Nine lose rights for cricket coverage

The Aussie commentators many Kiwis love to hate could be silenced.

Channel Nine’s four-decade involvement in Australian cricket broadcasting is reportedly over, according to The Financial Review.

It means the network’s employees such as former Australian players Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Shane Warne, Ian Chappell and, in a limited capacity due to health reasons in recent years, Bill Lawry, could be out of work.

The Financial Review claims Channel Nine has missed out to pay television network Foxtel for the next five Australian summers.

Foxtel is in talks with Channel Seven and Channel Ten to decide which of the two could partner the station in the new five or six-year deal, the reports also said.

Fox can’t fly solo as Australian anti-siphoning laws decree that major international cricket must be shown on freeto-air television.

Channel Nine’s relationship with cricket has been tested in recent years, after revelations surfaced it was losing more than A$30 million (NZ$31.5m) a year covering the sport.

The network’s chief executive, Hugh Marks, said in the past that for Nine to continue to broadcast the cricket it would need to be a financially viable proposition.

Nine recently coughed up A$60m (NZ$63m) for the rights to broadcast tennis, a clear sign its interest in cricket coverage has waned.