Cricket Australia has opened negotiations with a number of broadcasters, including streaming platforms Amazon and Dazn, over a four-year UK rights deal that includes the next men’s and women’s Ashes tours and the 150th anniversary Test between England and Australia’s men in Melbourne next year.
The Guardian has learned that Cricket Australia’s media rights team visited London last month for talks with potential broadcast partners and plans to complete the process next month before the start of their domestic season, which begins with a two-Test series against Bangladesh in August.
It is hoped that England’s extensive touring schedule to Australia over the next four years, which also includes the men’s white-ball team playing eight ODI and T20 games this autumn, will enable Cricket Australia to secure a long-term deal for all their home international cricket after being forced to accept short-term contracts in the recent past. To mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test match between Australia and England, a one-off Test is being played at the MCG between the two men’s sides next March.
TNT Sports bought the rights for the men’s Ashes tour last winter in a one-year contract that has expired. Sky Sports has not broadcast an away Ashes series since England’s 5-0 defeat in 2013-14, although they remain media partners of Cricket Australia as they own the UK rights for the Big Bash League.
Sky retains exclusive live rights for all England’s home international cricket, but has moved away from covering away series in recent years, with the Guardian revealing last month that the broadcaster declined to extend its deal with Cricket South Africa to cover England’s four-Test tour this coming winter.
In that context Cricket Australia’s courting of Dazn is significant, and could lead to the emergence of a new rights holder in the UK market.
Dazn last year bought the Australian media group Foxtel, who hold the rights for Australia’s home international cricket and the Big Bash League until 2031 through subsidiary Fox Sports, so the two parties have an existing relationship.
Cricket Australia has also previously done deals with Amazon, who produce and broadcast the documentary series The Test, but the streaming service’s sports strategy is largely based on one-off major events rather than long-term deals.
England’s next men’s Ashes tour is at the end of Cricket Australia’s proposed four-year rights cycle in 2029-30, with the women’s side touring a year earlier.
England’s eight white-ball games this year and the 150th anniversary Test next March are also part of the package, which Cricket Australia is hoping should have particular appeal to English audiences as they are day-night matches which will conclude mid-morning UK time.
Cricket Australia is understood to have booked the Junction Oval in Melbourne to give England a pink-ball warm-up game before the Test match at the MCG, although the opposition has yet to be confirmed.