TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sport, have televised both the Ashes in Australia since 2017, with the broadcaster expected to retain the rights for the men’s series down under this year
TNT Sports are in pole position to win the rights to broadcast the 2025-26 men’s Ashes – and are unlikely to face competition from rivals Sky.
Ben Stokes’ side will take on Pat Cummins and Co. next winter, with the series starting this November and concluding next January. England haven’t won the Ashes home or away since 2015, four years after their most recent series win down under.
Formerly BT Sport until last year, TNT has boasted the away series rights thanks to a deal with Cricket Australia for all its home internationals since the 2017-18 Ashes. The broadcaster is understood to be the current frontrunners to re-sign for another four-year cycle.
That’s according to the Telegraph, who add that Sky Sports have shown ‘little interest’ in winning back the rights. Cricket Australia are said to be looking for a deal worth around £15million every 12 months over four years to show all of their home internationals.
Sky, meanwhile, has a deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board worth a whopping £220m per year. They also have the rights to show all World Cups and other ICC events. It also has an agreement with Cricket South Africa to show its home internationals, and broadcasts a number of T20 leagues – such as the Big Bash, SA20 and Indian Premier League.
Fans have been left disappointed by the news, which won’t be confirmed for some time, as TNT’s cricket coverage has come in for criticism. TNT are currently showing the women’s Ashes, with Australia retaining the urn with one T20 and the Test match to spare.
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England men’s coach Brendon McCullum, who now also heads up the white-ball teams, will be hoping for a better outcome in Australia, having guided his side to a 2-2 draw on home soil in 2023. McCullum has been questioned this week after calling up Mark Wood and Jofra Archer for England’s ongoing one-day tour of India, with the fast-bowling duo both being prone to injuries.
“While the guys are fit and they’re firing and they’re enjoying playing, you don’t want to hold them back,” McCullum, who hails from New Zealand, explained. “I wouldn’t imagine that we’d be doing too much of that cotton-wool treatment.
“(You have to) plan as if you live for ever but live as if you die tomorrow, you’ve got to have ideas in your head and that’s why we’ve been open about us wanting to build a battery of fast bowlers.
“Pace just adds that little bit of uncomfortableness for the opposition and allows a bit more margin for error too. It also gives the chance to potentially blow teams away and get on top.”
