Australians miss out on the nation's biggest sporting achievements because of a "murkiness" between free-to-air television channels and the streaming services their parent companies own, the Foxtel boss says.
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The heads of Australia's biggest TV players have come before a parliamentary hearing to discuss anti-siphoning laws.
The legislation would guarantee first rights to major sporting events be offered to free-to-air broadcasters before they go behind a paywall.
Heads of these networks generally agree these laws would benefit Australian viewers, with Free TV Australia chairperson Gregory Hywood calling free sport a "social connector".
And while Foxtel group CEO Patrick Delany supported the intent of the legislation he said "the playing field is very irregular".
Nine and 10 are among other broadcasters that can acquire first rights, but their parent companies own subscription streaming services, Stan and Paramount Plus respectively.
"It's a very dangerous situation," Mr Delany told the parliamentary committee on Friday.
"When they acquire the rights, there's no there is no obligation to actually broadcast the rights, so they can put it on their paid companies.
"It distorts the market and that will have a very big effect in terms of grassroots (content) and sports."
Foxtel was unable to enter conversations with Nine or 10 during the 2023 AFL season because both parties were looking to acquire the free and paid rights, leaving the pay TV company to work with Seven.
Mr Delany said free-to-air television had "extraordinarily extensive" privileges and maintained it had only missed out on digital rights "once or twice" when they did not want to pay.
Mr Hywood maintains access to free sport content is dwindling at the hands of paid competitors.
"While Australians have always had free access to sports like the Olympics, AFL, NRL and cricket, global streamers and are buying them up," he said
"Next time the Cricket World Cup rolls around, you will only see it if you pay for it on Amazon and when cost of living pressures bear down as they currently are, nothing beats free."
Australian Associated Press
