When Kerry Packer, Richie Benaud, and Tony Greig combined to take international cricket television coverage away from the ABC, the grand old game received a life-saving injection.
Now Channel Nine is under the pump from Fox after 40 years dominating the airwaves with a reported offer of over a billion dollars for live coverage of Tests and limited overs for the next five years.
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Both must be covered by free-to-air by law, with Seven and Ten in the mix, cutting out Nine altogether.
That should thankfully see the end of Mark Nicholas and Michael Clarke from our screens, but what will happen to stalwarts like Ian Chappell – one of the big movers in the formation of World Series Cricket in 1977 – Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Michael Slater, Shane Warne, and the cameo appearances of the one and only Bill Lawry?
Bill Lawry is an icon. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
That could well be commentating carnage depending on the decision makers at Fox, who have already buried Nine’s rugby league coverage with its around-the-clock dedicated channel.
So who could turn up at Fox?
Try Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Brendan Julian, Allan Border, Mark Waugh, Brett Lee, Geoff Lawson, and for comic relief Kerry O’Keeffe and David ‘Bumbles’ Lloyd.
Other overseas contenders loom as Michael Holding, Kevin Pietersen, Michael Vaughan, and Graeme Smith.
But the frontman must be an Australian, the Nine coverage lost a lot of clout when Englishman Nicholas was in the chair after the death of Richie Benaud.
One thing for certain, Fox will make it a cricket revolution, as it has with rugby league.
First up, no ads during rugby league play, while Nine still bang the ads in at injury breaks, and after a try has been scored.
But it’s the on-air personnel that will make the difference. Fox’s league coverage is a battalion strength.
Headed by Matty Johns and Yvonne Sampson – both brilliant – the names keep coming with callers Wayne Smith, Andrew Voss, Matt Russell, and Brenton Speed.
Then there’s the massive and vastly experienced support crew, including Mark Gasnier, Mick Ennis, Greg ‘Bandy’ Alexander, Gorden Tallis, Danny Buderus, Mal Meninga, and Steve Roach – to name but a few.
And for the first time, Fox has broken ground with a team of experienced and knowledgeable rugby league women in Lara Pitt, Jess Yates, Hannah Hollis, and Megan Barnard.
[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby-league” name=”League”]
Channel Nine’s crew has been swamped, even though the station still has the exclusive rights to Origin, and the NRL grand final.
Headed by Ray Warren for four decades, there’s Ray Hadley, Mat Thomson, and Joel Caine calling, with Phil Gould, Brad Fittler, Peter Sterling, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Paul Vautin, Andrew Johns, and James Bracey.
It’s a daily uphill struggle for what was once the top rugby league station, but at least Nine is still in the fight.
If the Fox deal is finalised, Nine’s cricket is finished after 40 years of dedication and its own form of revolution.
Never forget, Channel Nine saved cricket from itself and turned the best players from used rank amateurs into highly-paid professionals.
Pity some of the cricketers abused that hard-won revolution that was set up by Kerry Packer, Richie Benaud and Tony Greig.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Yet here you are, reading and commenting on his site, I'd say he doing his job well.
JBDW
Guest
The deal seems to stand up commercially against market place dynamics. Consider also that If CA are serious about culture change in the men’s test team (and down), this ambition also creates an environment to change the broadcast partners. I’d be surprised if the “soft” elements (non-commercial) of each bidding broadcasters pitch didn’t address this issue. Back channel discussions between CA and fox/seven could lead to stacking the commenters box with savvy “spirit of the game” ex-players. The commentators at test level are, arguably, as influencial as the players themselves. This a key messaging channel to change culture. It’s in all parties interest to make cricket more culturally aspirational vs. the state of play today.
