This past week, a new contender joined the race to acquire the TV rights to Argentine soccer, which until now was led by Fox-Turner and ESPN.

According to local media, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) reportedly got a sizeable offer from US group, Consor, which offered US$ 336 million a year for a 5-year contract.

Equivalent to 5.4 billion argentine pesos, the offer is 80% higher than the 3 billion offered by Turner and Fox, and 69% higher than ESPN's offer.

"The offer is 336 million dollars and the CEOs of the company are travelling next week to see the details. When we work those out we'll see if we can move forward from there," said Armando Perez, president of the Regulatory Commission at the AFA in a radio interview.

The 5-year contract would include national, international, online and mobile rights.

Consor would then put them up for sale, a model that's completely different from those suggested by ESPN, Fox and Turner, who planned to offer the games in a premium package for a price between 150 and 250 pesos a month.

According to La Nación, argentine soccer's directors see it as a "spectacular" offer, although they are unsure of having the buyer be an intermediary and not a media group.

The AFA will now open a tender and ask the three interested parties to evaluate their offers.

"Whichever is best and works for Argentine soccer is what we'll decide, and we must do it fast," Perez said.