Reports in the Australian media have emerged stating Channel Seven is set to terminate its AUD 450 million (INR 2400 crore) deal with the board.
The free-to-air broadcaster has reportedly sent a letter to Cricket Australia alleging that the board has breached the contract and the broadcaster is now looking to withdraw from the final four years of its $450m broadcast deal.
Seven maintains that the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21 season will not be as fruitful this year considering a number of Australian national team players will either be on international duty or unavailable due to quarantine restrictions. The CA, however, feels that as long as they are providing the broadcaster with a full summer of cricketing action, they are fulfilling the conditions of the contract.
“Cricket Australia remains in ongoing discussions with the Seven Network about delivering a compelling summer of cricket,” CA said in a statement. “CA is committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations to all its partners this season.”
The next instalment of the payment from Channel Seven to CA of AUD 25 million is due next week but as per Sydney Morning Herald, the broadcaster isn’t willing to make that payment. As per the paper, Channel 7 is also miffed with the revised international schedule for the India tour of Australia that allegedly saw the CA ‘bow down’ to the more-powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The developments come only a week after the talks between Seven chief executive James Warburton and CA boss Nick Hockley took place in Sydney. The network expressed its dissatisfaction over the cricketing schedule of the summer as well as the depleted star cast for the BBL.
