Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Sports streaming service Kayo has raised the price of its premium subscription by $6 per month on the eve of the AFL season but says the additional games on offer this year will bolster the product for fans.
The streaming service has this month hiked its premium service from $40 to $45.99 per month, citing the hundreds of millions of dollars it has spent on a raft of major sports.
Cost factor: Expensive sports rights have forced streaming outlets to raise prices.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The AFL will stage a State of Origin clash this weekend and there will be an expanded finals series featuring a wildcard round this season.
As of 2025, Saturday’s home-and-away season matches were put behind a paywall in Victoria – only available on Foxtel or Kayo. For the first eight rounds, viewers were in the same position Australia-wide. “Marquee” games – such as the Collingwood-Essendon Anzac Day clash – will be available on free-to-air.
Kayo, once part of the News Corp Australia empire, is now majority owned by DAZN, which bought its parent, Foxtel, two years ago.
“These changes reflect the cost of sports rights in Australia and internationally and our continued investment in production and commentary, and cutting-edge technology,” a Kayo spokeswoman said.
“We have worked hard to ensure the monthly subscription for entry-level Kayo remains the same, ensuring our world leading 50-sports live remains accessible for sport fans, while premium with two streams remains a great option for families.
“AFL will be bolstered this year with the new AFL Origin clash between WA and Vic in February ahead of an expanded premiership season with the introduction of the wildcard weekend.”
Kayo’s standard tier price point will remain at $29.99 per month. A premium subscription allows viewers to stream sport on two devices at the same time and in 4K.
AFL Fans Association boss Ronnie Issko said broadcasters – and the AFL – needed to be mindful of cost-of-living pressures.
“To grow the game and keep it accessible during cost-of-living pressures, we urge the AFL and broadcasters to freeze prices. Affordable access will drive higher match attendance and TV viewership, benefiting fans, clubs, the AFL, and broadcasters in the long term,” Issko said.
Turn on: Kayo remains the No.1 sports streaming service in Australia.
Expensive sports rights have forced streaming outlets to bump their prices.
Stan Sport, owned by Nine Entertainment Co, lifted its prices by 19 per cent in July after it secured the English Premier League rights. Nine is the owner of this masthead.
Kayo remains the No.1 sports streaming service in Australia, with a subscriber count of about 1.5 million in late 2024 – when the latest data was supplied. It battles Disney+, Paramount and Stan Sport in a congested streaming market.
The AFL last season froze general admission ticket prices for the seventh straight year at the MCG and Marvel Stadium, maintaining 2019 prices.
It also froze entry-level tickets for all matches through the opening three weeks of the finals series. Entry-level tickets have remained the same since 2016.
