Foxtel and Kayo Sports are targeting another record-breaking cricket season in Australia, supported by stronger advertiser demand, an extended international schedule and new opportunities for brands to participate in live sports coverage.
DAZN Media+ Boss Mark Frain outlined the commercial outlook at Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket launch in Sydney, where the broadcasters presented their plans for a season stretching across a longer period of the Australian sporting calendar.
The strategy combines premium cricket rights with audience development, new sponsorship formats and technology designed to give advertisers more ways to engage with viewers.
Free cricket coverage forms part of audience growth strategy
One of the broadcasters’ initiatives involves making the first innings of Australia’s opening One-Day International (ODI) against England available free through Kayo Freebies on November 13.
The arrangement was announced during the season launch after Fox Cricket commentator Adam Gilchrist called on Frain to remove the paywall for the opening portion of the match.
The initiative is intended to encourage wider interest in the series while introducing more viewers to Kayo’s cricket coverage.
Foxtel Group Executive Director of Commercial Sport Adam Howarth told B&T at the launch: “If we can work with Cricket Australia to grow the amount of people that want to be interested in cricket, want to watch it, we benefit from that… It’s all about growing the pie, growing the enthusiasm, getting people super excited about the upcoming summer.”
The free-access initiative accompanies a substantial programme of international cricket, which is now underway with Australia’s white-ball series against England.
Extended cricket calendar attracts advertisers
Australia’s international summer is underway in Perth, where England are batting first in the opening ODI on November 13. The series comprises three ODIs and five T20 Internationals, with a Test series against New Zealand to follow in December, bringing together the world’s second- and third-ranked Test teams.
The revised calendar starts approximately a month earlier and finishes around a month later than usual, extending cricket’s presence between Australia’s winter football competitions and the following AFL and NRL seasons.
That longer period of coverage provides advertisers with more opportunities to maintain their association with live sport across consecutive months.
Frain told B&T at Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket launch at The Golden Sheaf in Sydney: “The advertising community is doubling down on sport like I’ve never seen it.”
Brands involved in the previous season have returned, with some seeking to expand their participation beyond conventional advertising. The available formats include sponsorship within live broadcasts, branded content, integrated coverage and partnerships with creators.
Club Kayo opens another route for brand partnerships
Foxtel and Kayo are also developing their creator-led advertising offering through Club Kayo, an initiative unveiled at the broadcasters’ upfront presentation.
The platform is designed to bring sports creators, communities and commercial partners together through content connected to major Australian sporting conversations.
For advertisers, it offers another way to participate in Kayo’s sports environment without relying exclusively on traditional broadcast placements.
Asked whether Club Kayo provided a less expensive option for advertisers, Frain explained: “I wouldn’t say it’s a a cheaper way because all of that content will still run on Kayo. But it’s definitely a new way and it could be a a lower entry point to bring them in.”
The initiative adds a creator-focused element to the broadcasters’ existing commercial offering as they seek to accommodate different forms of brand participation.
Fox Cricket technology creates new sponsorship opportunities
Fox Cricket is introducing additional analysis and tracking tools during the summer, expanding the information available to viewers about player performance and match situations.
The new features include G-Force, which measures the physical forces experienced through a fast bowler’s front leg, and Point of Commitment, which examines the limited time available for batters to respond to deliveries.
The Match Impact Index assesses how individual performances influence a contest, while The Playbook explores tactical decisions, strategies and player match-ups.
These additions complement existing ball, bat, skeletal and player-tracking capabilities, providing further material for live coverage and potential commercial integrations.
Frain described the technology’s capabilities to B&T: “Our ability to track players, track arm speed of bowlers, track batsmen hitting sixes and how fast the ball comes off the bats.”
The broadcasters are exploring how the resulting performance data and analysis can be incorporated into sponsored segments, allowing brands to participate in coverage built around specific aspects of the game.
Foxtel and Kayo launch expanded summer coverage
The Summer of Cricket launch brought together Fox Cricket commentators, Australian players and fans at The Golden Sheaf in Sydney.
The event featured appearances by Mitchell Starc and Ellyse Perry, alongside Fox Cricket’s commentary team, including Adam Gilchrist, Alyssa Healy, Mark Waugh, Michael Vaughan and Mel Jones.
The launch also provided a platform to introduce the season’s programming and commercial initiatives ahead of Australia’s opening ODI against England, which is now underway in Perth.
With a longer international schedule, new broadcast features and additional advertising formats in place, Foxtel and Kayo are entering the season seeking to build on their previous cricket performance while broadening both audience access and brand participation.
