TNT on verge of deal for Ashes series Down Under
TNT, or its forerunner BT Sports, have broadcast Australian international cricket in England since the middle of the last decade, including the last two men's Ashes tours in 2017-18 and 2021-22.
They now appear in a one-horse race to extend their partnership with Cricket Australia, with insiders expecting an agreement to be reached in the coming weeks. Contacted by Telegraph Sport, TNT would only say that a deal was yet to be signed.
It is understood, however, that it is almost certain the deal will be just for a single year. Cricket Australia initially went to market looking for a long-term deal of at least four years totalling around £15 million per year. Perhaps put off by the price of a non-Ashes year, TNT appear poised to only do a deal for this winter's action. They could then return to the negotiating table with Cricket Australia next year.
Sky would be the natural rival for TNT for the rights, but they appeared to show little interest. They have not broadcast the Ashes Down Under since 2013-14 and have generally stepped away from broadcasting overseas bilateral cricket in the belief that it is overpriced. Instead, they have big deals with the England and Wales Cricket Board and International Cricket Council for the home summer and global events respectively.
Sky's interest in the Ashes may have been even cooler given they have signed a five-year deal with Barry Hearn's Professional Darts Corporation worth at least £125 million, which also takes place over the festive period.
When TNT does secure the Ashes rights, it will mean they broadcast all England men's bilateral cricket this winter, with white-ball tours of New Zealand and Sri Lanka, where they already hold the rights, sandwiching the series. At the end of the winter, the T20 World Cup takes place in India and Sri Lanka, which will be broadcast on Sky as part of their deal with ICC. TNT also have a deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India to show action there.
TNT have always been keen to buy cricket rights packages, but less inclined to send a commentary team to the tour. It is unclear if they will send a full team to Australia, or rely on the host broadcaster for commentary feeds, as they have done in the past.
The Ashes series is hotly anticipated by fans, with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum seeking to end a dreadful record in Australia. England have not won the Ashes since 2015 and have lost 13 and drawn two of their last 15 Tests Down Under. But the mercurial Bazballers harbour hopes of beating an ageing Australia team in what is expected to be a blockbuster series.
Not being able to get a long-term broadcaster in the UK would appear to be a blow for CA.
English cricket's financial position is underpinned by a bumper broadcast deal with Sky for all home broadcasts, worth around £220 million per year until 2028. The outlook improved with the raising of around £520 million for the counties and recreational game through the selling of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises earlier this year. Despite spending almost six months negotiating terms – the initial period of exclusivity was six weeks – those deals are now thought to be imminent, and an announcement could even come as soon as this week.
CA are exploring a similar sale of the Big Bash League with the help of the Boston Consulting Group, and are even understood to be taking advice from their English counterparts on how to do so.
Australian cricket tends to make money in summers that India and England tour for Test cricket, but not the other two years in that other opponents visit, which may explain the emergence down under this winter of plans for two tiers of Test cricket and more meetings between 'the big three'. The ECB has distanced itself from the plans, as well as a possible Saudi-backed 'grand prix-style' travelling T20 league that had the support of various influential figures in Australian cricket.
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