Domestic cricket goes live on FOX SPORTS

[scott]

Domestic cricket goes live on FOX SPORTS
MEDIA RELEASE
19 April 2006

Cricket Australia today announced the details of its 2006-07 domestic cricket competitions, including the signing of a three-year deal between Cricket Australia and FOX SPORTS to provide live and exclusive coverage of the domestic one-day competition and domestic Twenty20 series.

The deal with FOX SPORTS will see a total of 27 domestic one-day matches (out of a total of 31) being televised throughout this season with Wednesday nights becoming the prime telecast night.

The agreement will also see FOX SPORTS provide live and exclusive coverage of at least four domestic Twenty20 matches, as well as highlights packages from international matches (that have been telecast on the Nine Network) also available on FOX SPORTS later in the evening.

The major details for next year’s Australian domestic summer include:

Domestic one-day competition (formerly ING Cup)

27 out of 31 matches to be telecast live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
Final to be telecast on FOX SPORTS on Sunday 25 February 2007.
15 Wednesday night domestic one-day matches telecast live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.


Pura Cup

Ten rounds (five home/five away matches) plus final on Monday 19 March 2007.
Telecast of Final live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
A significant increase in weekend Pura Cup cricket (up approximately by 30-40%).


Twenty20 cricket

Telecasting of several domestic Twenty20 matches live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
Twenty20 competition kicks-off on New Year’s Day in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Competition doubled in size from last year ie: 13 game competition in 2006-07 – two home and two away matches for each state between 1 January 2007 and 13 January 2007.
Each state will play four out of the five states in the preliminary rounds.
Final on 13 January 2007.
Some twilight and some night games.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said that the deal with FOX SPORTS was a fantastic result for cricket.

“Cricket Australia is committed to taking the game to as many Australians as possible and the new telecasting deal with FOX SPORTS will assist us with this goal,” he said.

“Our domestic cricket competitions are universally regarded as the strongest domestic competitions in world cricket and we’re delighted that FOX SPORTS will be making these products available to its growing subscription base. Fox’s comprehensive cricket coverage over the coming summers is a must for all Australian cricket fans,” said Mr Sutherland.

FOX SPORTS Chief Executive David Malone said the new partnership is good news for the game and its fans.

“The domestic one-day competition is set to receive the most live coverage ever, and fans will soon have access to more cricket than ever before,” he said.

“We are thrilled to be part of this historic agreement with Cricket Australia, and I thank James Sutherland and his team for the work they have put in and the foresight they have shown.

“FOX SPORTS has been working towards achieving this type of involvement with cricket in Australia for some time, and this new deal helps us move further forward in our commitment to live coverage of Australian sport,” said Mr Malone.

Mr Sutherland also said that Cricket Australia was working towards securing a new sponsor for the domestic one-day competition and domestic Twenty20 competition.

“Our domestic one-day competition is a highly attractive property for sponsors to align themselves with” said Mr Sutherland.

“It is the first time the naming rights to this competition have been available for 14 years so it is not an opportunity that comes along too frequently,” he said.

Full details of the 2006-07 domestic cricket programs can be found on http://www.cricket.com.au.

[Ecky]

Hmmm... while this is excellent news for those people with Foxtel, it appears as though no domestic cricket will be on Channel 9 next season


I say bring back the live telecasts of the Sheffield Shield from Adelaide Oval on Channel 9 with KG, Ashley Mallett, Gordon Schwartz, Sam Parkinson, Wayne Phillips, Terry Jenner and co... Those were the days!!!

[spell_check]

This is great news. A right step in the direction for domestic cricket.

[Ecky]

But only if you can afford Foxtel, Spelly...

[Rik E Boy]

HOORAY FOR FOX!!

regards,

REB

[RustyCage]

Bullshit? That is the best thing ive heared for a long time. Better than having C7 show the games. Good to see a media organisation giving a shit about the domestic comp.

[RustyCage]

Pura Cup

Ten rounds (five home/five away matches) plus final on Monday 19 March 2007.
Telecast of Final live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
A significant increase in weekend Pura Cup cricket (up approximately by 30-40%).

Thats good. Whoever scheduled Shield matches during the week should be shot.

[mal]

LIVE DOMESTIC CRICKET

For those of you who have not got Foxtel I can
get you a seasons pass for all South Australian
state cricket games.
includes:

all one day games.
all pura cup games.
all 20-20 games.
and sometimes an Australia A game.

All these for approximately $15 for a whole year.

It costs $8 a day most days, great savings.

I can get the passes in October through my cricket club.

[Rik E Boy]

Good one mal. Can you get the same deal for the Bulls matches up here at the Gabba?

regards,

REB

[Booney]

With FOX getting exclusive rights for the domestic one-dayers and with the inevitable occurring and Port/Crow games being at times shown only of FOX (possibly as soon as next year),its time for me to get the "cable guy" around methinks.

[scott]

I think this is great for domestic cricket, but what worries me is the fact they're playing 15 One Day Domestic matches on a Wednesday. I'm not sure how well that will do to boost crowd figures.

[MightyEagles]

Agree with Scott. Why put 15 one day matches on a Wednesday? People have to work on the day and the next. It's ok for international matches, but for state. If it's during the school holidays, it might be a different story.

[Blue Boy]

We get Foxtel on Monday @ work - Cmoooooon. Along with soccer deal the news keeps gettin better. I love my job

[colliver69]

Nothing wrong with playing them on a Wednesday.

Saturday crowds at ING matches have been poor in Adelaide for years. We are lucky to get 3,000 on a Sunday. At least on a hot night in the city there will be something to do on a Wednesday night. Also will mean a end to the 9.30 starts!!!

Good to see CA try something different - rather than sit on their hort and wait for other sports to takeover.

Is it a coincidence that since KP has gone to the great flat track in the sky that this has happened? My mail is that when he was about he wanted to see the youngsters on Nine. Now JP is in the chair, he wants to pump up FOXTEL, and doesn't care who is playing for Tassie

Good you good thing, more cricket on TV is a good thing - 27 on FOX = more than 10 or 12 on Nine. If you aint got FOX go to the pub and watch it!!