A potential "four-way battle for cricket’s international and Big Bash TV rights looms," according to Eliza Sewell of the HERALD SUN. The current broadcast deals with Channel Nine (int'l plus domestic one-day games) and Channel Ten (BBL/WBBL) does not expire until '18, but "informal conversations with potential and current broadcasters have taken place." Formal negotiations will not start until early next year, but "they are likely to be hotly contested with Fox Sports and Channel 7 expected to join Channel Nine and Channel Ten in seeking a piece of the action." Cricket Australia refused to comment on the impending negotiations, but is "buoyed by the strength of the game." Cricket Australia Media, Communications & Marketing GM Ben Amarfio said, "We have got a lot of confidence in our cricket properties and we know that there is a lot of interest." BBL and WBBL will be "sold at the same time as the international content." Cricket Australia said that showing int'l matches and BBL on different networks "had been fantastic," but it was not "opposed to them being on the same station" from '18. Amarfio: "It has worked very well for us, but that’s not to say one network couldn’t own both of those properties and showcase them both very, very differently with different tone, different attitude" (HERALD SUN, 11/2).
