Cricket Australia has opened discussions with multiple broadcasters, including streaming platforms Amazon and DAZN, over a proposed four-year UK rights agreement covering some of the sport’s biggest bilateral events, according to reporting by The Guardian’s Matt Hughes. The package includes upcoming men’s and women’s Ashes tours, England’s white-ball fixtures in Australia later this year and the one-off 150th anniversary Test scheduled for the Melbourne Cricket Ground next March.
The negotiations represent Cricket Australia’s latest attempt to establish greater long-term stability in the UK market after relying heavily on limited-duration broadcast agreements in recent years. The governing body is aiming to conclude talks before the start of Australia’s next home season, which begins with a two-Test series against Bangladesh in August.
England tours central to Cricket Australia’s rights strategy
England’s touring schedule across the next four years forms a major part of the proposed package and is expected to play a key role in attracting broadcasters. Alongside the next men’s Ashes series in 2029-30, the rights cycle also includes the women’s Ashes tour a year earlier and England’s limited-overs matches in Australia later this year.
The 150th anniversary Test at the MCG is also expected to carry significant commercial value. The fixture will commemorate the first-ever Test match played between England and Australia and is scheduled as a day-night contest, creating viewing windows more favourable for UK audiences.
Cricket Australia is also understood to have reserved Melbourne’s Junction Oval for a pink-ball warm-up match involving England before the anniversary Test, although the opposition has yet to be finalised.
Streaming platforms emerge as serious contenders
DAZN’s involvement in the process reflects the changing dynamics of cricket broadcasting in the UK. The platform strengthened its position in Australian cricket last year after acquiring Foxtel, whose subsidiary Fox Sports holds domestic rights to Australia’s home internationals and the Big Bash League through 2031.
That existing relationship gives DAZN a level of operational familiarity with Australian cricket as it explores opportunities to expand further into the UK rights market.
Amazon has also maintained ties with Cricket Australia through its involvement with the documentary series “The Test”, although its sports-rights strategy has historically focused more heavily on premium standalone events rather than long-cycle bilateral agreements.
UK market conditions create opportunity for new entrants
The current negotiations come amid broader uncertainty in the UK market for overseas cricket rights. TNT Sports secured the rights for last winter’s men’s Ashes series through a one-year deal, while Sky Sports has continued to reduce its involvement in overseas bilateral cricket despite retaining England home rights and its partnership with the Big Bash League.
As previously reported by cricexec, England’s upcoming tour of South Africa remains without a confirmed UK broadcaster, underlining growing caution among networks around long-form overseas cricket properties. That changing landscape has created an opening for streaming-led platforms seeking a larger foothold in international cricket coverage.
Women’s cricket strengthens the long-term package
The inclusion of the women’s Ashes within the same rights cycle adds further depth to the package being presented to broadcasters. With interest and audience engagement around women’s cricket continuing to grow, the series provides Cricket Australia with additional premium inventory across the proposed four-year period.
The outcome of the negotiations could help shape the next phase of cricket broadcasting in the UK, particularly as streaming platforms look to expand their presence in premium live sports while traditional broadcasters become increasingly selective around overseas bilateral tours.
