Cricket Australia (CA) has announced new six-year radio agreements with Macquarie Media and the ABC.
The Macquarie Media deal includes coverage of all men’s international, women’s international and BBL matches in the 2018/2019 to 2023/24 seasons.
Under the new agreement, Macquarie Media will broadcast more games on more stations than ever before, including the broadcasting of international women’s cricket in Australia for the first time on commercial radio.
Macquarie Media will feature coverage of every ball bowled of all Tests, one-day internationals, international T20s, men’s BBL, and women’s international matches on its new network, Macquarie Sports Radio.
Additionally in Perth, 6PR will broadcast selected international matches and all Perth Scorchers matches.
In play, cricket updates will also appear on Macquarie’s 2GB in Sydney, 3AW in Melbourne, 4BC in Brisbane, and 6PR as part of the deal.
New to this rights deal is the ability to stream live cricket across each station’s website, apps and mobile devices, as well as being available on cricket.com.au for fans rights across Australia.
As part of the new agreement, Macquarie Media will also sub-license the production of its BBL coverage nationally and provide non-exclusive Test match rights in Melbourne and Adelaide, plus exclusive rights to all regional markets to radio sports syndicator Crocmedia.
Australian cricket fans will also be able to continue enjoying ball-by-ball ABC Radio commentary for all Australian men’s and women’s international matches up to 2024 under the broadcaster’s new six-year agreement with CA.
The agreement gives ABC Radio the rights to broadcast men’s and women’s international cricket and the WBBL on all platforms, which include ABC local radio, ABC Grandstand Digital Radio, the ABC Listen app, and ABC online at either abc.net.au/grandstand or cricket.com.au.
The deals come after CA denied speculation it would be ending its 84-year partnership with the ABC in its new radio rights deal.
Cricket coverage on Macquarie Sports Radio will begin on Saturday 29 September with a historic broadcast of its first women’s international cricket match between Australia and New Zealand, followed by international matches including South Africa, India and Sri Lanka, plus every men’s BBL match across the summer.
ABC Grandstand will announce its full cricket commentary team for 2018/2019 later in the year prior to the start of the cricket season in October.
