Cricket Australia secures 7-year radio rights deal with ABC, SEN, and Triple M, ensuring extensive coverage of international and Big Bash League matches.

Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed the renewal of its audio broadcasting agreements with ABC, SEN, and Southern Cross Austereo (owner of Triple M and LiSTNR) for the next seven years, covering the 2024/25 to 2030/31 seasons.

This extended partnership ensures that cricket enthusiasts will continue to access a diverse and thorough range of coverage across AM and FM radio, DAB+, and digital platforms.

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The new agreements encompass comprehensive coverage of both men’s and women’s international matches, as well as the Big Bash League (BBL) and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) matches throughout Australia.

The specifics of the coverage are as follows:

• ABC will now include BBL broadcasts alongside men’s and women’s international matches and the WBBL. By the final year of this agreement, ABC will celebrate its 99th year of broadcasting cricket.
• SEN is set to cover the WBBL in addition to men’s and women’s international matches and the BBL.
• Southern Cross Austereo will provide coverage of three women’s T20 international matches per season, men’s T20 matches, as well as men’s Test and ODI matches.

Furthermore, CA will continue to offer audio feeds from ABC, SEN, and Southern Cross Austereo through the CA Live App and cricket.com.au.

This renewal aligns with CA’s extended broadcast partnerships with the Seven Network and Foxtel, promising the broadest possible coverage for Australian cricket from 2024-25 to 2030-31.

Kate Ingber, CA Executive General Manager, Business and Legal Affairs, expressed enthusiasm about the deal:

“We are delighted to extend and enhance our audio partnerships with the ABC, SEN, and Southern Cross Austereo for a further seven years as we enter an exciting period for the game.”

“Cricket is the sound of summer and we are fortunate to have partners who will provide such knowledgeable and passionate coverage of huge events including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Women’s and Men’s Ashes and the Big Bash Leagues across their stations and digital platforms.”

“Thank you to everyone at the ABC, SEN and Southern Cross Austereo for your tremendous support of cricket and for bringing cricket to millions of Australians.”

Craig Hutchison, SEN CEO, shared his excitement:

“Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) is thrilled to announce our seven-year media rights partnership with Cricket Australia. Our audiences love cricket, and we are excited to bring them every thrilling moment of the game. This partnership will see SEN deliver comprehensive cricket coverage, bringing the excitement of cricket to fans across the nation.”

“We are committed to providing unparalleled access to cricket through our extensive network, including all SEN-owned and operated stations in both metropolitan and regional areas, our DAB+ channels, the SEN App Australia, and the SEN website.”

John Kelly, Southern Cross Austereo CEO, highlighted the new opportunities:

“We are absolutely delighted to extend and expand our partnership with Cricket Australia for the next seven seasons. This year, for the first time, Triple M adds women’s international cricket to its broadcast coverage as the Australian women’s team seeks to retain its number one world ranking.”

“The summer of cricket is a well-established Aussie tradition and Triple M and LiSTNR will bring listeners the best cricket coverage, with the network’s trademark irreverent banter, to entertain, inform and inspire audiences over summer.”

“The strength of the upcoming Test fixtures, featuring India and then England, promises to be particularly exciting, ensuring that cricket enthusiasts will have front-row access to these marquee series and many more matches, wherever they are.”

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Mike Fitzpatrick, ABC Head of Capital City Network and Sport, remarked on the continuation of a long-standing tradition:

“We’re delighted to continue this historic agreement with Cricket Australia. The ABC is synonymous with cricket, it has always been the soundtrack of summer and now all Australian’s will be able to hear every ball, across multiple platforms, commercial free.”

“This new agreement takes us to our 99th (not out) year of broadcasting cricket on the ABC.”

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