Cricket Australia has initiated discussions with several broadcasters, including prominent streaming platforms Amazon and Dazn, for a four-year agreement covering the UK broadcast rights to a significant portfolio of matches. The potential deal encompasses both the next men’s and women’s Ashes tours hosted in Australia, alongside an England men’s T20 and One Day International (ODI) tour scheduled for this autumn. Also included is the landmark 150th anniversary Test match between England and Australia’s men in Melbourne.
This development signals a potential paradigm shift in the landscape of cricket broadcasting for UK audiences. For many years, major international cricket series, particularly the Ashes, have been primarily broadcast on traditional satellite sports channels. The entry of streaming services like Amazon and Dazn into these high-stakes negotiations suggests a growing appetite among digital platforms to secure exclusive live sports content, which could fundamentally alter viewer access.
Should either Amazon or Dazn secure the rights, it would mean that British cricket fans would need subscriptions to these platforms to watch England’s tours of Australia, including the highly anticipated Ashes series. This mirrors trends seen in other sports, such as football and rugby, where streaming services have increasingly acquired exclusive rights packages, prompting consumers to manage multiple subscriptions to follow their preferred sports.
The four-year package under negotiation is comprehensive, covering all Australian home international matches involving England. This includes not only the iconic Test series but also limited-overs fixtures, offering a complete picture of England’s engagements Down Under. The commercial value of these rights is expected to be substantial, given the immense popularity of the Ashes and the broader interest in England's international cricket performances.
For UK consumers, the outcome of these talks will have direct implications for how they consume live cricket. A move to a streaming-only model for these tours would necessitate a shift in viewing habits and potentially an additional financial outlay for those who currently rely on existing sports television packages. It also highlights the ongoing competition in the sports broadcasting market, where digital players are increasingly challenging established media organisations for premium content.