Cricket fans will have limited options to watch our national teams T20 tour of Bangladesh this week after Australian broadcasters opted not to secure the rights.
TV Blackbox understands Foxtel decided on Tuesday not to sign a broadcast deal for the tour due to the high asking price being demanded by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
The fact several of Australia’s best players are missing from the tour, and competition for viewers from the Olympics are understood to also be factors in Foxtel’s decision not to secure the tour.
A spokesperson for Foxtel confirmed the decision telling TV Blackbox:
“The Foxtel Group does not have the rights to broadcast the Bangladesh T20 series.”
“Fox Cricket was pleased to bring viewers the recent tour of the West Indies, and we can’t wait to bring them the ICC T20 World Cup starting in October as we head towards The Ashes in Australia this summer.”
Fox Cricket already holds broadcast rights for the English short-form cricket tournament The Hundred, which is being played in the same timeslot. Fox Cricket will also screen the upcoming England vs India Test Series which will also clash with the Australian tour.
While the T20 matches will not be available on Australian Television, the BCB is expected to make the tour available to stream on the RabbitholeBD Sports YouTube channel. All five matches will played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
First T20: August 3, 6pm (10pm AEST)
Second T20: August 4, 6pm (10pm AEST)
Third T20: August 6, 6pm (10pm AEST)
Fourth T20: August 7, 6pm (10pm AEST)
Fifth T20: August 9, 6pm (10pm AEST)
Fox Cricket has long term deals in place for domestic Australian Cricket, and with the ECB for all tours excluding The Ashes. However, the pay-tv channel is finding it increasingly challenging to secure rights for other tours involving our national team.
Rights deals need to be negotiated with the host cricket board, who are increasingly looking to extract a maximum price for a short-term contract. Last month Fox Cricket signed a deal to secure Australia’s tour of the West Indies just hours before the first match was due to commence.
Fixture Information – Cricket.com.au
Absolutely Disgraceful Decision by Foxtel!!!! they should be broadcasting every game of our national cricket men and women teams no matter what’s on the other channels!!!!