A $2 billion television bidding war for rugby league and AFL kicked off inside two trendy eastern suburbs restaurants on Thursday night.

Channels Nine and Seven separately wined and dined football powerbrokers of both sports at famous Paddington eatery Darcy's and the Centennial Hotel, which are just a kilometre apart.

The battle for the football codes - and the massive television ratings that come with them - will be as bitter and intense as anything this country has seen and could even threaten the existence of other sports and their broadcasting deals.

NRL boss David Gallop had dinner with Channel Seven supremo David Leckie at the Centennial at exactly the same time the AFL's Andrew Demetriou and Gil McLachlan were at Darcy's with Nine's Sydney boss David Gyngell and Melbourne chief executive Geoff Brown.

The AFL rights are up for grabs at the end of next year - and the NRL 12 months later.

The two biggest television networks in Australia are going so hard for the NRL and AFL free-to-air rights that Seven boss Leckie believes other sports will suffer.

"Cricket, rugby and soccer will all be sidelined by these deals," Leckie said. "Whoever gets the AFL deal will pay too much. Whoever gets the league rights will pay too much.

"It will leave nothing for the rest of them."

A seven spokesman added: "It wasn't just a catch-up dinner with David Gallop - we put our cards on the table for rugby league rights.

"We want them bad.

"Everyone knows how much David Leckie loves rugby league."

We can also reveal that Gallop had lunch earlier in the day at Machiavelli with Gyngell to talk about the upcoming rugby league season before moving on to his dinner with Leckie.

"Obviously the TV rights are something we're all preparing for," Gallop said. "But I'd rather not go into what was discussed over dinner."

Gyngell was also reluctant to comment when we asked him about his hopes of retaining rugby league - and getting the AFL.

"I don't want to be seen as someone who leaks stuff from a private dinner," he said. "Ask the other guys."

Seven has already signalled its intention to enter the rugby league market this year with the imminent launch of a new footy show to be hosted by Matthew Johns on Wednesday nights.

Industry insiders are suggesting Channel Seven will be in the stronger position financially to get rugby league, even allowing for the fact Nine retains first and last bidding rights as part of its current contract.

Nine is currently controlled by equity partners who are known to have kept a tight rein on funding for several years, while Seven is cashed up and ready for a serious bidding war.

The rugby league rights, currently worth $100 million a year (including Sky TV in New Zealand), are expected to be sold for at least double that amount next time.

The NRL plans to sell the premiership rounds, Test matches, State of Origin and the finals as separate packages to attract more revenue.

AFL spokesman Brian Walsh told us that Demetriou had a chuckle when we informed him of Leckie's dinner with Gallop at the nearby restaurant.

"Yes, Andrew and Gil were in Sydney and caught up with David Gyngell and Geoff Brown for a bite to eat," Walsh said. "Obviously they've got good relationships with media and business people around the country and it's not unusual for them to catch up for a chat about life, families and the weather - and maybe a bit of football."

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The Gronk said the following on Tue Feb 9 4:11 2010

Quote: author=Canteen They won't show the League on 9 in Melbourne in Prime time as it rates nothing, despite the fact that Gronk and Clon are huge!!! Go might be a chance but it is AFL forever down there and evermore twill be so. our massive manhoods don't count in the ratings unfortunately

Matabele said the following on Tue Feb 9 2:58 2010

Quote: author=clontaago Especially considering Channel 9 now have separate digital and analogue channels. Show NZ customs or Police Ten 7 on analogue and put the F**king league on the digital channel instead of having the same program on both!!!!   Yes, common sense would suggest that, but programmers for free to air evidently live in another universe.

Canteen Worker said the following on Tue Feb 9 2:39 2010

They won't show the League on 9 in Melbourne in Prime time as it rates nothing, despite the fact that Gronk and Clon are huge!!! Go might be a chance but it is AFL forever down there and evermore twill be so.

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