The Seven Network has clinched the broadcasting rights for Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka 2025 just 12 days before the start of the tour.
Australian fans were disappointed after being plunged into a television black hole for the two tests and two ODIs after no network had acquired the rights.
But Seven, which broadcasts home tests, women’s internationals and the Big Bash League, has acquired the broadcasting rights for the entire tour and will broadcast their free-to-air stations and on the 7plus app.
“What this summer has shown us is that Australians love their cricket, and we cannot wait to deliver even more action as Australia takes on Sri Lanka,” Seven Network’s head of cricket Joel Starcevic said.
Would you look at this 👀
The ONLY place in Australia to watch the tour of Sri Lanka is live and free on @Channel7 and @7plus!
Details: https://t.co/9V8qaAunqM #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/hrSjHGfAhi
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 17, 2025
Every men’s test tour has been broadcast back to Australia for the past three decades. The last test which has not been shown in Australia was during the Pakistan tour in 1994.
But this will be the first non-Ashes full overseas men’s test tour shown on free-to-air TV in Australia since Mark Taylor’s team played in South Africa back in 1997 when Seven also had the rights.
Foxtel has a stranglehold on rights for Australia’s overseas matches since broadcasting tours of India and Pakistan back in 1998. The broadcast of Australia’s most recent test series in Sri Lanka in 2022.
Foxtel has not regularly broadcast test series from Sri Lanka involving Australia and hence they do not have long-running agreements with them.
Amazon has won the rights to ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle, including this year’s WTC finals, but the streaming giant’s Australian arm is yet to dip its toe into bilateral series.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket announced that a second ODI had been added to the tour schedule earlier this week, with both to be played in Colombo on February 12 and 14.
The two ODIs will form a crucial part of Australia’s final preparation for next month’s Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 where the hosts Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the ICC event.
The first match of the test series will begin on January 29 at Galle International Stadium.
