Ad nauseum: Channel Nine's coverage of the Ashes is not up to standard

The Ashes is quite probably one of the two or three most important and watched sporting events in Australia, a showdown between the oldest enemies in cricket. But despite its importance in Australian culture local broadcaster Channel Nine is making an absolute hash of the 2023 edition for Australian viewers.

Channel Nine has held the rights for Australia’s overseas Ashes tours since 2013, but the network has made no effort to move with the times or serve the wishes of its audience.

For clarity’s sake, I am watching the broadcast on its 9Now app on an Apple TV. Having “cut the cable” some time ago, I am reliant on streaming services for my TV needs. However, this has rarely been an issue, with offerings like Kayo and Netflix-style streaming services providing virtually everything I need – and all without the hassle of advertising.

Despite my best efforts to avoid ads at every turn, the continued need for Australia’s traditional broadcast channels to secure “exclusive” rights to sporting events remains the last breach in my defences against advertising bombardment.

There are arguments to be made on both sides regarding these exclusive rights agreements. There are those who seem to feel that it is an inalienable right that sport should be freely available to all who want to watch – and while it’s unclear why sport should be free when virtually everything else in life costs, I nevertheless believe that sports like cricket, AFL, and NRL in Australia should be made available on free-to-air TV.

However, it remains a complete mystery why these same networks refuse to provide an ad-free option for those of us willing and ready to pay.

Even putting aside my deep and abiding hatred of being forced to watch advertising, the manner with which Nine is broadcasting the Ashes should leave the network deeply ashamed.

Nine is broadcasting the coverage provided by the UK’s Sky Sports – the same network which is broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo for non-Australian English cricket. Sky Sports doesn’t run ads during the break between overs, and so there is no natural break in coverage.

This hasn’t stopped Nine and 9Now, however, who appear to have simply sat an intern in front of the Sky Sports broadcast and told them to hit play on the next batch of ads every time an over ends.

Unfortunately, because cricket is rarely as orderly as broadcasters may prefer, this has meant ads have begun playing despite the fact play continues, due primarily to the number of no-balls that have been bowled: I have lost count at the number of times ads have begun playing just as the umpire shows the last ball of an over was a no-ball.

At other times, ads play midway through an over, or the very moment a wicket is taken, meaning that we miss out on a review, or team celebrations, or another no-ball being signalled.

David warner’s dismissal was case in point. We got a quick glimpse of head being thrown back in despair but the moment was killed by a quick ad intervention.

On Sunday night, the commentators told us of breaking news… but before they could reveal it 9Now was off to another ad – and we had to piece together the story of Moeen Ali’s fine from fragments when the broadcast eventually resumed.

Even when all goes smoothly, 9Now appears to be playing its own ads over the top of the ads being run by Channel Nine, meaning that when one ad ends we are then caught in the middle of another ad running behind.

Similarly – and Channel 7 was also at fault in this regard when they broadcast coverage of the ICC World Test Championship Final between Australia and India last week – with each ad break that Channel 9 forces atop the coverage, viewers are robbed of the continued analysis being provided by Sky Sports.

Cameron Green. (Photo by Matt Roberts – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

At times, this can be just commentators filling space, but given the way that cricket broadcasts have changed – with networks such as Sky and Foxtel eradicating ads during play – the over break is more often than not filled with vital analysis: In the case of Sky Sports’ broadcast, the ‘third chair’ commentator often provides an in-depth analysis of some particular part of play.

As already mentioned, Channel Seven was similarly at fault, and in the case of Cameron Green’s controversial catch in the gully, viewers were given a one-second glimpse of Ricky Ponting about to begin explaining the mechanics of the catch, before we were then whipped away to yet another pointless ad break.

The pain of being forced to watch ads is one thing, but Australian broadcasters alike – be it Nine, or Seven, or even Foxtel – appear to be under the impression that all coverage must have Australians as the face of the broadcast. Before and after each match, with each drinks break or with lunch, tea, or dinner, and basically whenever they can manage it, Australian channels feel a desperate need to have their own studio team to throw to.

For cricket addicts like me, this normally means Fox Cricket desk segments hosted by Brendon Julian with guests like Allan Border, Kerry O’Keeffe, or Mark Waugh.

In the case of the current Ashes coverage, we are continually taken out of Sky Sports’ broadcast so that Roz Kelly, Aaron Finch, and Steve O’Keefe can tell us how important the latest wicket was, or Mark Taylor and Louise Ransome on location interviewing whichever Australian they could find in the crowd.

I have nothing against the likes of Roz Kelly or Aaron Finch – although someone has to tell O’Keefe that he needs to talk to his co-hosts, not mug at the camera – but why this great fear of letting the host broadcasters handle the breaks?

This is all the more relevant considering that the host broadcasters actually have access to worthwhile guests and content, whereas Australians are left with five to 40 minutes of in-studio gibbering.

While my frustration is currently directed singularly at Nine, let us not forget these exclusivity agreements are part and parcel of Australian broadcasting, and only serve to rob Australians of choices.

As a non-cricket example, SBS loves to remind us that they have exclusive rights to the Tour de France, but what is often left unsaid is that their exclusivity agreement actively prohibits any competition. As a result, it is legally impossible for Australians to watch other coverage of the biggest cycling race of the year from providers like Eurosport and GCN.

While I call on Nine to provide Australians with a paid option to watch the Ashes without ads, here’s hoping simply that all Australian broadcasters are able to move past the desperate attempts to restrict their viewers options. Legal options to avoid ads or to choose different broadcasters should not be prohibited, because as so many know, that only leaves illegal or unethical options – a choice some of us will not make.

But right now, for the love of all that is green and holy, Channel Nine, get rid of the ads (or at least give us an option to pay you to get rid of the ads).