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Nine signals more interest on Big Bash rights

“Would we like to have all of cricket? Of course we would," says Nine's Hugh Marks.

More hints today that Nine plans to swoop on the rights for the Big Bash League.

TEN’s $20m annual deal for the Big Bash expires at the end of next summer.

But Nine chief executive Hugh Marks warns, “Cricket is an important foundation of Nine’s business and it gives us a great revenue platform over summer.

“Would we like to have all of cricket? Of course we would. We think the Big Bash has been a great innovation by Cricket Australia and certainly young audiences are engaging with that format,” he told The Australian.

The Big Bash will expand to 40 games next summer and Cricket Australia plans to expand the format to 60 matches by 2019 with the tournament stretching into February. That could help Nine or TEN in the summer ratings race against the Australian Open on Seven.

A formal tender process is due to begin within months with Cricket Australia expected to yield $40m-$60m a year.

25 Responses

  1. A few things need to be learnt here

    10 need to learn from when they decided give up premium sport with the AFL rights They suffered badly in the years after as people did not have reason to turn to ten who do not normally watch ten and hence be exposed to promotions for other ten shows. Ten could really do with AFL nowadays on Saturday nights

    Cricket Australia need to learn from Supercars and ignore Foxtel. The Supercars following and brand has almost no general exposure at all now. The bbl brand is strong now thanks to 10. Don’t loose it by going with foxtel

  2. Im massively confused by so many people here think Channel 10 cannot ‘afford’ the upcoming rights? Do you all know something personally about the finances at Ch 10 or is this typical armchair speculation from the usual ‘experts’?

    1. No, it’s common knowledge that TEN isn’t in the best of financial situations, just look at their profit warning of a $5m loss from a few weeks ago. But it doesn’t really matter, they need to do all they can to retain the rights anyway

  3. I’m fed up trying to watch it on Ten affiliate, WIN. They have ruined it with that hideous blue map of Australia lD that they persist in using. It takes up half the screen and and is not transparent. I hope your listening, Ten, because they are damaging your brand. I no longer watch Ten/Win because of it.
    If Nine gets the rights, No more WIN sh#t stain on my screen.

  4. Unfortunately the corporate world is ruled by nothing but money to satisfy investors with nothing to do what the end-user or consumer likes or wants.

    Ideally a deal with Nine would need to see them keep the brand separate from the regular international cricket in order to retain the Big Bash’s point of difference and keep the comp growing. Otherwise the brand will be lost among what would ultimately end up as day-in / day-out cricket on Nine non-stop from November to Feb each year.

  5. Summers will not be the same if channel nine get their tired old hands on the BBL. everything from their commentary team, the format to the coverage to the visuals is just so tired. It does not suit the modern shorter form of the game.
    Look at the success of the BBL since ch10 started broadcasting it four seasons ago. They have played such a grand role in the rapid rise of the competition. I think CA ought to be ever grateful for this and consider more than the money on the table when making a decision.

  6. As others have said: Please, please leave the Big Bash on Ten. They’ve done a cracking job since they got the rights. Most cricket fans don’t want to hear any more from Nine’s tired commentary line-up.

  7. I personally would not watch it if they moved to Nine. Ten has done an amazing job to make the game popular. Surely Cricket Aust has to look beyond the cheque book and realise that variety in commentary and product delivery adds to our viewing pleasure.

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