Women’s ODI World Cup not to be on free-to-air broadcast in Australia, bias called out

By Online Desk

Earlier on Sunday, Nine Network in Australia has confirmed that it has secured the Australian free-to-air broadcast rights for the next two men’s World Cup events.

But the women’s ODI World Cup to be held in New Zealand in March will be exclusive to Foxtel and Kayo subscribers, with no free-to-air broadcast.

After it was confirmed that the women’s ODI World Cup wouldn’t be broadcast by Channel Nine, Australian women’s cricket team wicketkeeper and batter Alyssa Healy expressed her disappointment.

Using the hashtag #BreakTheBias, Healy tweeted saying she would give away 20 kayo sports gift cards for viewers who would want to watch the women’s sport in Australia.

In light of this mornings “interesting” news – I’m going to offer up 20x @kayosports Gift Cards for people to be able to watch our World Cup next month…

Only available to Aussie based watchers (sorry). Hit me up if you want one. #BreakTheBias https://t.co/KsYOQsgelM

— Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) January 23, 2022

For all ICC tournaments, broadcasting companies in different countries are required to sub-license rights from the International Cricket Council’s global broadcast right’s partner, India’s Star Sports. Foxtel, the company that has these rights in Australia, then sells them forward to meet the conditions of Australia’s anti-siphoning legislation, which gives the country’s free-to-air broadcaster the first right to negotiate.

The sub-license agreement between Foxtel and Channel Nine includes only the rights to the Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia and the Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 to be held in India. It doesn’t include the Women’s ODI World Cup that is set to begin this March in New Zealand, according to a cricket.com.au report.

Because of a previous agreement between Foxtel and Seven, last year’s Men’s T20 World Cup was also not broadcast on a free-to-air channel which was avoided this time.

This development is definitely a blow to the growing number of fans of women’s cricket who have been on a high ever since the Women’s T20 World Cup final in 2020 saw a record-breaking crowd of close to 90,000 spectators at the MCG.