Tier A is comprised by events that free-to-air broadcasters will be required to show live and in full including the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Bathurst 1000 car race and finals of major local tournaments such as the National Rugby League (NRL) and the Australian Football League (AFL) Premiership.

Tier B contains events that free-to-air broadcasters can show on secondary digital channels, but within four hours, such as regular games of the AFL and NRL Premiership seasons and non-final games of the Australian Open tennis.

This guarantees one free-to-air AFL game on each of Friday, Saturday and Sunday in home-and-away rounds, with pay-TV operators allowed to bid for the rest.

“Australian sports fans are at the centre of these reforms that I’m announcing today,” said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

“No longer can a free-to-air broadcaster purchase an iconic national event, and then not show it at all. In these circumstances, they must now offer it on to another free-to-air broadcaster to show it.”