TNT Sports is close to finalising a deal for live UK broadcast rights to England's white-ball tour of Australia next month, with the possibility that one match could be shown free-to-air on Channel 5.
Channel 5 is also in advanced negotiations with Cricket Australia over a highlights package for the eight-match tour, according to The Guardian. The terrestrial broadcaster is also discussing securing live rights for one of the five T20 internationals.
Potential free-to-air broadcast
Channel 5 currently holds live rights for two home men's and two women's T20 matches each summer under a four-year agreement that began this year, but it has never broadcast an England match from overseas.
While the details remain under discussion, the opening T20 of the series in Melbourne on 21 November is the match of most interest to Channel 5. The 8.15am start on a Saturday is expected to draw the largest UK audience.
If completed, this would mark the first time an England overseas match has been shown free-to-air since Channel 4 secured rights for a Test series in India in 2021 during the final Covid-19 lockdown.
Broadcast landscape and context
TNT Sports has broadcast England's last three Ashes series in Australia, so its bid for the white-ball tour—which also attracted interest from Sky Sports and Dazn—comes as little surprise.
Channel 5's involvement is notable, however, raising the possibility of greater cooperation between the two broadcasters over sports rights, as both are owned by US media giant Paramount Skydance.
Channel 5 also secured a highlights deal for the Commonwealth Games in the UK last summer, with the event broadcast exclusively live on TNT Sports.
Brendon McCullum's white-ball squad is set to fly to Australia at the start of next month after a brief return home following the ongoing one-day international tri-series in Pakistan, where England are struggling to reach the final after successive defeats to the hosts and Sri Lanka.
Following criticism of its preparation for last winter's Ashes, the England and Wales Cricket Board has scheduled a 50-over warm-up game at the WACA on 7 November, ahead of a three-match series beginning at Perth Stadium on 13 November, with five T20s starting the following week.
The value of overseas cricket rights has declined in recent years, with most of England's winter tours only sold at the last minute. Sky Sports has bought rights for England's Test series in South Africa over Christmas and is broadcasting the tri-series in Pakistan, but has moved away from long-term deals with overseas boards.
TNT Sports declined to comment, but Cricket Australia is understood to be confident the deal will be completed.
