BT Sport snatch 2017-18 Ashes in Australia cricket deal
BT Sport have won the contract to show Australian cricket for the next five years including the next Ashes test down under in a deal worth around £70 Million.
The deal which starts later this year goes through to 2020-21 and will see BT Sport show all Australian Test Matches, One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals played in Australia. Some of these contests will include multiple series against world leading nations such as New Zealand, South Africa, India and Pakistan. In an addition to that action, BT will show the Men and Women’s T20 Big Bash league and the Women’s Ashes.
BT Sport has also acquired a free-to-air rights package that includes daily highlights of international matches and the Big Bash League, as well as one Big Bash League ‘match of the round’ broadcast live and free each week. BT Showcase will likely be utilised.
“BT Sport is delighted to be adding international cricket to its line-up, and to be the new home of the next Ashes tour in Australia. We will show live domestic games featuring the best players in the world during the Big Bash League and all Australian home matches for the next five years.” – Managing Director of BT TV and BT Sport, Delia Bushell
Cricket Australia Executive General Manager of Media, Communications & Marketing Ben Amarfio added: “We are delighted to be entering into this important new partnership with BT Sport…”
“BT Sport put forward a highly compelling bid for the rights to broadcast cricket from Australia to audiences throughout the United Kingdom. They are uniquely placed to become one of the UK’s largest sports channels and we think cricket can provide the content and opportunities to help them do just that.
“With more cricket content now available via BT Sport, free-to-air television and through our digital platforms, we are making the game more accessible to more people. The principle of taking the game to more people is very important in our efforts to grow the game.”
This signals more pretty high up content leaving Sky Sports, who have been dominant in the away cricket TV rights for two decades. This continues a recent trend after Sky were deemed to have over paid for their Premier League football rights which kick in next season.
