Cricket Australia may fall into further financial crisis. This is because Channel Seven is threatening it to terminate its contract worth USD 450 million. The threat comes in the wake of Cricket Australia’s allegedly poor handling of the domestic and international calendar for 2020-21.
The broadcaster is concerned about the quality of the seasons. This is especially because international players might not be available for the Big Bash League (BBL). The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about various travel restrictions.
Emphasizing that quality is just as important as quantity, Seven chief executive James Warburton said: “The quality obligations are paramount. Should that not be delivered we are forced to consider all our options including terminating the contract. We have put them on notice accordingly.”
“Ultimately … they need to look at what is possible to deliver, stop talking about international borders being closed, or borders being closed, and start to look at what really is the season we are going to deliver,” Warburton added.
“… at the moment, you pick up the paper every day and you read four or five different things. You have got the Australian T20 and one-day captain saying one thing, you have got the coach saying another, you have got BBL franchises talking about no international players — or [having more] grade cricketers.”
CRICKET AUSTRALIA’S RESPONSE
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said, “We will be announcing revisions to our schedules once we have all necessary government exemptions and bio-security measures in place.”
“Scheduling during a pandemic has no doubt been challenging, particularly when factoring in the added complexities associated with international travel, but solid progress is being made.”
“We’re working through the schedules at the moment and there’s going to be lots of great cricket and I think the main thing is we’re committed to delivering the full international summer and to deliver a full BBL.”