Seven West Media and Foxtel today announced that they have reached an agreement with Cricket Australia to extend its media rights from the 2024-25 season to the 2030-31 season.
The new agreement will see SWM’s 7plus become the ‘live and free’ home of cricket, with an extensive digital package of rights in addition to the linear broadcast on the Seven Network. This will represent the first time SWM has held digital rights to cricket.
For Foxtel, it will mean every ball of every match will be shown live and ad-break free on Fox Cricket, through Foxtel and Kayo Sports, until 2031. This will include all home Men’s and Women’s Tests, One Day Internationals and T20is, as well as the Big Bash League (BBL) and Women’s Big Bash League matches.
The new, seven-year agreement between SWM, Foxtel, and Cricket Australia will include two Ashes Tests Series as well as two Indian tours of Australia. In addition, Cricket Australia will revamp the BBL to create a shorter tournament that will run for five to six weeks.
From 2024, SWM will pay $65 million in cricket media rights fees a year, which represents a 13% reduction on the current agreement. Foxtel will pay $135 million a year, making the deal worth $200 million annnually and totalling $1.4 billion across the life of the seven year arrangment.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said:
“We are delighted to be continuing our broadcast partnership with the Foxtel Group and Seven under an improved deal and thank them for their continued support of cricket.
“The breadth and quality of cricket to be played in Australia over the coming summers is extraordinary and we are looking forward to working with our partners to not only televise the games, but to promote and grow cricket by encouraging more kids to pick up a bat and ball.
“This is also an important commercial outcome for all of Australian Cricket and one that will
ensure we can continue to deliver our community programs, support volunteers and increase participation to keep cricket strong.”
SWM Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer James Warburton said:
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Cricket Australia until 2030-31. A comprehensive package of digital rights to the cricket for 7plus will ensure that for the first time, our viewers will be able to access cricket, live and free, in a way that suits them.
“Our combined broadcast and digital rights for both cricket and the AFL means Seven and 7plus will be the home of sport all year round.
“I’d like to thank Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley and the Cricket Australia team for their continued efforts to drive cricket and, in particular, the improvements to the BBL. We look forward to working with Cricket Australia to grow Test cricket, women’s internationals and the BBL and WBBL in the years ahead.”
Foxtel Group Chief Executive Officer Patrick Delany said:
“With the addition of the cricket rights for a further seven years until 2031, the Foxtel Group remains the undisputed home of the most popular and premium sports in Australia.
“This extension is great news for our more than 4.6 million subscribers, who will see our world-class talent and production teams at Fox Sports continue bringing the magic like they always have across Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
“The Foxtel Group is the home of cricket in Australia, and we’re proud of the role our investments over more than two decades have played in super charging the growth of the sport from the grass-roots through to elite levels.
“Together with 4K on Foxtel and our continued investment in innovation and multi-sport environment on Kayo Sports, we deliver a fan experience like no other and will support the continued growth and promotion of cricket in Australia.
“The new deal will include improvements, including a refreshed Big Bash League format, with a reduced schedule of 43 games that will allow for a greater proportion of prime-time matches and stronger alignment with school holidays.
“In great news for our fans, Fox Sports will continue to be the host broadcaster for all Men’s Test matches played in Australia under the new agreement, and we have also secured 10 exclusive Big Bash League matches, which will include a new Super Saturday series, and up to 36exclusive Women’s Big Bash League matches.
“This renewed partnership with Cricket Australia complements our other multi-year agreements with the International Cricket Council, the IPL and the cricket boards of various countries including New Zealand, England, South Africa and India to show the best of global competitions and matches to fans right around the country.”
Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport Lewis Martin said:
“This deal is a win for Seven viewers and cricket fans, with the best Test cricket, women’s internationals, BBL and WBBL games guaranteed live and free on Seven and 7plus.
“Our enhanced partnership with Cricket Australia will take Seven’s summer cricket coverage into a new era, reach new audiences across our digital channels, and bring fans all the exciting competition, exceptional entertainment and world-class talent they love.”
A special clause in the deal allows for Seven’s shared commitment to improve the BBL, with SWM offering a revenue share upside on the BBL. SWM will pay increased rights fees only after SWM achieves certain BBL revenue hurdles which are expected to deliver positive BBL earnings each season, which would require a material improvement on the current contract revenue performance.
In line with the improvement in terms, SWM and Cricket Australia have also agreed today to terminate the court proceedings with immediate effect. Each side will bear its own costs.
In response to media reports regarding Paramount ANZ‘s involvement in the bid process, a spokesperson said:
“We understand the interest in the most recent Cricket media rights process and while Paramount considered the rights on offer and, despite reports to the contrary by various media outlets, it became clear following consistent discussions with Cricket Australia, that our objectives and views on the future presentation of the sport and its value were not aligned.
“As a result, Paramount never made a formal bid for the rights and did not actively pursue the rights over recent weeks.
“We are the only Australian media company with a suite of distribution platforms across free to air and free and paid streaming services, as well as access to a global content pipeline delivering unequalled flexibility and reach, allowing us to make prudent long term business decisions.
“Paramount congratulates the successful consortium and wishes them and Cricket Australia well for the future.”
Paramount ANZ have denied reports it made a formal bid, and have also denied the bid was valued at $1.5 billion.
