Big Bash, Cricket Australia today announced a $1.5 billion renewal of its domestic broadcast rights relationship with Foxtel Group and Seven West Media, which would reduce the BBL season by 18 matches. The seven-year, $1.512 billion agreement kicks up in 2024, with a year left on the existing six-year deal inked in 2018, and will keep cricket on Fox and Seven through the conclusion of the 2030-31 summer.
When the new arrangement starts, Seven will continue to broadcast all men’s Tests, all women’s international matches, a minimum of 23 WBBL matches, and 33 of the 43 BBL matches on its free 7plus platform. When the new arrangement takes effect in BBL|14, Seven’s BBL quota will include three BBL finals matches, marking another departure from the existing five-team finals system. Men’s ODI and T20 internationals will continue to be broadcast on Foxtel and Kayo Sports, which will also air 10 exclusive BBL matches, including a ‘Super Saturday’ series.
Big Bash Key features of the new broadcast agreement
- Foxtel Group and Seven West Media signed a $1.512 billion seven-year agreement.
- The KFC Big Bash will be trimmed by 18 games from BBL|14 to 43 games.
- The agreement includes bilateral men’s and women’s series played in Australia, as well as the Big Bash tournaments.
- Foxtel and Kayo will broadcast every men’s and women’s international and Big Bash League match, including all men’s limited-overs internationals and 10 unique Big Bash matchups.
- Seven and seven plus will broadcast all men’s Tests, all women’s international matches, at least 23 WBBL matches, and 33 of the 43 Big Bash matchups (including three BBL Finals)
- Cricket.com.au will continue to be the home of free cricket highlights.
- The new contract will begin in mid-2024 and will last through the conclusion of the 2030-31 season.
- The new arrangement offers a $19 million per year boost over the six-year, $1.182 billion deal struck in 2018, including a 10.5% cash uplift.
- Seven has dropped its legal action against CA in connection with the pandemic-affected Big Bash seasons.
With fewer Big Bash dates, the competition will better correspond with the school vacation season, with more matches being shown in prime time. It will also make more foreign and Australian talents available. CA already tried to secure a January date for the event as part of the Future Tours Program talks. CA is celebrating an agreement that will stimulate additional investment at all levels of the game by lowering the number of matches and adding $19 million per year to the value of its broadcast rights.
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The domestic pact followed a record broadcast agreement with Disney Star for subcontinental rights. The Big Bash had only had one season of 43 games, BBL|07 in 2017-18 when each of the eight teams played ten matches before a three-game finals series. Perth finished first in the standings but fell in the semi-finals to Hobart, triggering cries for a ‘double chance’ for the top finisher. The new broadcast arrangement includes two five-test Border-Gavaskar series against India and two five-test men’s Ashes series, with a new FTP set to begin this year.
The new FTP includes an enlarged women’s schedule, with Australia hosting a multi-format (Test, ODI, T20) series against India, England, and South Africa in the first three years. Seven reported to the stock market that it would pay $65 million each year under the new arrangement, with the amount increasing by 2% each year. This amount excludes ‘contra,’ which is an industry term for free advertising space and promotion.
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According to Seven, the new arrangement represents a 13% drop in cash payments over the existing deal. The Foxtel Group, which is not publicly traded, has refused to say how much it pays. According to Seven’s statistics, the Foxtel Group would pay around $144 million in cash and contra per year, out of the total $216 million in value of the arrangement. In the present agreement, the duo pay $197 million each year in cash and contra, with Seven contributing $75 million.
CA CEO Nick Hockley said that he was “delighted” to have negotiated an extension with the current broadcast partners after receiving “high levels of interest” from all major Australian commercial networks. The quality and reach of Foxtel Group and Seven’s cricket production is high class, and the exceptional service they give cricket fans was a significant factor in our choice to continue with this successful cooperation,” Hockley said in a statement.
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This is also a significant commercial achievement for all of Australian Cricket, ensuring that we can continue to offer key community initiatives, support volunteers, and expand engagement in order to keep cricket strong. Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany praised the transaction as “excellent news for our more than 4.6 million members. Seven West Media CEO James Warburton, who had previously been loud in his condemnation of CA during the epidemic as his business started legal action, which is still pending in the Federal Court but will now be dropped, was effusive in his support.
“I’d want to congratulate Nick Hockley and the Cricket Australia staff for their ongoing efforts to develop cricket, particularly the Big Bash advancements,” Warburton said in a statement. We look forward to working with Cricket Australia in the coming years to expand Test cricket, women’s internationals, and the Big Bash and WBBL.
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The International Cricket Council (ICC) controls tournaments such as the men’s and women’s T20 and ODI World Cups, as well as the World Test Championship finals, which fall outside of the local broadcast rights framework. Other bilateral series performed abroad are administered by the individual home cricket boards, with the Australian men’s Test tour of India aired exclusively on Foxtel and Kayo, and the winter Ashes tour of England shown live on the Nine Network.