Disney Star Acquires Cricket Australia Media Rights

A person with direct knowledge of the matter said that Disney Star outbid Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) to acquire the media rights to Cricket Australia (CA) for the following seven years for approximately $280 million. This covers the Indian subcontinent's digital and television rights as well as clips and other material.

This week, the Australian Cricket Board is probably going to make a formal announcement.

“Cricket Australia has accepted Disney Star’s offer, which was around $270-280 million, much higher than the one offered by incumbent SPN,” said the person cited above. “The deal will include four India tours, consisting of 26 matches over 70 days, two Ashes series, one white ball series between the arch-rivals Australia and England – and bilateral matches with other boards.”

The deal will also cover Australia's domestic T20 league, Big Bash League, and women's competitions. The news was announced a month after Disney Star successfully bid Rs 57.5 crore per match, or Rs 23,575 crore, to secure the TV rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the next five years.

2017 saw Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board relinquish their media rights after the then-Star India (later acquired by The Walt Disney Company as part of a global deal) won the IPL media rights for the first time (ECB).