The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Cricket Australia's billion-dollar cycle

30th October, 2014
0

It’s a sport that has always been inextricably about numbers.

On Thursday, Cricket Australia’s bean counters put one single figure on the table that looms as important as any of their Test stars’ batting or bowling averages.

Speaking at CA’s annual general meeting in Melbourne, chief executive James Sutherland outlined revenue projections of $1.22 billion over the current reporting cycle that runs from the summer of 2013-14 to 16-17.

CA analyses revenue in four-year blocks, given annual gate takings fluctuate wildly depending on which nations tour.

The recent Ashes series, a resounding success on and off the park for Australia, and a lucrative media rights deal has set the platform for CA to comfortably better the mark of $736 million in the previous four-year period.

“It’s more than that. It’s not just a summer sport,” Sutherland told reporters, when asked if cricket was Australia’s favourite summer pastime.

“Cricket goes all year long and cricket is Australia’s favourite sport.

“It transcends the whole country and we saw last summer that cricket can move the mood of the nation like no other.

Advertisement

“The game of cricket has never been so popular.”

The number that will swell Cricket Australia’s coffers
*5-0: Last summer’s Ashes series win over England, Mitchell Johnson galvanising the public in a way that few cricketers have in recent years.

*91,112: A world-record crowd at day one of the Boxing Day Test.

*1.7 million: Total cricket attendance over the summer of 2013-14.

*1.1 million: Total cricket participation over the summer of 2013-14.

*$590 million: Revenue from last year’s deal with TV networks Nine and Ten.

*2015: World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand in February-March. The hosts will keep ticketing income from the event after certain costs are subtracted.

Advertisement
close