News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson says the multi-million dollar battle for NRL TV rights has become a contact sport itself.
The NRL on Monday sealed a $925 million, five-year deal with free-to-air broadcaster Nine for the rights to screen four live NRL matches a week, the top-rating State of Origin series and finals.
Foxtel, which is half-owned by News Corp, is still to finalise how much it will pay to broadcast the remaining four NRL matches each weekend from 2018 - and possibly simulcast Nine's matches.
Nine's new deal increases the number of matches the free-to-air network will screen and puts an end to Foxtel's lucrative Monday night matches.
Mr Thomson on Thursday likened the broadcast rights negotiations to a football match.
"As you well know, football rights are a contact sport themselves and the match for the NRL rights is probably at around half time and far from over," he told analysts during a briefing on News Corp's annual profit result.
"All I can say more about football rights is that I personally am an AFL tragic.
"And the specific outcome that I want to see this Saturday (is) ... an Essendon victory."
Foxtel's current five-year, $550 million deal with the NRL expires in 2017.
Analysts estimate that the total value of NRL broadcast rights are on track to hit the forecast $1.7 billion.
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