AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is exploring a two-year extension of the broadcast rights agreement which would take its decades-long relationship with the Seven Network until the end of 2024.

The Age understands McLachlan has been holding talks with the league's long-time free-to-air broadcaster in a bid to create longer-term certainty amid a rapidly changing media climate.

In what would prove an unprecedented move by the competition, whose television ratings in 2019 are seven per cent up on last season, an additional two-year agreement would likely involve a similar break-up of games at a cost in line with inflation.

McLachlan had been looking at the possibility of an extension with Tim Worner, the long-time Seven chief executive who was suddenly removed from that role on Thursday night, in a shock decision by Seven West chairman Kerry Stokes.

Coincidentally Worner lunched with McLachlan at a French bistro in Toorak on Thursday and only learned of his axing when he arrived back in Sydney that night. Former Seven executive James Warburton, who departed the network in 2011 to run Channel Ten, will replace Worner.