AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has ruled out the players’ association having a seat at the next broadcast rights talks.
AFL Players Assocation CEO Paul Marsh made a written request to the league to be involved in the rights negotiations, which are in the early stages.
Collingwood president and former Nine Network chief executive Eddie McGuire has called the players’ association proposal “ridiculous” and McLachlan said on Thursday it would not happen.
“The players’ association won’t be part of any direct discussion with broadcasters,” McLachlan said.
But McLachlan put the issue back onto the players’ association.
“If we have input from the players association and they feel their players are prepared to step up and go over and above their existing commitments to deliver value to the broadcasters, that’s a really healthy discussion,” he said.
“I look forward to having that with Paul.”