AFL nets Foxtel chief

Peter Campbell is heading to AFL Media. Picture: Norm Oorloff

THE AFL's dream of broadcasting its own matches has moved closer to reality with the hiring of a key Foxtel executive to head its media division.

Foxtel's Victorian general manager and head sport executive, Peter Campbell, was lured to run AFL Media.

Former AFL and A-League administrator Ben Buckley is his replacement at the pay-TV network.

The league has three more years to run on its $1.258 billion TV rights deal, but is already plotting for another significant increase.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said last year the league could broadcast "a game or two" from 2016 considering rapidly changing technologies.

The league says AFL Media is a success, although money saved by cost-cutting went into underwriting the media arm's losses this year.

While Campbell's expertise would be perfect in helping the AFL leverage more money, AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan said last night that was not his brief.

"He has been brought in to help deliver on AFL Media's agenda and he brings television and broadcast experience with an operational bent, and that's why we think he is a great hire," he said.