So after a big summer of cricket on Channel Nine and Channel Ten, we have the 2015 Cricket World Cup beginning.
Since October we have had cricket a plenty on free-to-air TV. First there was the domestic one day series, with a healthy collection of games shown on GEM.
CURRENT SPORTS EVENTS ON THE FULL AUSTRALIAN ANTI-SIPHONING LIST: BROADCASTING LAWS EXPLAINED
In November the international matches started, with T20s against South Africa on Channel Nine and the women’s T20’s versus the West Indies on GEM. This was followed by the five game ODI series on Nine.
There was the four-match Test series against India live on Channel Nine, the six weeks of nightly Big bash games on Channel Ten and the ODI tri-series on Channel Nine and GEM.
And now it’s time for the World Cup. How many of the 49 games will be shown on Channel Nine, the free-to-air rights holder?
All 49? No.
Given there are some double headers, I’ll say 35? No.
Ok then, all the quarter finals, semi-finals and final plus a collection of 15 or so of the best group matches, so 25? No.
Try 10.
Yes Australia’s six group stage games plus their possible quarter final, the two semi-finals and the final.
That is it. The rest are exclusively on Foxtel.
To think that I can watch every game of the FIFA World Cup live on SBS, I could watch every game of the Rugby League World Cup in 2013 on 7mate, but for the cricket World Cup in Australia I can only watch 10 of the 49 matches on free-to-air TV.
Cricket Australia have done a lot right of recent times but on this one they have dropped the ball.
Having international cricket played on Australia soil and exclusively broadcast on pay TV will infuriate and frustrate cricket fans around Australia.
This will be massive, yet no-one seems to be aware of it. I guess it will only hit home when, on the second day of the World Cup, India and Pakistan are playing at a sold out Adelaide Oval and only those with pay TV are able to watch it.
How did this happen?
Foxtel and Channel Nine signed a deal with the ICC in 2010 that packaged up the rights to two World Cups, two World T20s and the Champions Trophy.
Based on the coverage of the 2011 World Cup and 2012 and 2014 World T20, Channel Nine’s part in the deal seems to be to broadcast on free-to-air TV only the matches required by the Federal government’s anti siphoning laws.
That is, each Australian game in a World T20 plus the final plus each Australian game in the World Cup plus the semi-finals and final.
Cricket Australia really should have stepped in and brokered a deal with Foxtel to get more games on free-to-air TV. For a sport that wants to be at the forefront of the national psyche, having the premier event – the World Cup held on home soil – off our screens is a bad look.
salbar
Guest
I disagree
balbir chopra
Guest
ICC Worrld cup cricket T Twenty all matches should be shown free to air.As all cricket lovers can not afford .
balbir chopra
Guest
As Australia is sports loving country,all cricket matches (T Twenty world cup )should be free to air.Every one can not afford Fox Tell.
Mab
Guest
It is disturbing after listening to the cricket particularly to overseas tests on the abc when we are now subjected to sign up through social media with cricket Australia having access to our contacts. Why? I just want to listen to the cricket without organisations invading my private information. I am not listening to broadcasts and am telling others. The sport is for the audience not for big data gathering for your manipulation. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!!!!
Grego
Guest
This is because NZ have won all games so far and also being the points leader in Group A. However they still have to play the winner out of either India or Australia in todays semi-final at Sydney. Then they player the winner in the final at the MCG on Sunday. Go Australia!!!
stephen
Guest
Why in the cwc is New Zealand the only team to have played every game at home. all teams EXCEPT new zealand have played in aus and over the ditch. is this something the icc has done to fix the result in new zesalands favour as we all know that they dont travel well???????
gary
Guest
Disgusted with the lack of free to air coverage. I will not be attending any more live matches in the future. We should not support CA after they snubbed a huge number of fans by allowing CH9 to cherry pick or preventing CH9 from showing all matches in the world cup. To have pay TV be the only way to see other teams play is a disgrace when Australia/ New Zealand are the host nations. I have switched off all cricket.
Ferenc
Guest
Spot on. I our household we usually watch Australia play. This time we have watched no games so far, and probably won't until the final - and only if Australia makes it. We are simply not happy with the coverage, so stuff'em.
Ujjwal
Guest
I can't imagine ICC World Cup being played in our country and not shown on free-to-air. On the first day, when India vs Pakistan was being played in Adelaide I took it for granted that it was being shown on Channel 9. So, it was a great disappointment when I found that only a fraction of the matches are being shown on 9. Australia, like Canada and US, is a country of migrants, so there's a lot of interest and support for many non-Australian teams. Channel 9 - its disappointing! You are not a true supporter of cricket, you support only when it suits you..
Gareth
Guest
Not sure this is relevant. The problem being raised here is that cricket aus. Sold our right to view the WC in our own backyard.
MickyC
Guest
Like many countries other than us and our evil, d!ckheaded, root of all evil, bigger brother America as some would like to infer. Stop trying to suggest that Oz (and other 'western brethren' such as the US) are only interested in our own teams and by proxy culturally racist. Vic is right in that the same happens in other countries, this doesn't make us insular or culturally racist; indifferent perhaps. But a great indicator of just how culturally diverse we are are the sell outs of both Adelaide Oval and the MCG for India games with barely an 'anglo' in sight. I don't recall there being 75k plus Aussies packing our any stadia in India during the previous World Cup. By the way: I don't think this makes India insular at all, just more numerous and less interested in the activities of team who play for countries other than their own.
richard singleton
Guest
Who do we complain to about the complete lack of free to air coverage of our world cup by cricket aus and channel nine. Yet there was live coverage of two rugby league matches in England?
Gareth
Guest
Put it on the digital. Right now there are 90 thousand people at the MCG and probably another million around australia. Who would like to watch.
Gareth
Guest
Doesnt make it a good decision. The fans will find it, get foxtel whatever. The 50-50 people who would just sit and watch it for novelty, like the tennis. That's who they're missing.
Gareth
Guest
Agreed. Here I am sitting at home with World Cup game at the MCG with 90k and not on TV. Whoever's fault it is it is unacceptable. Non die hards don't even know its on!
blake
Guest
That indian match was the most watched match in cricket history. Not an aussie at the ground!
Kohli's Middle Finger
Guest
Middle finger to CA and Channel 9 that is. Australia should not have been chosen to host WC2015 if they can't even show the matches on one of the free to air channels. Seriously, what's the point? India v Pak yesterday - perhaps the most watch cricket match in history and Aus fans miss out. Ireland v Windies today - an upset and we Aus fans miss out again! Is this killing cricket in Australia or what?
Jakob
Guest
What A Joke! CA were pushing the Big Bash at a Financial Loss to get people into the longer forms of the game. My sone watched every BBL game, then saw the world cup was on, Now he cant watch most of the games. I was going to take him to Aust v Banglasdesh at the Gabba... Dont worry about it now. Hes disappointed!!
Rom
Guest
If its not important enough to be on 'free to air' it didn't happen and who cares? What World Cup?? I've lost interest and won't be watching the other 10 games shown on 9 either. Don't expect me to buy any tickets either as I can't follow the other matches I have no incentive or interest in following the tournament at all. A very poor decision by ICC especially with 50 over cricket being the dying form of the game.
Andrew Macfarlane
Guest
Unbelievable. By all accounts 1 billion people expected to be watching India v Pakistan live right now from ADL but no, not us, we get the Block Triple Threat !!