Bilbo
Guest
Shhh, the last thing we want is for experts in the game to be commentating What we need is Basil Zemplas, remember him, 89 tests for Australia, or did I just make that up For those people whining about Slater and Taylor, I do remember one of those being captain of Australia and scoring 334 in a test, he might actually have some knowledge of the game I hope you all enjoy McLachlan and Zemplas over the next six summers
Joffa the Boofhead
Guest
Fox Sports did a great job with NBL basketball and rugby union in Australia. Practically killed those sports off because of the tiny number of households who pay for the Foxtel platform. What this new tv deal with do is keep the wealthy players happy because their pay will increase and it will keep the executives who have overseen the running down of cricket in the sport happy because they will also get pay increases. But the potential next generation of cricket fans, will not be there anymore. We have just made exactly the same mistake, the 'Rupert Trap', as they made in the UK where they passed cricket over to pay tv and now that sport is practically dead in Britain. And the people spouting this leftist 'PC' cry of Ch 9 being 'pale, stale and male'. Well, here is some news for you. Those people built Australia, they were the players who played cricket. They actually know what they are talking about. Enjoy Bruce McAvaney and Mel McLaughlin calling the cricket. They will certainly bring all their experience to the call. 'How many balls in an over Bruce?' is something to look forward to.
Fox
Roar Guru
Let's hope we get rid of some of the endless waffling that became intrusive on nine as commentators for some time now have begun to love the sound of their own voice to the point where they are talking over deliveries and while they are still waffling - there goes a wicket or a beautiful shot to the boundary. Their sometimes endless talking, and often about meaningless dribble and/or a repetition of previous conversations that go over and over, has become tedious and tiresome. IMO thank god they lost the rights. Let's just hope they don't hire all yesterdays men from channel 9 with a couple of notable exceptions but god forbid we get Mark Nicholas who ran the show in the South African tests as well that were on Foxtel. He must have a very good agent. Sure he is nice guy and all but boy does he love to talk and talk and talk.
Bill
Guest
So David Like Clarke and Mark N, when will the Roar reads be lucky enough to have you off our website?
BrainsTrust
Guest
This will grow Cricket Australia revenue to 500 million a year. So the player pay packet is going to be around 150 million with 45% going to the test team so the contract players will get 3 million on average and get to play in the IPL as well.
bazza200
Roar Rookie
Ashes overseas will be on 9 locked in
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Sure, they have more money for the next five years. But after 5 years worth of decline in cricket the next one will be worth a hell of a lot less!
Last Straw
Guest
Agree! I hope none of the Nine commentary team get hired, especially Shane Warne - lucky he could bowl a ball because he isn't much of a role model in any other way and I would prefer not to reward his poor behaviour by making him a plastic TV personality. Also, would be great to see and hear Gerald Wheatley on Foxsports covering cricket.
Simoc
Guest
Lets hope Michael Clarke leads the 7 coverage and the B grade Lord can keep writing his Joe Bloggs from the outback articles.
Mark
Guest
So long as a FTA network actually bids for the rights. There’s not much interest in the away Ashes from FTA.
Jacko
Guest
KC I wonder if Smith, Bancroft and Warner will now have their punishments reduced as it was the Ball tampering saga that was supposed to lose CA millions of $$$ yet it appears to have gained them money.....All publicity is good publicity???
Peter
Roar Rookie
Michael Vaughan sucks Murrays Mints.
Marcus
Guest
Can't wait to not hear Ian Chappell whilst watching the Australian cricket summer.
lofrede
Guest
I'm in WA, perhaps only the Eastern states get HD (except for Origin)?
The Bush
Roar Guru
I see. Thanks for that.
Marco
Guest
This may come as bit of a shock to many, but Cricket could turn out to be a good fit for Fox and Seven. Seven will now have the countrys No.1 summer and winter sports, cricket and AFL. Both sports are played on the same grounds and there will be many cross promotion opportunities for both Seven and Fox. Foxtel is a big winner in this if they get some exclusive games and with AFL, League and now Cricket on their books they would be very happy.
Noah Barling
Roar Pro
Under the Broadcasting Services Act, Section 7(2), All Ashes matches MUST be on FTA TV no matter what country they are in.
JamesH
Roar Guru
The broadcast (simulcast) will be the same. I suspect they will do what they do with AFL and cut to Fox's own experts between overs and in breaks, while Seven shows ads.