Howzat: Seven hits out at cricket viewer numbers

A dip in free-to-air audience numbers for the first Test between Australia and India could boost Seven’s case.

Australia's Steve Smith (L) talks with India's Virat Kohli on the third day of the first cricket Test match between Australia and India in Adelaide on December 19, 2020. Photo by William WEST / AFP

Despite a strong hit out in viewer numbers, Seven Network maintains its legal bid to secure a better broadcast deal with Cricket Australia has been bolstered after the first Test between Australia and India.

The free-to-air television network, which is owned by Seven West Media, still argues that a dip in the Test audience numbers compared to the last time Australia played India backs up its view that it should not have been held so close to Christmas and it should be given a discount for the schedule changes.

However the claim contrast with bumper numbers recorded across the Foxtel platforms, which consists of subscription-TV and on-demand services. Here the first Test attracted an audience of 303,000.

It was the second highest rating Test match in subscription TV history behind the 2018/19 second Test against India, which had an audience of 318,000.

The Foxtel numbers are up 77 per cent from last year’s first Test between Australia and Pakistan, which had an audience of 171,000 and are up 39 per cent on the first Test in 2018 against India where audience hit 217,000.

Foxtel is majority owned by News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian.

Seven’s coverage over the three days reached 6.37m people, peaking at 1.48m.

The third and final day of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday attracted an average national audience of 701,000 and 498,000 in the five capital cities, according to figures from ratings agency OzTam.

The first session on Saturday boasted 831,000 national viewers and 531,000 capital-city viewers, which then rose as the Aussies headed to victory.

For the second session, Seven’s national and metro audience rose to 893,000 and 587,000, respectively, as Australia won by eight wickets.

Both sessions dominated their timeslots, ranking No 1 in the demographics of people 25 to 54 and 16 to 39, plus total people.

Still, Seven claims that the national average audience is 14 per cent down from a national audience of 794,000 who watched the first three days of the second Test between Australia and India in December 2018.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said the average audience for the first two days across all platforms was up 37 per cent to 1.08m and up 25 per cent to 1.02m, respectively, from last year’s test against Pakistan.

Based on interim data for day three, the cricket audience was higher than day one, the Cricket Australia spokesman said.

Seven is challenging its $450m broadcast deal with Cricket Australia through an independent tribunal and the Federal Court.

Cricket, Et Cetera

The independent arbitrator, reported to be Venture Consulting boss Justin Jameson, is expected to deliver his review findings in early February, a slight delay to Seven’s initial hope it would be in January.

Pre-discovery action between Seven and Cricket Australia is scheduled to kick off in the Federal Court on March 15, and could lead to damages or the termination of its $450m deal.

The second Test is set to start at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.