TNT Sports is on the verge of securing exclusive UK broadcast rights for this winter’s Ashes in Australia, according to a report by The Telegraph’s Will Macpherson. The agreement is expected to cover just this series, falling short of the long-term commitment Cricket Australia had initially pursued.
TNT steps in as Sky steps back
With Sky Sports opting not to bid, TNT emerged as the sole serious contender for the rights. The broadcaster—previously known as BT Sport—has a history of airing Australian international cricket, including the 2017-18 and 2021-22 Ashes tours. A final agreement is expected within weeks.
Sky last broadcast the Ashes from Australia in 2013-14 and has gradually pulled back from acquiring overseas bilateral rights. Its recent £125 million investment in a five-year deal with the Professional Darts Corporation, which runs over the same festive window as the Ashes, likely made the cricket rights even less attractive.
Cricket Australia misses out on long-term UK partner
Cricket Australia had apparently gone to market aiming to lock in a four-year UK broadcast deal worth around £15 million per year. But with limited competition and concerns over the value of non-Ashes years, TNT is set to agree only to a one-series deal. While the door may remain open for future negotiations, CA had reportedly been hoping for greater financial certainty.
The lack of a longer-term UK broadcast partner highlights CA’s broader commercial challenges. Outside of marquee series against England or India, Australia’s home seasons bring in significantly lower media revenue. In response, there have been growing discussions within Australian cricket circles around reshaping the Test calendar to feature more frequent meetings between the so-called “Big Three,” as well as exploring two-tier Test structures.
A packed winter schedule for TNT
If the deal is finalized, TNT will carry all of England’s men’s bilateral cricket this winter. The Ashes will be bookended by white-ball tours to New Zealand and Sri Lanka, both already part of TNT’s portfolio. The broadcaster also holds rights to cricket played in India under a separate agreement. Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup, hosted by India and Sri Lanka at the end of the season, will be shown on Sky Sports as part of its ICC global events contract.
TNT has historically opted not to send full commentary teams on overseas tours, often relying on host broadcaster feeds. It remains unclear whether it will change that approach for the high-profile Ashes series.
ECB’s commercial head start
While CA continues to explore ways to unlock new revenue—including a potential partial sale of the Big Bash League with the help of Boston Consulting Group—the England and Wales Cricket Board has already executed a major commercial shift. The ECB’s broadcast partnership with Sky is worth £220 million annually through 2028, and earlier this year it raised approximately £520 million by selling stakes in The Hundred to private investors, although those deals are reportedly yet to be finalised.
