Existing television rights holders will oppose any deal that cuts them out of the production process amid predictions the NRL could be worse off financially if it took responsibility for the broadcasts itself.

As revealed by the Herald on Monday, the NRL is considering bringing the production of its matches in-house before selling them off to interested media outlets. The move has already been made by a number of major sporting bodies in Australia and abroad in response to changes in technology and viewing habits.

There could be big changes to the way we watch rugby league in the future. Credit:Getty

The current rugby league rights holders, Foxtel and Nine Entertainment Co - the publishers of the Herald - have no interest in ceding control of the way the product is delivered to their audiences to Rugby League Central. While such a switch could potentially allow for an increased number of rights holders when the existing deal expires at the end of the 2022 season, an industry expert has warned that production costs could actually increase under such a scenario.

Global Media and Sports boss Colin Smith - who has advised the NRL, AFL and ARU during previous rights negotiations - said centralised broadcasting often didn’t make financial sense.