Seven West Media reportedly begins cancelling contract with Cricket Australia

The spectre of a summer without cricket on free-to-air TV has cast a shadow over the upcoming season amid reports Seven West Media has begun the process of cancelling its contract with Cricket Australia.

A legal letter was sent to CA executives this week, News Corp reported, informing the governing body of the broadcaster’s intention to walk away from the remainder of its $450m deal, citing a breach of contract.

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Cricket Australia is expected to announce details of its summer schedule in the coming days, including ODI and Test series against India. Seven’s concerns, however, do not lie with a reduced amount of cricket due to the effects of Covid-19, rather the quality of the product.

Seven’s belief is that the pandemic has resulted in weaker playing squads given the unavailability of several star players due to rescheduled international series and quarantine restrictions. Reduced crowds, in accordance with current health guidelines, are also an issue.

CA has maintained it is not in breach, given it intends on delivering a full summer schedule, and that the product will be high quality regardless.

“Cricket Australia remains in ongoing discussions with the Seven Network about delivering a compelling summer of cricket,” a CA spokesperson told Guardian Australia on Friday. “CA is committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations to all its partners this season.”

But Seven’s stance looms as a potential PR disaster for CA, with a home summer of cricket never before having been broadcast exclusively behind a paywall.

Pay TV network Foxtel has already secured rights to screen every ball this summer, although it too is reported to be seeking a discounted rate.

Longstanding partner Channel Nine lost broadcast rights to the home summer in 2018, when the Ten Network also gave up the coveted Big Bash League as Seven and Fox secured their joint $1.182bn deal.

Nine indicated last week it would welcome reclaiming the rights to Test cricket “in the right circumstances, if the strategy is right”, according to CEO Hugh Marks.

On Thursday, CA claimed a three-year extension of a sponsorship deal with KFC for the Big Bash League was an indication of the quality of the competition.

“Any time an incumbent partner renews it is a great result. Especially at the moment given the current [financial] environment,” CA executive Anthony Everard said. “KFC still believe they’re getting great value ... the fact they’ve renewed is a great endorsement.”

Everard also denied the T20 competition was all about star players. “The BBL is unique,” he said. “In that the success of the league and the teams is not reliant on any one particular group of players.

“Of course we would love to have the highest profile, best players in the world, but we haven’t had them since day one. The success has been based on the diversity of the squad and the mix of a team squad.

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“We only need to look over to the UK now and the likes of Josh Phillipe and Riley Meredith in the Australian squad who wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for their performances in the Big Bash last summer.”

CA and its broadcast partners have just over two weeks to find a resolution, with the first ball of the summer to be bowled at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on 26 September, when Australia’s women take on New Zealand in the opening match of their T20 series.

Seven West Media has been contacted for comment.