Seven Network is seeking the court's help after a production firm refused to hand over software used in the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics for its upcoming broadcast of the Commonwealth Games.
The urgent lawsuit, filed in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday, aims to force the UK-based Gravity Media Group and its Australian arm to grant Seven ownership of its Inception software which produced "customised rundowns" for the two most recent Olympic Games.
Seven claims that under a November 2019 agreement with Gravity, formerly known as Gearhouse Broadcast, it owned any customised material developed for the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics.
According to court documents, the software was developed by Ross Video and "a royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable licence" was provided to Seven by Gravity.
Gravity was paid $79,000 for its support with Seven's Tokyo Olympics broadcast and more than $4.6 million for the Beijing Games.
Earlier this month, after a request from Seven, Ross Video said it could only provide the customised material with permission from Gravity.
"(Gravity)has refused to give its consent. Seven requires this material to broadcast the 2022 Commonwealth Games," the network wrote.
The network is seeking more than financial compensation from Gravity, saying that the customised software cannot simply be purchased.
"Seven has had to incur, and continues to incur, additional costs and expenses to develop an alternative to the (customised materials)."
The Games are due to begin in Birmingham, England on July 28. Given the urgency, Seven does not want to enter mediation but has said it has already attempted to resolve the dispute outside the court.
Gravity has been contacted for comment.
