2.5bn broadcast rights deal

A broadcast deal between the Australian Football League (AFL) and a group of media companies is the biggest in Australian television history.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation will pay the lion's share of the A$2.5bn ($1.8bn, £1.1bn) broadcast rights deal, media reports said.

Pay TV channel Foxtel, half-owned by News Corp, will broadcast all the competition matches live.

The six-year deal also includes Seven West Media and Foxtel co-owner Telstra.

In a statement published by the AFL, Mr Murdoch said Australian Rules football was "the premium code in Australia".

"This is the national game," said Mr Murdoch about why News Corp wanted the rights.

"We believe in the strength of the game, and we will do everything we can to make it stronger," he said.

Australian Rules has traditionally been popular in Australia's southern states and Western Australia, but is increasingly popular in the nation's most populous state of New South Wales where Rugby League dominates.

Sports commentators said the deal would increase pressure on other football codes.

Seven will hold the rights for three matches live per round in every Australian state and territory, and Telstra will broadcast matches over a planned online TV service, as well as to digital devices.

The deal commences in 2017 and lasts until 2022.