SANFL plans $1 million deal with Channel Nine Eddie McGuire's media production company is in talks with the SANFL over telecasting matches on Channel 9. SANFL could return to commercial television next season, for the first time since 1991, as the ABC prepares to walk away from football in both Adelaide and Perth. But the league would need to pay $1 million a season for production costs. The SANFL is in talks with Eddie McGuire's media production company to keep the local league on television. The SANFL's preferred network is Channel 9, which last telecast the state league in partnership with the ABC in 1991. It is the only local television station that can give the SANFL exclusive hold on the Saturday afternoon timeslot. But the production costs - estimated at $30,000-$40,000 a game and $1 million a season - would have to be picked up by the SANFL, not Channel 9. These figures are beyond the SANFL's budgets, which currently allocate $70,000 to the ABC's production bills. The SANFL would need major commercial sponsors to reduce its financial exposure. SANFL and McGuire Media executives have been in talks for two months and included Channel 9's new owners and sales staff yesterday. Channel 9's Adelaide general manager Graeme Gilbertson declined to comment on the proposal and negotiations with the SANFL and McGuire Media. SANFL head of football Chris Davies told The Advertiser on Tuesday that keeping the league on television "is a cornerstone of our plans for next year." "It is important for our competition to be seen on television," he said. Going back to commercial television is one of our options, but the dollars are something we have to be aware of. Streaming on the internet is another option. We still want to work with the ABC but are not sure where they are placed. McGuire Media has successfully packaged other sports for commercial television. The formula has a television station gain the vision of SANFL games without the production costs while the sports body improves exposure for its clubs and their sponsors. Channel 9 would get SANFL games for free and split the commercial revenue with McGuire Media - a stark contrast to the 1980s when Nine paid the SANFL $100,000 for a three-year hold on the league's television rights. Nine paid the costs to produce two games each weekend and the annual Magarey Medal count. The SANFL, in partnership with McGuire Media, would seek sponsors to minimise the $1 million annual production costs. "We could not afford $1 million a year," Davies said. We're looking at how those costs can be minimised with sponsors and hope to know if this is possible in the next few weeks.