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Can Nine afford Cricket Australia rights?

'We are hopeful of retaining our current suite of rights,'' Nine's Managing Director says of Cricket Australia rights.

Will Nine still have enough in the kitty to bid for cricket rights?

While Nine is awaiting its next round of talks to avoid bankruptcy, media today are speculating about whether Nine can retain rights to international cricket, worth about $300m, when they expire at the end of summer. The Age reports Seven could bid for a slice of the action such as the one-day series. It is also interested in the concept of night Tests. TEN is also interested in Twenty20.

FOX Sports’ rights for the Big Bash League is also up for renewal.

Nine’s managing director Jeff Browne said the network’s financial troubles would have ”no impact” on the negotiations. ”We are hopeful of retaining our current suite of rights,” he said.

Nine has also expressed interest in broadcasting one BBL match per week in conjunction with FOX Sports.

The Age also notes former captain Ricky Ponting will be asked to join Nine’s team when he retires.

As Nine seeks to address its $2.2B debt, The Australian reports Nine has suggested it will consider a sale if the warring lenders, Goldman and US distressed debt funds Apollo and Oaktree, do not agree to new talks by next Tuesday.

14 Responses

  1. Same as football, greedy sports leagues demanding money from equally stupid tv networks paying over the odds for sport. I would say that if all the networks said no to the rights, the sports leagues would be begging someone to take the rights. This stupid paying over the odds results in us losing quality drama, anyone remember “Blue Heelers”

    It really does not worry me I do not watch much sport on TV , just give us plenty of motor racing at suitable times, but then again they want an arm and a leg for the rights it is about time the sports leagues recognised that without the TV coverage they would be a lot poorer !

  2. Modern commentators? It’s not as though the younger commentators sprout any more wisdom than the older ones. Benaud is getting a bit senile, and Lawry’s a babbler who doesn’t watch non-Aussie cricket – but the FOX guys or the younger Nine fellas still sprout the same stale crap and cliches that all cricket commentators do. Maybe Bruce McAvaney should get a go after all! Anyway…just be thankful you don’t have the commentators from India/Pakistan – now those are some bad commentators.

  3. Hoin! think you are right, History is repeating itself. 9 owners are in big trouble and the banks and hedge funds will take over 9’s tv business ( as did Westpac with 10). All contracts at 9 will be reveiwed and as they did with 10. i assume the NRL tvrights will be the first thing to go at 9, as 7 did point out at current standings 9 without Foxtel would be losing approx 42million a year on the Nrl tv rights (bet your bottom dollar that the banks will not cop that loss). lets see who be laughing and owning the game in a few months time Mr Gyngell

  4. I’m not a huge fan of cricket but even I can’t imagine it without the likes of Richie, Tony, Bill… Wonder if they’ll end up on channel 7 or 10 if 9 loses it? Lol:-)

  5. This has eerie similarities to 1990. Back then Network Ten had paid an astronomic amount to keep the rugby league rights, the station was caught up in the stockmarket crash and the insane media takeover frenzy, they couldn’t keep up with the payments for the League rights so the Australian Rugby League took TEN to court and had the network put into receivership then liquidation.

    Fast forward to the present day. Channel Nine has huge debts, they have paid a record amount to keep the rugby league rights and now they have to try and hold onto the cricket.

    History repeating?

  6. 9’s cricket coverage is pretty stale and could do with an overhaul. Losing the rights might just be the best thing for the game and the viewing public. Shared coverage with Foxtel seems to make sense in this day and age, when live coverage around the country should be mandatory. A completely fresh and contemporary commentary team wouldn’t go astray either. Regardless of who gets the rights, it’s time to go… Bill and Tony!

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