Major revamp of Aussie broadcast rights

SYDNEY: Australia’s home limitedovers cricket internationals will go behind a paywall for the first time under a landmark $1.182 billion ($NZ1.25 billion) sixyear broadcast rights deal.

Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed the deal struck with the Seven Network and Fox Sports yesterday, which means the end of four decades of the Australian summer of cricket on the Nine Network.

The Ten Network has lost the coveted rights to the Big Bash League, while tests and 43 of the 59 BBL matches will be simulcast between Fox Sports and Seven. Fox Sports will exclusively showcase home international oneday and twenty20 matches, along with the remaining 16 games of the BBL as part of a dedicated cricket channel during summer.

In total, about 80% of all international cricket will still be available via freetoair, with CA still trumpeting more cricket content will be available on commercial networks than ever before.

CA was confident the joint deal with freetoair and pay TV complies with Australia’s antisiphoning rules and it follows the lead of various other cricket nations including England, India, South Africa and New Zealand.

The new rights deal is a coup for CA, especially after fears the balltampering saga in South Africa would directly impact on the negotiations and the financial outcome.

‘‘Cricket’s been through a tough couple of weeks but we know cricket is an extremely resilient sport ...’’ CA chief executive James Sutherland said.

‘‘We’ve obviously got some rebuilding to do but we’ve spoken to both Fox and Seven about it and ... they are committed to us rebuilding that trust and confidence not just through CA as an organisation and a sport but also through our players.’’

The deal represents a 67% financial increase on the previous deal, believed to have been worth $600 million over five years.

It is understood the majority of funding for the deal is coming from Fox Sports, which has also picked up the digital rights to the home summer.

Seven last broadcast elite cricket in 2005 when it showed the away oneday series that preceded the away Ashes, as part of a deal with English and Wales Cricket Board.

Channel Nine has the rights to next year’s away Ashes series. — AAP