ASIC took Tennis Australia (or more so their former board directors / management) to court just a year or so ago, after it was discovered ‘dodgy dealings’ with Seven to keep the tennis rights had been going on, in-turn also severely undervaluing the code’s actual worth. Harold Mitchell was found guilty and fined, really just a ‘slap on the wrist’ sadly though and Seven shouldn’t have escaped either.
TA new board, management and domestic brosdcast partner in early 2018 was a tremendously successful era.
Wonder if someone like ASIC might or could intervene with CA (and its Seven - Fox deals)? Especially with a truck load of leaks, public comments and media reports available too.
It’s apparent that CA left money on the table with Paramount because of their insistence to work with Fox, the fact that the chap heading the negotiations for CA is a paid News Corp employee should set alarm bells ringing at ASIC and the ACCC.
I expect a storm brewing with the ACA as well when the new central contracts are up for negotiation next year, the players will be immensely dissatisfied that CA has negotiated down the value of the tv rights contract. More than a few players would be inclined to go freelance and chase the T20 money.
Turned out it seems that the cricket rights weren’t as attractive as Cricket Australia thought. With their desire to have a Foxtel tie it, it has meant that Nine and 10 weren’t as interestested potentially devaluing them. Seven was the only option they had because of Seven’s lack of a subscription service and they ended up paying less than the previous rights. Seems like the game will be underfunded and have to look for other sources of income. Can’t really blame Foxtel or Seven, but questions should be asked of the current governance of the sport.
Which has already been under scrutiny (among other areas as well) in recent years, including 3 CEOs within 18 months - Robards’ dismissal in 2020 was also a sticking point with Seven’s James Warburton (who’d also just come on board), remember the public comment “the most incompetent administration I’ve ever dealt with” (or along the lines of I recall it was).
Fox to pay 130 million a year in cash and 10 million in contra, amounting to 980 million over the 7 years
Seven to pay 65 million a year in cash - escalating at 2 percent annually - and 7 million in contra, totalling 532 million over the term, this amount can theoretically increase if the BBL hits certain performance targets for Seven
Indicates that Paramount wished to conclude negotiations in January but CA didn’t give them that chance
Includes a candid confession from Delany:
“The other two networks are pay-TV operations now. Stan is Nine and Paramount+ is Ten,” Mr Delany said, referring to each network’s streaming platform. “That means they’re less likely to partner with us.”
It’s surprising that there’s no hint of an escalation clause for Fox, more signs that this is a dud deal for CA in a rising inflation environment.
The other thing they may consider doing is reversing playing BBL games on the same day as international games, or at least the first 3 days of tests (given how lopsided some games have been lately, that haven’t gone the full distance), which I recall happened the last time it was 10 games a side.
The effects of that would depend greatly on when the tests are played… it may mean reverting to a schedule like this year, with Sydney the last test, for good - that way it’d only affect two tests, noting it maybe wouldn’t be so compressed given this year we had the T20 World Cup.
That was probably the most bizarre thing about moving to 14 games - it certainly seemed like a decision to maximise the overseas rights to places that don’t care as much about test cricket anymore. And such is the dilemma with CA - we can’t even really talk about their rights solely on a domestic level like we do with the AFL and NRL. Was there a calculated risk in thinking the potential loss of fans at the gate would be made up by, say, Indian TV revenue?
The comments about it being fairly obvious that CA were desperate to deal Foxtel in have already been said; it certainly smells like that from Paramount’s comments.
I saw a question about whether the WBBL would reduce in games too… not necessarily. The WBBL was always 14 games each, even in the early days when the men were playing 8-10 games, and I suspect that was to compensate for the fact they don’t play a domestic equivalent of a long-form game (ie. a Sheffield Shield equivalent) and there’s not much international interest in playing women’s tests. Since the money aspect doesn’t depend on it so much, it’s possible it’ll stay as it is.
An extra $20 million a year is devaluing? lol. A good outcome for Seven this deal is. We don’t see too many good deals these days with the hyperinflation all over the place.
Seven’s coverage of the Third Test today started with CA chief Nick Hockley alongside Mel McLaughlin and Ricky Ponting discussing the new broadcast deal.
Don’t think the CA board member tasked to lead the media rights negotiations in 2018 was a paid News Corp employee? The fact that CA didn’t ask Freudenstein to recuse himself from the process is definitely cause for concern.
I wonder if someone like Mark Taylor who is at Nine might look at a move to Seven or Fox with Nine not gaining the rights and knowing he could stay at Nine for another 7 years with no cricket especially after Nine’s ICC and Ashes contract finishes next year, Seven could take those rights into the future to be our true home of cricket?
7 aren’t even remotely close to being the “home of cricket” now. They’re going to broadcast less international men’s cricket than Nine air this year who have the Ashes (exclusively and would probably outrate 7’s home Tests) and the ODI World Cup. And that’s just after showing the recent T20 World Cup.
Mark Taylor will be happy at Nine as long as they maintain rights to the Ashes and the cricket world cup tournaments.
His work on radio commentary (Triple M) has also been great the last two summers and he also did some international TV work for BT sport last summer too I recall.
That could be enough to keep him busy and avoid needing to get work at Fox or Seven.