Yesterday shares in Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX:TLS) rose after Australia’s biggest telco emerged a winner with the Australian Football League’s (AFL) broadcast rights.
From next year Telstra has scored the exclusive rights to live stream every AFL game over the next five years.
The AFL’s total broadcast rights for the 2012 to 2016 seasons was in excess of $1 billion, with Telstra reportedly having paid $155 million for the right to broadcast the live games.
The Australian reports that this figure is almost triple the $50 million to $60 million Telstra paid for the 2007 to 2011 rights.
Telstra's T-Box customers will be able to access the service through mobile devices connected to the Next G network.
The package also includes all pre-season and finals games in addition to the Brownlow Medal awards, all streamed live.
Yesterday shares in Telstra gained 1.76 per cent to close at $2.89.
In the first half of the 2011 financial year Telstra generated a net profit of $1.2 billion.
