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CA insist they'll meet broadcaster demands

3 minute read

Interim Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley says CA will deliver their side of the bargain to broadcasters with a full summer schedule.

Cricket Australia insist they will deliver their "side of the bargain" to broadcasters this summer amid claims from Seven that the TV rights deal could be renegotiated.

The details of an adjusted schedule are expected to be released in the coming weeks, but it will still include four Tests against India and one against Afghanistan.

The white-ball component of India's tour will also still feature, but it could be moved to earlier in the program to better allow for quarantine bubbles.

Seven boss James Warburton this week questioned if the value of the game would drop if there were changes, claiming mixed messages on the summer's schedule.

Both Seven and Nine renegotiated cheaper rights deals with the AFL and NRL this year, but in both those cases games were dropped from the regular season.

Something interim CA CEO Nick Hockley is adamant won't happen in cricket.

"We're absolutely committed to delivering our side of the bargain which is fantastic summer of cricket," Hockley said.

"We'll work with all our partners to deliver the best possible summer, the best possible experience, the best possible entertainment for all our fans and the public.

"So, that's what we're focused on and I think we've got a very clear agreement, that is fulfilling our part of the bargain and that's entirely what we're focused on."

The finer details of the summer are also still in the works, namely how domestic cricket will play out and what role quarantine bubbles will have.

Warburton had argued this week that could see the standard and value of the Big Bash League drop, given there are likely to be extended national squads and it's unclear if players will be able to drop back into club bubbles.

Seven pay around $82 million a year to CA for the rights as part of their six-year deal.

Hockley hadn't spoken to Warburton since his claims, but insisted he had a good relationship with the network and it wasn't a concern going forward.

And nor did he agree there was an argument broadcasters or fans would be dudded.

"I don't think so. Certainly, bio security and health and safety of the players throughout the summer is absolutely the No.1 priority," Hockley said.

"Creating hubs and concentrating content as the other sporting codes have done throughout the winter is something we're likely to have to do in the early stages of the season.

"We are hoping the situation improves, I think clearly it's going to be a busy and full summer, both the international playing group and the domestic group and WBBL.

"But we're working through the schedules as we said at the moment and there's going to be lots of great cricket."

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