Cricket broadcasters’ $60m alarm bell

Broadcasters have to write big cheques early next month for a summer they say is not what they were promised.

Some of the biggest names in Australian cricket won’t be playing in the Big Bash. Picture: Sarah Reed

The prospect of handing over almost $60m in a little over a fortnight for a summer of cricket that is vague in concept and scheduling goes a long way towards explaining the angst of the game’s broadcasters.

The Australian understands that the Seven Network ($25m) and Fox Cricket ($33.3m) are due to deliver the first of three significant payments on September 15.

Neither of the broadcasters nor Cricket Australia would comment on the matter yesterday, but the payments, which are part of the $1.2bn broadcast contract, come at a difficult time for media companies feeling the effects of the pandemic.

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Seven West Media boss James Warburton has made it clear that he believes cricket is not delivering its side of the bargain and the network is willing to walk away from its contract.

Cricket Australia is refusing to concede and offer a discounted rate, arguing it intends to deliver a full summer of cricket as scheduled and that the terms of the contract will be met.

The relationship turned toxic over the last month, with Seven taking on the services of a high-profile contract lawyer.

Cricket is promising to deliver a schedule soon, but argues it cannot until it receives government approvals to bring in sides (Afghanistan and India) from overseas and then move teams around the states during the summer.

The behaviour of AFL players who breached quarantine restrictions in Western Australia has allegedly made cricket’s job more difficult.

The broadcasters argue that what they know about the schedule — likely to keep several national team players in quarantine rather than playing in the Big Bash — does not meet contractual requirements.

Angst about the quality of the BBL from both broadcasters saw Cricket Australia commission a review that came up with a number of recommendations earlier in the year.

The broadcasters are dismayed that the need to create white and red-ball quarantine hubs will diminish BBL franchises’ access to the best players further.

Cricket Australia is hoping the addition of an extra international player to teams — there are plans to increase the number from two to three — will go some way to improving this year’s tournament.

There are also plans for the central body to top up payments of marquee players under a special arrangement that is yet to be revealed.

The biggest Australian stars are rarely available to the competition. David Warner and Tim Paine, for example, do not have contracts.

Locking in a schedule has proved difficult for cricket and a source of endless frustration for the broadcasters who need to know the who, when and where in order to attract advertisers and begin promoting their coverage.

A schedule was delivered earlier in the year but has since been abandoned.

Warburton launched a wave of attacks on cricket administrators last week describing them as the most “incompetent” he had ever dealt with and threatening to walk away from the six year deal which was signed in April 2018.

“What a bumbling, stumbling administration,” he said. “‘Don’t worry’, they say, ‘we will deliver a full BBL season. We’ve got good news, we can 100 per cent tell you who can’t play because we know they are in a hub we’ve created for our international white ball games.’ The only problem is we actually have no idea who will play the BBL. How stupid to schedule international cricket against the BBL and drain the resources of a competition already under pressure.”

Both Nine and Ten have walked away from cricket, the former abandoning its rights to host the postponed T20 World Cup and the latter locked out when their offer of $950m for exclusive access was snubbed in the last negotiations.

Fox Cricket swooped on the rights for the ODI and T20 series between Australia and England which begins September 4.

“After a break of almost six months, it will be great to see Australia’s cricket team back in action on Fox Sports against the old foe,” Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said.

“Anytime Australia and England face-off, the series comes with a special mix of history and anticipation. The T20 and ODI series will see Australian stars like David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins come up against World Cup hero Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan and Tom Banton, one of the rising stars of English cricket. It’s going to be an action-packed fortnight of the very best international cricket.”