TV rights war: Channel 7, Fox Sports put ball back in Cricket Australia’s court over broadcast deal

Cricket’s broadcasting feud is set to take an intriguing twist, with Channel 7 and Fox Sports likely to test Cricket Australia’s resolve by paying only part of a crucial payment due this week.

The TV rights battle over cricket has taken another turn. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket’s broadcasting feud is set to take an intriguing twist, with Channel 7 and Fox Sports likely to pay part – but not all – of a $58 million payment due on Tuesday.

It’s the networks’ way of sending a clear message to Cricket Australia that they don’t believe they’re going to get the value they’re contracted to receive this summer.

The ball is now firmly in Cricket Australia’s court.

CA has the option to either put both broadcasters in their place, or accept it’s time to get serious about negotiating a recut TV rights deal as COVID-19 has already forced the NRL and AFL to do.

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Cricket officials are hopeful the BBL will start, as scheduled, in early December. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket officials will hold increasingly urgent talks with Seven and Fox this week, and will at least be able to tell the broadcasters that the Indian cricket board has importantly agreed to the proposed Test schedule, which is now just pending Government approvals.

News Corp understands that a block of three Sheffield Shield matches are set to take place between the 10th of October and 10th of November.

All State players would then be given one week of freedom outside the bubble to visit family, before they would re-enter a Big Bash League bubble on around the 17th of November – indicating the BBL season may still start in early December as first scheduled.

After they dramatically commenced termination proceedings last Friday, it was originally thought Channel 7 may not pay a cent of the $25 million they owe Cricket Australia on Tuesday. That remains a possibility but a partial payment could be the more likely option.

Fox Sports are due to pay $33 million in this instalment, and it’s understood they are also unlikely to make a full payment, after sending their own letter to CA last Friday to flag similar concerns about not getting full value this summer.

India has agreed to the proposed Test schedule in Australia this summer. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The amount Seven and Fox pay on Tuesday may be a direct reflection of what they feel the summer is worth, although it’s only one of three rights instalments owing this summer, with the next due to be paid on December 15.

Industry sources say Channel 7 is serious about their threats to terminate – so onerous is the $450 million deal they signed to their business – so it’s unclear what kind of discount or changes to the schedule would be accepted.

If Channel 7 don’t meet their payment, CA would have various options they could take, including quietly continuing with behind the scenes negotiating, or more drastically, to initiate their own termination of the broadcaster.

The problem for CA is that rival networks Channel 9 and Channel 10 are unlikely to offer anywhere near the $75 million a year Channel 7 is paying for the combined rights, so terminating them could come at a significant financial cost.

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The two broadcasters have taken two very different approaches to date, but are united in a belief that the coming cricket season – particularly the Big Bash League – will be of a diminished value.

CA maintain it is a world-class tournament that pound-for-pound outdoes the NRL and AFL for ratings and crowds.

Both Seven and Fox are desperate for assurances on exactly what the schedule will look like.

As it stands there appears no quick resolution to the drama, with some of the questions over quality unlikely to be answered until the summer actually starts to play out.

Originally published as TV rights war: Channel 7, Fox Sports put ball back in Cricket Australia’s court over broadcast deal