BBL set to be a 43-game affair from 2024-2025 season

Cricket Australia have extended their broadcast partnership deal with the Foxtel Group and Seven West Media for seven years for Australian Cricket. 

The new broadcast rights deal, which runs from 2024-2031, is worth $1.512 billion to Australian Cricket.

Foxtel and Seven will now broadcast all the matches of Australia's home Test matches and women's international games from 2024 to 2023. In this record deal, the Big Bash League starting from the 2024-2025 season, will be cut down from 61 matches to 43 games to accommodate more prime-time clashes and workload management of the players. 

Cricket Australia stated in a press release that "Seven will broadcast all men’s Tests and women’s international matches, 23 WBBL matches and 33 of the 43 BBL matches, including three BBL Finals."

"The term of the deal includes two home five-Test men’s series against India (24-25 and 28-29) and two home five-Test men’s Ashes series (25-26 and 29-30)," it further added. 

Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia CEO, was delighted with the extension of the partnership and said, "The quality and reach of the Foxtel Group and Seven’s cricket production is first class, and the outstanding service they provide cricket fans was a strong consideration in our decision to continue with this successful partnership.

“The breadth and quality of cricket to be played in Australia over the coming summers is extraordinary, and we are looking forward to working with our partners to not only televise the games but to promote and grow cricket by encouraging more kids to pick up a bat and ball," he said. 

In another happy development, Seven has withdrawn its legal proceedings against Cricket Australia in issues related to the matches affected by the pandemic. 

“I'd like to thank Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley and the Cricket Australia team for their continued efforts to drive cricket and, in particular, the improvements to the BBL. We look forward to working with Cricket Australia to grow Test cricket, women’s internationals and the BBL and WBBL in the years ahead," Seven West Media Managing Director and CEO James Warburton concluded.