Cricket Australia signs six-year Indian broadcasting deal with Sony

CRICKET Australia is considering expanding the Big Bash to a full home-and-away season, as experts predict the competition may have already hit its ratings peak.

Aussie international cricket will be broadcast into India thanks to a new 6-year TV deal. Picture: AP

CRICKET Australia is exploring the prospect of expanding the Big Bash to a marathon full home-and-away season, as experts predict the League may have already hit its ratings peak.

Plans are being discussed to potentially push the BBL deep into February, with an aim to give broadcasters more bang for their buck in the looming TV rights negotiations, and at the same time reclaim the tail end of the summer from the women’s AFL.

BBL rights are predicted to at least double and potentially triple to be worth up to $60 million a year in the next deal, while international rights are tipped to drop from their current standing at around $95 million.

ASHES CALL: STARC URGES AUSSIE CROWDS TO GIVE POMS STICK

ASHES MOMENTS: THE DAY DAVID BOON WON’T TALK ABOUT

The Big Bash League could get even bigger. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

LEARNING CURVE: HOW MEG LANNING DEALT WITH INJURY

PETER PAN: BRAD HOGG SIGNS NEW BBL DEAL WITH RENEGADES

Cricket Australia is sweating on Network Ten being successfully taken over by early November so they can get back on their feet and a pre-Christmas bidding war might break out with Channel Nine, who have made no secret of their desire to poach the BBL and retain the Test rights as well.

The upcoming BBL season has already been expanded from four home games for each side to five, pushing the final back to February 4.

However, News Corp understands there is consideration being given to cranking that number up to a full home and away seven home matches for each of the each eight teams — a move which if put into action would result in the BBL being beamed into lounge rooms from early-mid December right up until nearly the last week of summer.

More content doesn’t necessarily mean more revenue as far as broadcasters are concerned, but Cricket Australia knows the Big Bash is their best hope of securing the rights bonanza they’re banking on and shutting out rival sports.

Aussie cricket will be broadcast into India thanks to a new TV deal. Picture: (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Media analyst Steve Allen from Fusion Strategy warned that while the BBL is now a proven summer force (with average audiences over a million), there are indications its ratings spikes have hit the ceiling.

“We don’t think the ratings for Big Bash will climb distinctly better than the last season,” Allen told The Daily Telegraph.

“We think there is some upside but we think they’ve got all the big growth numbers already.

“We can’t see a way of them getting another double digit increase in the next season. And we can’t see that happening season after season.

“Of course there is upside. Ten took a punt on the BBL and it’s paid Ten back in spades. It more than doubled the ratings.

“But while Ten in our view is going to pay twice what it paid ($20 million in the last deal) we doubt whether it will go beyond that, because beyond that it goes beyond the fundamentals of the ratings and revenue available.”

Indian fans will also see our finest women’s cricketers in action. Picture: Sarah Reed

Cricket Australia have ticked off one TV rights milestone after agreeing to terms with Sony Pictures Networks India to broadcast all Australian matches into the subcontinent.

The clear message from major Australian broadcasters is that sports rights are overpriced and must be reined in.

Nine are pushing for a deal by the end of the year, and Ten may also be keen to get something done shortly after their takeover is finalised — setting up the prospect of negotiations going on in the background to the Ashes summer.

CA is putting no time frame on the talks.

Fusion analyst, Allen, predicted there would be serious drawbacks for both Nine and Cricket Australia if the governing body gives the network control of all cricket content — BBL and internationals.

The Scorchers celebrate winning the Big Bash League. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Allen warned CA needed to be smart enough to take the best not deal, not necessarily the most lucrative one.

“Technically speaking Nine could control all cricket,” he said.

“I would then argue that given the cricket season runs from early November to late February, do you want a network to have maybe 60 days wall to wall of cricket?

“It will harm your popularity overall, Nine Network. Because while you’re the home of cricket, you’re stuffing it down people’s throats.

“Nine would no doubt say we wouldn’t necessarily put it all on the main channel, but Cricket Australia would have a point of view on that.

“Just like the AFL, the NRL and Tennis Australia have a point of view on that. Those sporting codes know there’s a big difference in the ratings they can get on the main channel compared to the digital channels.”

Originally published as Cricket Australia signs six-year Indian broadcasting deal with Sony