Seven to continue fight for discounted broadcast rights, despite monster TV ratings during Australia v India Test series

Channel 7 is leading a double life in its relationship with cricket. Robert Craddock has the latest on the sport’s TV rights battle.

The Australia v India series produced huge ratings, but Seven is still battling Cricket Australia for a reduction in the broadcast rights bill. Picture: Getty Images

Channel 7 is leading a double life in its relationship with cricket but there remains a chance the station may never cover another Test match.

Seven West Media will stay the course in its fight for a cut in rights fees over the quality of matches and scheduling issues despite the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India delivering massive ratings.

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The gripping Australia v India Test series was only one part of a complex broadcast rights deal. Picture: AFP

It remains to be seen whether daily press releases from Seven spotlighting the station’s strong Test match ratings will be used against the network in its fight for a discount.

Following the last day of the final Test in Brisbane last Tuesday, Seven released a statement saying the series had reached 10.8 million Australians, and ratings on the fourth Test were up 11% on when the Indians last visited Australia two years ago.

The strength of Seven’s argument for a cut in fees may, perversely, be undermined by its strong ratings this season, however, its plea for a better deal stretches wider than the Test series.

Seven pays more for the Big Bash than it does for Test rights and it has claimed the Big Bash, with travelling hubs and a lack of star players, is a diminished product.

CA and Seven are awaiting an independent ruling of the value of the rights from designated assessor, Venture Consulting chief executive Justin Jameson.

Seven has also launched action through the Federal Court seeking pre-discovery for documents relating to why this summer’s schedule was altered with white ball matches coming ahead of the Tests.

Seven pays more than $80 million annually for the rights as part of a $450 million six year package but lost more than $60 million per year in the first two years of the deal.

Seven officials privately concede the station will never again bid for the cricket rights and there is a chance it’s relationship with Cricket Australia could end before next season’s Ashes tour of Australia.

That would leave Cricket Australia searching for a new free-to-air partner in a small, contracting pool, featuring former partners Channel 9, now the home of tennis, and Channel 10, who have limited financial resources.

Originally published as Seven to continue fight for discounted broadcast rights, despite monster TV ratings during Australia v India Test series