From the AFR:
Cricket Australia has entered exclusive negotiations with Ten Network over the embattled broadcaster’s $350 million bid to wrest cricket rights away from incumbents Nine Entertainment and Fox Sports.
Ten’s $350 million bid for broadcast rights for five years easily exceeded the seven-year, $315 million Nine deal…
While Cricket Australia is now in exclusive talks with Ten, Nine still has the option of exercising its “last rights clause”…
Last rites indeed. We just got humiliated in India four-blot. We are no match for England at home and will be in such total disarray upon our return that we’ll get walloped here as well. When I first proposed the ten-nil white wash argument I was resisted by many. After Indian schmozzle, not so much.
Winning isn’t everything and despite falling ratings cricket will retain its core following. But consider as well that the next four years will not be kind to the Australian economy nor advertising budgets.
It might make sense for Channel Nine to pursue the rights at top dollar given its legacy brand value. You’ve got to ride the good times with the bad. But Channel’s Ten’s bid looks like the desperate throw of an outfielder dying of heat stroke.
