Big Bash League games to be broadcast in the United States

Cricket Australia (CA) has made a major breakthrough among television deals as they have sealed a one-year deal with American broadcaster NBC Sports Network. The deal is to broadcast 10 Big Bash League (BBL) matches to 85 million USA viewers.

Cricket Australia has also renewed its rights with American cricket channel Willow TV, to broadcast men’s and women’s international Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Twenty20s (T20s). The contract for Women’s BBL is also renewed.

Cricket Australia’s general manager of media and communications, Ben Amarfio, said it was “critically important”. “While the NBC deal is a relatively small deal, for us it is one of the most important deals we’ve done,” Amarfio quoted to The Australian Financial Review on Sunday.

“While the deal with NBC is only one year, the broadcaster has an option to pick up the rights for a longer term agreement. The deal also includes some contra advertising. Now that we’ve completed those deals our focus will turn next to New Zealand. Then once we get through NZ then our focus will turn to our Asian and our Australian deals,” he added.

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The Asia deal contract rights are currently in stake by Star Sports, which is up to March 2017, which includes broadcast in south-east Asia, the subcontinent, the Middle East and North Africa.

Cricket Australia is currently in talks with various broadcasters about the upcoming Australian rights deal. “There wouldn’t be a TV network on the planet going forward that wouldn’t want to have their rights across all digital platforms. That’s something that the sport bodies are going to have to get our heads around,” Amarfio concluded.