Network Ten owner Paramount is set to beat out Seven and Foxtel to the rights for Cricket Australia Test matches, one-day internationals, and the Big Bash League from 2025.
Seven and Foxtel are reportedly struggling to match the $1.5 billion offer tabled by Ten. The media companies were required to submit their best and final offers yesterday afternoon.
Sources close to the process told the Sydney Morning Herald that Paramount’s bid bested the offer from incumbents Seven and Foxtel, who were unwilling to match the offer. However, Seven and Foxtel believe that they would be able to offer better promotional deals that Paramount.
Execs from Seven, Fotxtel, and CA held talks over the last few days about whether they could collectively increase the total sum of their bids to retain the rights. Foxtel had apparently even agreed to let Seven stream key cricket matches on its online platform 7Plus if it meant securing the rights for another term. Foxtel had made the same concession with the AFL to beat out Paramount.
However, Foxtel is reportedly unwilling to budge and give up its exclusive rights to ODIs. Even if Seven and Foxtel’s can come to an agreement, their combined offer would not be an increase on the existing deal.
Cricket Australia wants to have the deal signed before Christmas but there is no guarantee that this will happen if the body deems the networks’ offers unsatisfactory. Outgoing chairman Lachlan Henderson had said that he believes cricket to be undervalued by the broadcast market.
