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CRICKET AUSTRALIA poised to lock in new broadcast agreement with FOXTEL and CHANNEL 7

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Cricket Australia is understood to be close to finalising a new mega broadcast rights deal that will see Australia’s favourite summer sport remain with existing rights holders Foxtel, News Corp, and Channel 7.

The SMH is reporting the new 7-year deal is expected to be worth around $1.4 billion in cash and contra, or approximately $210 million per year.

If correct, the figure would mark a slight increase from the $197 million agreed upon in 2018. But would be considered a considerable win for Cricket Australia after ratings declines and with the next broadcast deal expected to include a significant reduction in Big Bash matches played each season.

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Should Foxtel and Channel 7 renew its deal with Cricket Australia, it will be a significant blow for Paramount (Channel 10) once again failing to secure a Tier 1 sport despite being the largest financial bidder.

Over the past month, News Corp has regularly used its publishing outlets to mock the Paramount+/Channel 10 bid.

It’s a tactic that has had the dual purpose of demoralising 10 and reminding Cricket Australia it would be a risky move to make an enemy out of News Corp.

TV Blackbox understands Cricket Australia was ultimately unwilling to risk moving the bulk of its sporting product onto the largely untested and problematic Paramount+ streaming platform.

Cricket Australia fearing such a move could see the once dominant Big Bash, Twenty20 and One Day International competitions relegated as third-tier sports attracting audience levels similar to A-League and NBL Basketball.

Isa Guha with Brett Lee at the Gabba in Brisbane (image - Fox Cricket)
Isa Guha with Brett Lee at the Gabba in Brisbane (image – Fox Cricket)

Cricket Australia is instead expected to back the Foxtel Group which currently has a paid subscriber base of 4.4 million customers, including a dedicated sport-loving fan base of 1.259 million Kayo subscribers and a network of screens in pubs and clubs across the country.

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TV Blackbox understands a significant stumbling block throughout the negotiation process has been CA’s desire to maintain digital rights to the competition for use on its own Cricket Australia website and social media platforms.

Broadcasters are understood to be extremely unhappy with the prospect of having to pay a premium price for the sport and then having to compete against Cricket Australia digital platforms for the limited available sport advertising dollar.

Channel 7 is expected to secure free-to-air simulcast rights for all Test Matches, and a select number of Big Bash matches under the new deal. The new agreement is expected to allow Seven to stream live cricket coverage on its advertiser-supported, free streaming platform 7Plus for the first time.

Seven Cricket (image - Channel 7)
Seven Cricket (image – Channel 7)

Channel 7 is currently involved in Federal Court action against Cricket Australia due to a belief the sporting body has failed to schedule and promote the Big Bash competition properly.

Any new broadcast contract agreement between the two bodies will include additional safeguards to avoid such issues.

Negotiations for the new cricket broadcast agreement have been taking place over the past month with the process described by multiple parties to TV Blackbox as disorganised.

Cricket Australia had attempted to draw Channel 9 into the bidding process, but TV Blackbox understands these talks failed to proceed with Fox Sports reluctant to form a partnership with Nine due to its ownership of the rival Stan Sports product.

A formal announcement on the new deal is now not expected until the new year with Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley telling SEN Test Cricket radio coverage on Tuesday morning:

“I can’t talk about commercially confidential discussions but what I will say is discussions are progressing very well and hopefully we’ll have some announcements to be made in the not too distant future,”

we are working to the best deal we can in the best interests of Australian cricket,”

“There’s a lot to work through. There’s no fixed timeline, but discussions are progressing well.”

“We’ve had really strong interest throughout the process from all parties.

I think what we saw yesterday we’ve seen over a million people come through the gates to watch international cricket this year and the interest we’ve seen and the spirit of the discussions is reflective of the fact cricket is our national sport and our only truly national and international spot,” the CEO stated.

“I think Boxing Day, there’s no better picture to demonstrate that. After play, we led straight into two fantastic last-over finishes with the Big Bash.

“The discussions have been really positive.”

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Kevin Perry
Kevin Perryhttps://tvblackbox.com.au/author-kevin-perry/
Senior Editor and Co-Owner of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. Media enquiries please Call or Text 0428-275-111
Comments

8 COMMENTS

  1. So News limited used their newspapers (cricket coverage content….saying if we don’t get this done , we won’t print coverage of cricket .
    Call their bloody bluff if they did that watch their trash paper sales crash .
    People would turn to electronic media ..such as television.
    Newspaper sales have fallen faster than a lead Ballon .
    Younger generation don’t buy them why should they .
    Watch 7 again pay MILLONS for LIMITED CONTENT .NO WONDER NINE TRUMP.THEM ON SPORTING EVENTS

  2. I am afraid that the One Day and T20 matches will be shown exclusively on Foxtel. As a cricket fan, I am very annoyed with Cricket Australia’s decision to put the Limited overs behind a paywall. By putting the One Day International matches behind the paywall, the sport will suffer and so will the fans. This will become the death of the One Day Cricket.
    Cricket AUstralia cares more about money than fans.

  3. Does anyone know what the breakdown of that 210mil per year?
    How much for BBL?
    How much for WBBL?
    How much for men’s Tests?
    How much for Aus men’s white-ball games?
    Is Women’s cricket worth anything yet?

  4. I hope the international T20s and ODI are not exclusive to Foxtel. This would signify the end of ODI cricket due with the poor attendances this summer. If the rights holders are retained then 7 should telecast the ODI’s and T20’s maybe highlights packages at night?

  5. Only idiots watch cricket, football is best round ball now that pussi rubbish gayfl shite your must be 100 if u still watch cricket gayest sport alive behind netball,aleague do better job at 40 mill a yr than lameass cricket does wit 200 a yr your player are a joke can’t even make it in India pfft, who even attends cricket besides drunk dumb low iq Bogan yuck now wonder doggas can’t hold down jobs even picking fruit give it to migrants

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