New broadcast deal for Cricket Australia ends legal battle

January 3, 2023 4:52 pm.by Jack Hudson

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News broke early Tuesday morning via Foxtel Group and Seven West Media Group of a brand new broadcast deal with Cricket Australia, that will see broadcast rights extended through until 2031. The new deal will begin in the 2024/25 season and is worth $1.512 billion which is a $19 million increase on the deal signed in 2018.

Foxtel announced via media release that a new agreement had been entered with CA that would see every ball of every match shown live and ad-break free on Fox Cricket. The agreement includes all Men’s Tests, One Day International’s T20is and Big Bash matches.

Seven also confirmed via media release of the extension of their agreement with CA with 7plus to become the live and free home of cricket, as well as announcing “an extensive digital package of rights in addition to the linear broadcast on the Seven Network”. Seven also confirmed this is the first time they have held digital rights to cricket.

In an enormous boost for the women’s game, Seven will broadcast all women’s international matches and a minimum of 23 WBBL matches. Meanwhile, Foxtel and Kayo will broadcast up to 36 WBBL matches as well as all women’s international matches.

CA 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 improvements Hockley refers to is the negotiation of a shortened BBL season to 43 games from 61. The change was made to provide more effective prime time broadcasting and viewing, as well as a stronger alignment with school holidays, as well as availability of international players.

Seven has also announced they will “pay increased rights fees only after SWM achieves certain BBL revenue hurdles”. The fees will be paid once revenue of the current contract is improved upon, which in turn is expected to deliver positive BBL earnings.

This announcement has stemmed from Seven having taken CA to Federal court during 2022 for “multiple quality and standard breaches by CA of Seven’s Media Rights Agreement with CA”. Seven and CA have since agreed to terminate the court proceedings with immediate effect.

Suggestions for the legal proceedings being undertaken were that there was a lack of availability of international stars. Further, Seven demanded a reduced rate for the content they were able to broadcast, despite CA refusing to budge after the organisation was able to complete a full summer of domestic and international cricket.

The Daily Telegraph also reported Seven directly referred to the issue of Steve Smith being barred from entering the BBL bubble to link up with his long time franchise the Sydney Sixers.

The legal proceedings in Federal court have not been the only difficult circumstances CA has been forced to navigate. Seven boss James Warburton was quoted famously in 2020 calling CA “the most incompetent administration I’ve ever worked with”.

In announcing the new broadcasting deal for Seven, 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.

“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,” he said.

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