If they wanted to be really cheap, they could call it from the Sydney studio using SKY pictures with ex players / commentators like Ian Healy etc who aren’t part of the SKY team.
But I think that would be hard to do as they probably wouldn’t have access to the full range of camera vision that SKY has on site.
I wouldn’t be so sure on that. Sky are going to be calling the Ashes regardless for themselves and to supply internationally and employed Mark Taylor last summer anyway. They may have come to some arrangement on costs this time around given Taylor is also working for 9.
It would obviously cost SKY money to produce and distribute the broadcast the cricket internationally via satellite.
Unless there is an agreement that it also applies in reverse when the Ashes are here eg. that Seven/Fox wears the same costs, and similar to when Star Sports produces Indian Tests etc so that the costs evens out somewhat equally over the years among the various broadcasters?
I would have a similar question with AFL and NRL broadcasts in if/how the broadcasting costs are shared - given there are probably some inequalities eg. FOX would produce more AFL games to provide to Seven in the non Victorian markets than what Seven provides to FOX.
You want the rights domestically, you by and large sign up to make the feed available internationally as a result. There’s some exceptions - tennis, golf - but by and large this is the case.
It’ll be interesting to see the audience for this Ashes, consideing the last domestic one didn’t go that high for Seven (although Fox Cricket as well) and after all the scandals in recent times, with many saying ‘cricket is on the nose’ blah blah. Nine, as exclusivity, would want 500-600k (if main channel) absolute minimum I’d imagine. Can’t imagine rights were cheap nor 2023 environment production etc expenses.
Wimbledon clashes with one of the tests (and I believe the 5th day is also on the 1st day as well). While they might put Wimbledon to Go I suspect one will have to end up on the main channel (most likely the cricket)
If I remember correctly didn’t Nine switch between Gem and 9 the last time they did it. Mostly on Gem but on nights when there was nothing on it was on 9.
Could be fascinating to see how Aussies are perfoming in both, you can bet things will get interesting if a local hope makes Week 2 at Wimbledon or a final or the Ladies or Men’s Final, like Kyrgios last year (some 1-1.5m total viewers very late on a Sunday into early morning with work that day)
I really don’t understand the need for a localised feed, especially when the quality of the broadcast is strong (as Sky’s (come to think of it, all UK cricket broadcasters) traditionally have been)